CODE OF CONDUCT

All prospective members should conduct themselves in a professional manner and some minimum guidelines are set out below:

• a) All members of Southampton IVC (the Club) are entitled to freely enjoy their membership of the Club
• b) You are entitled to be treated with courtesy and respect at all times and conversely you must treat all other members with courtesy and respect. If you find that you cannot do this then this club is not for you. You don't have to like every other member but you do have to treat every other member with respect.
• c) You must take reasonable care over health and safety of yourself and other members, particularly if you are running an event.
• d) You must respect the rules and policies of the Club.
• e) You must respect the rights of other members just as you are entitled to have your rights respected. By all means know your rights; please also know your responsibilities.
• f) All Club members are equal. It does not matter if you have been a member of the Club for 20 minutes or 20 years. You still have exactly the same rights and responsibilities.
• g) Please bring a tolerant approach to your membership be it temporary or permanent. Please be aware of the impact your behaviour is having on your fellow Club members and be prepared to moderate your behaviour if other Club members are not as assumed as you think they should be. The Club needs happy smiling sociable Club members.
• h) No one should act in a negative or destructive manner towards the Club, its events or its members. This does not preclude fair and reasonable comment appropriately and fairly expressed.
• i) You as a Club member entitled to be free of harassment and of bullying or abusive behaviour. Harassment is any course of conduct from a Club member who either knows, or ought to know, that it will cause alarm or distress to the recipient Club member. Bullying or abusive behaviour is any behaviour which is intended or is likely to cause a Club member to feel uncomfortable.
• j) Issues and / or disputes do occasionally arise and they are best dealt with informally if at all possible. If, exceptionally, you find yourself involved in a dispute or disciplinary process, either as the person (Club member) making a complaint, the person complained about or as a witness then you must act responsibly. You must treat the process as confidential and do your best to minimise rather than exaggerate the problem. Once the dispute or complaint has been dealt with everyone should accept the conclusion and "move on". Complaints are not in the spirit of the Club.