• Noting the increased professionalisation of the network’s activities;

• Affirming that a Code of Conduct is to contain a set of principles and values, as well as rules and procedure regarding participants’ behaviour and treatment of others, and contributes to the safety and inclusion of all involved;

• Considering the diversity present among JEF’s members (JEFers);

• Aiming for an ever more safe, inclusive, diverse and equal participation and working environment in JEF Ireland activities; and

• Underlining JEF Ireland’s zero-tolerance policy towards any kind of discrimination or threatening behaviour, and recognising the need for action to ensure this policy is implemented and realised.

JEF Ireland adopts the following text as its Code of Conduct, applicable, as explained, in all activities of JEF Ireland, whether official or unofficial.

1. Introduction

JEF Ireland is committed to maintaining and further developing a culture based on mutual respect, human dignity, safety, and equality as preconditions to ensure full access and active participation, reflecting the right to an empowering space and safe participation in its activities.

The aim of this Code of Conduct is to ensure that every individual feels safe, heard, included and respected in JEF Ireland, that every individual has the means to actively participate in JEF, and that JEF as an organisation continuously strives for further inclusiveness, diversity and safety in all its activities.

The Code outlines the social and ethical responsibilities of individuals and groups, as well as binds JEF Ireland to implement the Code. The Code comprises a set of substantive and

procedural rules, such as the use of contact persons, on ensuring safe participation and an empowering space, inclusion, equality, and respect of individuals involved with JEF activities.

2. To whom this Code applies

This document binds any individual involved in JEF Ireland activities, throughout its formal and informal activities, during the activities referred to in this paragraph.

When registering for or participating in a JEF event, each participant accepts and commits to these rules by default.

JEF Ireland requires that the behaviour of an individual participating in any offline or online activity of JEF Ireland, or representing the organisation externally, must be consistent with these rules.

As a participant in JEF Ireland activities, you are expected to know of and understand the Code, as well as your obligations under the law, wherever you are.

If you are ever in doubt about a course of conduct, you are encouraged to ask for guidance to any of the Contact Persons (as defined in section 8).

3. Where and when this Code applies

The Code of Conduct applies during both online and offline activities of JEF Ireland, in both formal and informal settings.

A formal setting shall be understood as including any part of the working programme of an event, task force or political commission meetings, and statutory bodies’ meetings.

Informal settings shall be understood as including any activities happening in connection to a formal meeting or any other JEF Ireland event, or other informal get-together clearly linked to JEF Ireland activities. Activities surrounding the working programme, including, but not limited to, social events and online communication, shall be considered as informal settings.

4. On making assumptions

JEF Ireland is an inclusive and empowering space for young people from all walks of life, committed to actively engage in the pursuit of a free and united Europe. As such, JEFers and

participants in JEF activities are encouraged to overcome their prejudices and unconscious biases. Accordingly, JEFers and participants in JEF activities should do their best not to:

A. make assumptions about a person, their background, or opinion based on their skin colour, other external features, or the way they speak;

B. assume another person’s religious or political affiliation or non-affiliation, other conviction, or beliefs;

C. assume a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation;

D. assume someone’s ability to do the same things you are able to do;

E. assume everyone to be in good health, physical or otherwise.

5. On acting in accordance with the Code of Conduct

The following rules shall be interpreted broadly to include any conduct considered inappropriate and inconsistent with the values of JEF Ireland. Any breach of these rules shall lead to action (as defined in the procedures in section 7).

Participants in JEF activities commit to adopt and promote appropriate behaviour, which includes:

A. respecting others and not denigrating or undermining them;

B. respecting another person’s turn to speak;

C. discussing sensitive topics in a respectful manner, and remembering that they may be personal to others;

D. creating an environment where it is easy for anyone to speak up and express their opinion;

E. supporting and enabling the participation and inclusion of others, for example by explaining abbreviations, terms, and difficult concepts;

F. not discriminating on the basis of any personal characteristics, physical or otherwise; G. avoiding commenting on another person’s looks publicly, or in a way that makes them uncomfortable or objectifies them;

H. not using language that emphasises the thought that basic health and ability is expected;

I. not judging or commenting negatively on another person’s culture;

J. not feeding racist stereotypes in their speech, actions, or behaviour, even as a joke or ironically;

K. not physically touching others without permission and respecting their personal space; L. not bullying, making fun of or putting down others, or laughing at others’ mistakes unless laughing together with them;

M. not in any way harass or abuse fellow JEFers and participants in JEF activities.

6. Reporting

The Code of Conduct applies to every member of JEF Ireland and every participant in a JEF activity, no matter their role in the organisation. If you observe or experience behaviour that concerns you, or that may represent a violation of our Code, please raise the issue with one of the Contact Persons promptly, provided you feel comfortable doing so. You can choose to do this anonymously or together with someone you trust. That will allow JEF Ireland an opportunity to deal with the issue and correct it, ideally before it becomes a violation of law or a risk to health or security.

Inappropriate or unwanted behaviour or action can be reported through:

• One or more of the Contact Persons presented at the beginning of the activity, in person or online,

• Code of conduct form that can be used to report anonymously,

• Other means mentioned in the beginning of the event or activity.

7. Procedure in case of inappropriate behaviour

In case of any breach from the Code of Conduct, the dedicated contact persons at the event or activity are required, on their best judgment and with the consent of the person affected by the conduct, to, in successive order and depending on the severity of the action:

a. Remind participants of their obligation to act in accordance with the present Code of Conduct and give them advice on how to do so;

b. Engage in a one to one conversation with the person in breach of the Code to make sure that there is a mutual understanding of the nature of the inappropriate action, including clarifying and explaining possible misunderstandings and intercultural differences;

c. Inform, only when necessary, the other organisers of the event or the meeting chairs about the problematic behaviour or the violation of the Code;

d. Facilitate a structured conversation between parties to resolve the situation; e. In consultation with the organising team and the facilitators of the activity, suspend the session and/or ban the person in breach of the Code from attending the remainder of the event or activity.

In the case of violent or other potentially illegal behaviour, contact the police in consultation with the person affected in accordance with the national law.

The National Executive Committee in consultation with organisers and contact persons of the event may decide to suspend or permanently ban the attendance of the person in breach of the Code from future JEF events or activities. The decision shall be taken within 2 weeks of the activity where the breach occurred.

8. Obligations of JEF Ireland, organisers and facilitators of JEF Ireland activities

Presenting the Code of Conduct

a. The Code shall be circulated ahead and presented in the beginning of every JEF Ireland event and activity where the Code applies, especially during the first day when it may be presented multiple times a day, and at least once a day in multiple day events or activities;

b. The Code shall be introduced using the Code of Conduct presentation; c. The presentation of the Code of Conduct shall:

i. ensure that participants understand its content and obligations;

ii. be appropriate to the purpose of the document;

iii. keep in mind the type and duration of the event.

d. The Code shall be presented by one of the organisers, facilitators, or the Contact Persons, and the means to report to the Contact Persons shall be presented at the same time; and

e. The Code shall be accessible for reference throughout the event or activity.

Permanent Contact Persons

a. Permanent Contact Persons are dedicated to ensuring safety and feeling of safety across the association and can be contacted online at anytime;

b. At least two (2) Contact Persons shall be elected by the upcoming Federal Committee and have a two-year mandate ;

c. The Permanent Contact Persons shall represent different gender identities; d. The Permanent Contact Persons shall be familiar with the Code of Conduct and charged to interpret and act in accordance.

Contact persons

e. Contact Persons are dedicated to ensuring safety and feeling of safety and being available for participants in person and online;

f. At least two (2) Contact Persons shall be appointed by the organisers for every event and activity of JEF Ireland ;1

g. The Contact Persons shall be selected so that they are available throughout the event or activity;

h. The Contact Persons shall represent different gender identities;

i. The Contact Persons shall be trained by persons familiar with the Code of Conduct in interpreting and acting in accordance with it, as well as in facilitating the follow-up of a breach;

j. The Contact Persons shall be appointed and trained ahead of the event or activity in question;

k. If you do not feel comfortable reporting to the Contact Person, if you do not feel your rights have been ensured, or if you have any complaints, please contact one of the Permanent Contact Persons.

Code of conduct form

a. A specific form is made for each individual event or activity and is only accessible by the Contact Persons and shall be monitored by the Contact Persons actively at all times; b. The event or activity specific form shall be monitored by the Contact Persons for two (2) weeks after the event or activity that is intended for;

c. The form shall provide the possibility to state what happened and what they wish that the next steps are;

d. The form shall have the possibility to provide one’s contact details or opt for anonymity.

9. Legal steps

JEF Ireland representatives and all participants at JEF Ireland events and activities are subject to the local laws. They are expected to comply with the Code of Conduct as well as all applicable laws, rules and regulations. In a case where the provision of the Code of Conduct should conflict with applicable law, the law prevails.

In the case of violent or discriminatory behaviour, conduct or discourse that is physical in nature, the Contact Person has an obligation to contact the police authority if necessary and possible according to the laws of the country. These measures do not interfere with the affected person’s or group’s legal rights to bring legal action against the person in breach of the law.

10. Privacy

To protect the privacy of all parties concerned, the Contact Persons and other persons involved in the process are bound to silence and discretion about any facts they come to know during the reporting process, except if any legal procedure requires it or for the safety of the individual.

The Contact Persons and other persons involved in the process shall not disclose the identities of the parties concerned without their prior consent.

Any written material that contains information about the incident, the people involved, or the process should not be stored longer than the purpose and time of solving the issue of the

case, and shall be deleted from all devices, databases and other locations at the moment of closing the case.