Code of Conduct
This code of conduct must be carefully read and understood before starting your work at Open Cultural Center. To accept the signed Code of Conduct before arrival, please fill this form. This Code of Conduct is directly connected to our Safeguarding Policy which is the next page after this one.
Main workplace principles
OCC team members should uphold the humanitarian principles at all times: Humanity, Neutrality, Impartiality and Independence.
OCC team members should be kind and respectful to others at all times: any behaviour which could be considered bullying is absolutely unacceptable.
Weapons or other materials that could be used to engage in violent acts should not be brought into or near OCC spaces.
OCC team members should not engage in any sexual relationship with other team members, unless they were already a couple when they arrived. If a relationship is started, the Safeguarding Committee shall review the situation and take necessary actions, which may mean the termination of the contract.
OCC team members are requested not to actively participate in political activities such as working for a political party (left or right-wing). However, this does not include participating in demonstrations or other activist activities, as long as these activities do not go against OCCs core values and/or migrant/refugee rights.
Friends and family should not be invited to OCC team-only activities, unless specifically communicated by management.
OCC team members should not give preferential access to any OCC facilities/space/equipment.
OCC team members should not engage in disrespectful/confrontational behaviour, whether in person or in online communication.
OCC team members should attend their workplace with adequate physical and mental conditions. It is not allowed to arrive at the workplace under the use of alcohol or drugs, or to use such substances during working hours, or outside working hours in the presence of beneficiaries.
OCC team members should wear clean and appropriate clothes. Working clothes should be adequate to avoid provocation. This means that for example hats, short clothes, clothes with disrespectful messages/logos/symbols or other clothing that could somehow be offensive should be avoided.
General rules and guidelines
Working hours
All OCC team members have specific working hours stipulated by the contract. During a shift, there are hours for administrative work and hours for working in the field. Priority and preference will be given, at all times, to the hours devoted to field work.
OCC team members must be punctual in their hours of entry and exit from the workplace. In case of delay, they will inform other team members affected by the delay, and inform the coordinator.
Repeated and unjustified late-coming or non-attendance will be considered a breach of internal regulations.
During each working day, breaks should be taken every 3-5 hours of at least 20 minutes. Lunch time shall also be respect of a minimum of one hour. The break must be agreed with the team, so as not to interfere with the direct operation of the project, nor in the proper functioning of the other projects. The break will be coordinated and in turns, as far as possible, there should always be a member of each team on duty in case of active field-work.
Personal arrangements (medical assistance, administrative appointments, etc.) will be made, if possible, outside working hours, and/or preferably during non-field work hours. If this is not possible, they will be notified in advance and duly justified. The receipt or a proof of the appointment will be given to the coordinator.
In the event of extra hours of working, the team member can work less hours at another point of time in consultation with their supervisor.
Use of OCC materials and spaces
OCC materials are for educational activities, events and office use. It is not possible to use any materials for personal use without prior approval from the coordinator.
The spaces we use will be respected and kept clean and tidy all the time and by all team members. If you leave a space, never leave trash or other things that don’t belong in that space behind.
Phone usage during working hours
Personal calls should be avoided during working hours, especially if you are working with beneficiaries. In the event of a personal emergency, calls will be made in a private place and away from the beneficiaries, in order to maintain the optimal distance between professional and personal life.
During work, social media and other non-work related applications are not allowed to be used.
Team relationships
Teamwork is an essential part of OCC’s work. All team members are part of a small team with which they must coordinate for proper functioning, and at the same time they are part of the larger OCC team.
All the people in the team participate in the weekly meeting. During the week, there may be other meetings of each small working group, where the managers can participate if they consider it necessary. These meetings aim to evaluate the operation of the project operationally, strategically and methodologically. Additionally, the meetings are a space to transfer information of common interest or other information that has an impact on the project or the team members.
The meeting space should be used to coordinate, evaluate, resolve conflicts between the team, develop new proposals, etc. In the event of a conflict within the small work team, action should be taken by supervisors and/or the coordinator.
Under no circumstances, OCC’s internal issues will be discussed in the presence of beneficiaries. Additionally, all team members will respect and follow the decisions taken by the team and approved at the relevant meeting.
Data protection
All personal data and files of the people served must be treated confidentially, as set out in the GDPR.
Videos or images of beneficiaries must not be used for dissemination in a non-educational context or on personal social networks. Those images used by OCC must be accompanied by prior authorisation from the person, if of legal age, or the corresponding parent/guardian. If the images are to be transferred to other entities or media, the family or person concerned must give prior authorisation for any recording, photograph, etc.
The personal data of beneficiaries will be kept in a closed file with restricted access.
Under no circumstances will the personal data of other people be given to external parties. Volunteers should also have restricted access to personal data. However, exceptions might be necessary to allow the correct delivery of the activities. In this case, approval should be requested from the person responsible for GDPR.
Working with our beneficiaries
General guidelines
Team members should ask questions and seek guidance if unclear about resolving a situation.
Team members should be mindful and respectful of cultural differences (for example, it’s best not to extend your hand when meeting somebody of the opposite sex).
Team members should try to be patient and understanding; sometimes the situation can be tense, but try to understand what people living in the community have been through (but obviously with limits, when the situation is not safe for example).
Team members should never engage in any sexual relationship with anyone from the asylum seeker/refugee/migrant community.
Team members should not give false hope or individual advice to beneficiaries.
Team members should not shout at or be violent with members of the community.
Team members should not use any form or force (physical or verbal) under any circumstances, except if it’s to provide safety to other people. Law enforcement will be requested if necessary.
Team members should not develop relationships with beneficiaries that go beyond the professional level. Relationships should be kept at an optimal distance, to preserve the personal life of beneficiaries and team members.
Children and women
Staff and others must never:
Hit or otherwise physically assault or physically abuse children
Develop physical/sexual relationships with children.
Act in ways that may be abusive or may place a child at risk of abuse.
Use language, make suggestions or offer advice which is inappropriate, offensive or abusive
Behave physically in a manner which is inappropriate or sexually provocative
Have a child/children with whom they are working to stay overnight at their home unsupervised
Sleep in the same room or bed as a child with whom they are working
Do things for children of a personal nature that they can do for themselves
Condone, or participate in, behavior of children which is illegal, unsafe or abusive
Act in ways intended to shame, humiliate, belittle or degrade children, or otherwise perpetrate any form of emotional abuse
Discriminate against, show differential treatment, or favor particular children to the exclusion of others.
Taking pictures for the children. (In the school or any other place)
It is important for all staff and others in contact with children to:
Be aware of situations which may present risks and manage these
Plan and organize the work and the workplace so as to minimize risks
As far as possible, be visible in working with children
Ensure that a culture of openness exists to enable any issues or concerns to be raised and discussed
Make sure that you are not alone while you are teaching children, always must be two adults.
Talk to children about their contact with staff or others and encourage them to raise any concerns
Empower children - discuss with them their rights, what is acceptable and unacceptable, and what they can do if there is a problem.
Use the safe chairs for the car and never have children in front.
In general it is inappropriate to:
Spend excessive time alone with children away from others
Take children to your home, especially where they will be alone with you.
Use children as an interpreter in processes and responsibilities (such as interview, social history etc.)
Show children’s faces in presentations or publications and never publish a story or image which may endanger the child, their family or community or stigmatize the child
Engage in excessive hugging, kissing or behavior that should be restricted to family members.
This is not an exhaustive or exclusive list. The principle is that staff should avoid actions or behavior which may constitute poor practice or potentially abusive behavior.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is how the organization delivers on its duty of care to prevent and minimize the risk of harm to its service users and staff/volunteers. This includes both preventative actions to minimise the chances of harm occurring, and responsive actions to ensure that incidents which may happen are appropriately handled. Safeguarding implies a wider duty of care towards vulnerable adults and children especially, but also to those staff and volunteers working in the OCC community.
OCC takes seriously it’s responsibility to protect the safety and well-being of its community, including vulnerable children and adults from the refugee community, and the volunteers working with them. We are committed as an organization to keeping the OCC community safe and protecting them from all forms of harm and abuse.
Because of this, we have strict Safeguarding Policies which can be found also in this Handbook. It is highly important to understand that these policies fall directly under our Code of Conduct and that it is required to read the full policy before accepting this Code of Conduct.
pagePoliciesNon-compliant behaviour
In all cases, an attempt will always be made to reach a prior agreement between the team member and the organisation to resolve the conflict in the least harmful manner.
Levels of non-compliant behaviour
Mild:
Not taking care of the materials and the spaces where the activities are carried out.
Incorrectness with other team members.
Inadequate clothing and/or personal hygiene.
Repeated and unjustified late-comings or non-attendance.
Failure to deliver the medical certificate of sick leave after the absence of 3 consecutive days.
Serious:
Indiscipline or disobedience.
Abandonment of the activity without just cause.
Lack of respect for beneficiaries or other team members.
Recidivism in the commission of three minor offenses, even if they are of a different nature, within three months.
Misapplication of material.
Destroy or damage the material.
Alcohol or drug use, when it affects or occurs during the service hours.
Provision of personal data of other people to third parties, or volunteers. In the latter case, an exception will be made if the provision has been approved by the person responsible for GDPR.
Very serious:
Any conduct constituting a crime.
Physical or verbal aggression against beneficiaries or other team members.
Any conduct of sexual harassment or other intimidating behaviour (physical, verbal or non-verbal) that affects the dignity of beneficiaries or other team members.
Recidivism of serious offenses, despite being of a different nature, in the period of six calendar months.
Consequences of non-compliant behaviour
For a mild cause:
Verbal warning.
Return improperly appropriated material.
Repair or replace damaged material.
For a serious or very serious cause:
Verbal and written warning.
Temporary suspension of salary and/or economic fine.
Termination of the volunteering period or employment contract.
Agreement
All people working within OCC will fill this form, in which they are urgently asked to read this Code of Conduct, and have to mark 'I accept' to acknowledge they have read the complete Code of Conduct, including our Safeguarding Policies.
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