# Values

### Be Considerate <a href="#codeofconduct-beconsiderate" id="codeofconduct-beconsiderate"></a>

* There are different levels of digital literacy and language/localization in a global community.
* Help each volunteer find roles that work for them and help them learn.
* Be mindful of people's time.
* Be respectful toward all time zones.
* We agree to make this an environment where it is safe to ask for help.

### Be Respectful <a href="#codeofconduct-berespectful" id="codeofconduct-berespectful"></a>

* Consider the ethics of data sharing/ownership.
* Practice and contribute under the principle of "do no harm".
* Recognize that we have potential to do harm and commit to constantly reassessing this risk.
* Understand and work with the community and audience as to what "harm" means to them.
* Be polite, friendly and patient in all forms of communication and value each other's ideas,styles and viewpoints.
* Be careful in the words that you choose.

### Be Inclusive <a href="#codeofconduct-berespectful-1" id="codeofconduct-berespectful-1"></a>

* Being inclusive means being kind and community focused.
* Go out of your way and across cultures to include people and help new perspectives to be heard.
* Avoid slang or idioms that might not translate across cultures, or be deliberate in explaining them to share our diverse cultures and languages.
* Speak plainly and avoid acronyms and jargon that not everyone may have an understanding of.
* Be an ally to others when you see a need.
* Accomodate many cultural practises, attitude and beliefs.

### Be Collaborative <a href="#codeofconduct-becollaborative" id="codeofconduct-becollaborative"></a>

* When we disagree, we consult others.
* When we are unsure, we ask for help.
* Give feedback. Good feedback is kind, respectful, clear, and constructive, and focused on goals and values rather than personal preferences.
* We take care of ourselves and each other so we can make great contributions and be around for the long haul.
* Hand off your work considerately by turning over remaining tasks to the coordinator, team lead or another contributor.
* Ensure and create thorough documentation to protect resilience.

### Be Transparent <a href="#codeofconduct-betransparent" id="codeofconduct-betransparent"></a>

* Maintain transparency of process and code.
* Share your process, best practices, and lessons learned so others have opportunities to share with you, and to help build community.
* The community is committed to a radically participatory ethic. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. No prerequisites exist to participate in the community. Inclusiveness in make-up, action, and participation.
  * **(Prerequisites do have to be set. Depending on how a VTC is organized, their leadership may be assuming legal liability for actions of members. Those assuming risk have to be in a position to control their risk by setting rules.)**
* Seek to overcome barriers that stand between us and the reality of those around us, as well as participation in society.

### **Be Mindful of People's Privacy** <a href="#codeofconduct-bemindfulofpeoplesprivacy" id="codeofconduct-bemindfulofpeoplesprivacy"></a>

* Be mindful of security and privacy considerations. Do not share sensitive data (see the [ICRC Professional Standards on Protection Work](http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/publication/p0999.htm)).
* Follow verification and security guidelines for mapping – do not publish dangerous speech, personal names, and personal identifying information (guidelines to be determined).
* Ushahidi adheres to and is compliant with GDPR. You can find out more about our GDPR compliance in our [Privacy Policy](https://www.ushahidi.com/privacy-policy) and [Terms of Service](https://www.ushahidi.com/terms-of-service).

### Committing to Self-Improvement <a href="#committing-to-self-improvement" id="committing-to-self-improvement"></a>

None of us are perfect: all of us from time to time will fail to live up to our very high standards. What matters isn’t having a perfect track record, but owning up to your mistakes and committing to a clear and persistent effort to improve.If you are approached as having (consciously or otherwise) acted in a way that might make your teammates feel unwelcome, listen with an open mind and avoid becoming defensive. Remember that if someone offers you feedback, it likely took a great deal of courage for them to do so. The best way to respect that courage is to acknowledge your mistake, apologize, and move on — with a renewed commitment to do better.