2022
New Hamburg Fall Fair
This document outlines the Code of Conduct for all persons volunteering their service to the Wilmot Agricultural Society. It covers your behaviour as a member of community, in any forum, mailing list, public meeting or private correspondence. If you cannot agree to any of these principles, then volunteering for the Wilmot Agricultural Society is not for you. Accepting the role offered assumes acceptance of these principles:
Be Considerate
You are working with others as a team so be considerate of how your actions or contribution affects your colleagues and the community as a whole.
Be Respectful
Treat one another and members of the community with respect. Everyone can make a valuable contribution to the Wilmot Agricultural Society. We may not always agree, but disagreement is no excuse for poor behavior or poor manners. It's important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive one. We expect the members of the Wilmot Agricultural Society to be respectful when dealing with other volunteers as well as with people from outside projects and initiatives and with users.
Be Collaborative
Collaboration reduces redundancy of work done and improves the quality of our output. When you disagree, consult others. Disagreements, both political and technical, happen all the time, and the Wilmot Agricultural Society is no exception. Disagreement, debate and constructive criticism are often how progress is made and are a necessary part of doing complex work in a team. The important goal is not to avoid disagreements or differing views but to resolve them constructively. Above all, avoid making conflicts about the work into personal conflicts. Debate should never include reference to someone's nationality, gender, religion or other personal characteristics. When you are unsure, ask for help. Nobody knows everything and nobody is expected to be perfect. Asking questions avoids many problems down the road and so questions are encouraged. Those who are asked should be responsive and helpful. However, when asking a question, care must be taken to do so in an appropriate forum. Off-topic questions detract from productive discussion.
Step Down Considerately
People on every board come and go, and the Wilmot Agricultural Society is no different. When you leave or disengage from the community, in whole or in part, we ask that you do so in a way that minimizes disruption to the board and current projects. This means you should tell people you are leaving and take the proper steps to ensure that others can pick up where you leave off.
Be Available
Check your e-mails regularly and answer them promptly—even if it's "I'll get back to you."
Be Honest
Sometimes the hardest thing to say is "no" or admit you've forgotten do something. Be honest with each other and yourself with regards to what you say and what you can realistically commit to.
Follow the Rules
Volunteers are expected to uphold the Wilmot Agricultural Society’s licensing and trademark requirements. Make sure you have sought the appropriate approvals for domain name, name and logo usage prior to volunteering and that any extensions you distribute comply with the Wilmot Agricultural Society license. You should not speak on behalf of the Wilmot Agricultural Society or present yourself as an official representative of the executive unless you are specifically authorized to do so, and you should never state your opinions as the official policies of the board.
Exercise Discretion and Confidentiality at Appropriate Times
Depending on your role, you will be privy to various levels of information. As a volunteer you are expected to keep details secure at all times. Information is also to be kept confidential even after you have discontinued your service. Breaches in the area of privacy and confidentiality are taken very seriously by the Wilmot Agricultural Society.
Conflict of Interest
If you have a situation or affiliation that might constitute or lead to a conflict of interest or might be perceived by a reasonable person in the community to be a conflict of interest, disclose this to your Executive or the board as a whole. If appropriate, after discussing with your team, you should remove yourself from specific decisions or discussions in which you may have a conflict of interest.
Substance Abuse
The Wilmot Agricultural Society is committed to providing a family friendly environment free from alcohol and drug abuse. Any member of the executive, board, associate of the board or volunteer will refrain from consuming alcoholic beverages during working hours in quantities that affect work performance or impair conduct or judgment. Any impairment on the fair grounds over the course of the New Hamburg Fall Fair is cause for immediate dismissal and association with the Wilmot Agricultural Society.