Skip to content
Merged
Show file tree
Hide file tree
Changes from all commits
Commits
File filter

Filter by extension

Filter by extension

Conversations
Failed to load comments.
Loading
Jump to
Jump to file
Failed to load files.
Loading
Diff view
Diff view
92 changes: 92 additions & 0 deletions Governance/community/EVENTS_POLICY.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
# Community Events Policy

## Purpose

This policy defines how community events related to TeachLink Web are proposed,
run, and supported. It lets contributors organise meetups, workshops,
hackathons, and online sessions that reflect the project's values, while
protecting attendees and keeping the project's name from being used carelessly.

## Scope

This policy applies to events that use the TeachLink Web name, are announced in
the project's official channels, or are presented as supported by the project,
whether in person or online. Independent events that do not claim project
backing are outside this policy, but their organisers are welcome to ask for
guidance. Use of the project name and logo follows the [Brand
Usage](../BRAND_USAGE.md).

## Proposing an Event

An organiser who wants project support opens an issue at least 30 days before
the event with:

- the purpose, format, expected audience, date, time zone, and location or
platform;
- the organisers, their roles, and how attendees can contact them;
- the budget and any sponsors or funding sought, and how accessibility needs
will be met;
- how the event will use the project's name, and who will represent the project,
if anyone.
- Two maintainers review the proposal against this policy and the
[Scope](../SCOPE.md), record approval or the reasons for declining, and agree
what support the project will give (announcements, speaker time, recognition).
Approval does not make the event an official project activity unless the
approval says so.

## Code of Conduct Applicability

The [Code of Conduct](../CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) applies at every event that uses
the project's name:

- Organisers publish the Code of Conduct and a named contact for reports before
registration opens, and brief staff and volunteers on how to respond.
- A report made at an event can be sent to the organisers on site and to the
project through [Code of Conduct reporting](../COC_REPORTING.md); the
project's enforcement procedures apply to participants who are also
contributors.
- Organisers choose venues and platforms that are accessible, provide captions
or equivalent for online sessions where possible, and state any registration
or recording rules in advance.
- Organisers do not ask attendees for more personal data than they need, and
handle it as described in the [Privacy Notice
governance](../domains/PRIVACY_NOTICE.md).
- An event that does not follow the Code of Conduct may lose its approval and
the right to use the project name.

## Sponsorship Rules

Funding must not compromise independence or trust:

- Sponsors are disclosed publicly on the event page, and sponsorship does not
buy influence over project decisions, speaking slots on technical content, or
review outcomes.
- Organisers follow the [Conflict of Interest
policy](../policies/CONFLICT_OF_INTEREST.md) and tell maintainers of any
relationship that could look like a conflict.
- Money raised in the project's name is handled transparently; where the
project's funds are involved, the [Treasurer role](../roles/TREASURER.md) role
applies.
- Sponsors may not use the event to collect attendee data for marketing without
informed, separate consent (see the [Cookie and Consent
governance](../domains/COOKIE_CONSENT.md) for the consent principles).
- After the event, organisers post a short summary: attendance, sponsors,
expenses, and lessons learned.

## Ownership and Review

- Maintainers own this document and are accountable for applying it
consistently.
- A maintainer keeps the events list and records approvals, withdrawals, and
post-event summaries.
- Changes are proposed in a pull request that touches only the `Governance/`
folder and are reviewed like any other governance change (see the [Review
Policy](../policies/REVIEW_POLICY.md)).
- This document is versioned with the repository and describes how the project
actually operates rather than an aspiration.

## Success

This policy succeeds when events that carry the project's name are safe,
accessible, and transparently funded, and when contributors know how to propose
one.
90 changes: 90 additions & 0 deletions Governance/community/INCLUSIVE_LANGUAGE.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
# Inclusive Language Guide

## Purpose

This guide helps contributors write and speak in a way that welcomes everyone to
TeachLink Web. It lists preferred terms, terms to avoid, and how the guide is
applied, so inclusive wording is a shared habit rather than a matter of personal
taste. It supports, and does not replace, the [Code of
Conduct](../CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

## Scope

This guide applies to everything contributors write for the project: code
(identifiers, comments, commit messages), documentation, issue and pull request
text, UI copy, release notes, and discussion in project channels. Localised
content follows the [I18N Governance](../domains/I18N_GOVERNANCE.md) for
language-specific choices.

## Preferred Terms

Choose precise, neutral words:

- **allowlist / denylist** for lists of permitted or blocked items.
- **primary / replica** (or **leader / follower**) for roles in a system.
- **main** for the default branch, as this repository does.
- **placeholder value**, **sample data**, or **stub** instead of terms that
stereotype.
- **people**, **everyone**, **folks**, or **team** instead of gendered group
terms such as "guys".
- **they** for a single person whose pronouns are not known; use the pronouns a
person tells you.
- **stop** or **end** instead of violent metaphors such as "kill" where a calmer
verb is just as clear, and **confidence check** instead of "sanity check".
- Plain, literal wording rather than idioms that may not translate. Many
contributors and learners read English as an additional language.

## Terms to Avoid

Avoid language that excludes, stereotypes, or harms:

- master/slave, whitelist/blacklist, and similar terms that carry racial
connotations.
- Ableist terms used as insults or metaphors (for example "crazy", "lame",
"blind to", "crippled").
- Gendered defaults ("he", "manpower", "man-hours") when the person or group is
unspecified.
- Terms that assume background or ability, such as "obviously", "simply",
"just", and "everyone knows", which make learners feel behind.
- Slurs, jokes at the expense of a group, and sexual or violent humour in any
project space.
- External names we cannot change (a vendor API field, a standard's keyword) are
not renamed in third-party code; wrap them where practical and say why the
original is used.

## How It Is Enforced

The aim is education first:

- Reviewers raise a wording concern as a normal review comment, with a suggested
alternative and, where helpful, a link to this guide. The author is expected
to address it as they would any review note.
- Existing terms are updated gradually: a pull request that touches a line is a
good moment to improve its wording, and dedicated renaming pull requests are
welcome when they stay small and avoid breaking public APIs (follow the
[Deprecation policy](../policies/DEPRECATION.md)).
- A repeated disregard of the guide, or deliberate use of exclusionary language,
is a conduct matter handled through [Code of Conduct
reporting](../COC_REPORTING.md) and the [Moderation
policy](../policies/MODERATION.md).
- Disagreements about a term are resolved by asking whether it could exclude or
hurt someone and whether a clear alternative exists; a maintainer decides and
records the outcome if the discussion cannot settle it.

## Ownership and Review

- Maintainers own this document and are accountable for applying it
consistently.
- Anyone may propose additions to the preferred and avoided terms by pull
request with a short rationale.
- Changes are proposed in a pull request that touches only the `Governance/`
folder and are reviewed like any other governance change (see the [Review
Policy](../policies/REVIEW_POLICY.md)).
- This document is versioned with the repository and describes how the project
actually operates rather than an aspiration.

## Success

This guide succeeds when contributors reach for inclusive wording by habit, when
reviewers can point to a shared reference instead of personal opinion, and when
no one is made to feel unwelcome by the project's words.
85 changes: 85 additions & 0 deletions Governance/community/MEDIA_POLICY.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
# Press and Media Policy

## Purpose

This policy says who may speak to journalists, researchers, and other media on
behalf of TeachLink Web, how statements are approved, and what messages are
consistent with the project. It protects contributors from being misquoted or
pressured and makes the project's public statements accurate and coordinated.

## Scope

This policy applies to interviews, press releases, quotes, podcasts, conference
press, and other communications with media or analysts that concern the project.
It is read together with the social media policy
([SOCIAL_MEDIA.md](SOCIAL_MEDIA.md)) and the use of project names and logos
described in the [Brand Usage](../BRAND_USAGE.md).

## Who Speaks to Media

Spokespeople are limited so statements are consistent:

- The lead maintainers, or maintainers they designate for a topic, may speak for
the project.
- Any other contributor who is approached by media says they speak for
themselves, not for the project, unless a maintainer has agreed otherwise in
writing.
- Anyone approached directly forwards the request to the maintainers through the
project's designated contact within 2 business days, without committing to an
interview or deadline.
- Spokespeople never share private information about contributors, users,
security matters, or conduct cases (see the [Security
Policy](../SECURITY_POLICY.md) and [Code of Conduct
reporting](../COC_REPORTING.md)).

## Approval Process

Statements are approved before they are released:

- A maintainer acknowledges each request, notes the outlet, topic, deadline, and
what is being asked, and records it.
- For written statements and press releases, two maintainers review the text for
accuracy, privacy, and consistency with published project decisions, and
approve it in the request thread.
- For live or recorded interviews, the spokesperson is briefed on the topics,
the facts that may be shared, and the matters that must not be discussed, and
may ask to review quotes before publication.
- Urgent statements about security incidents follow the [Security
Policy](../SECURITY_POLICY.md) and may be approved by one maintainer with the
second maintainer informed immediately afterwards.
- Approved statements are published on the project's official channels so the
public record is complete.

## Messaging Guidance

Messages are factual and in line with the project's purpose:

- Describe the project using the [Mission](../MISSION.md) and
[Vision](../VISION.md); do not claim endorsements, adoption numbers, or
roadmap dates that are not published.
- Distinguish clearly between what is released, what is planned, and what is an
opinion of the speaker.
- Be neutral about other projects and vendors, and disclose any affiliation or
sponsorship (see the [Conflict of Interest
policy](../policies/CONFLICT_OF_INTEREST.md)).
- Do not speculate about incidents under investigation; say what is known, what
is being done, and when the next update is expected.
- Acknowledge contributors accurately and with their consent, and correct errors
in coverage by contacting the outlet politely and recording the correction.

## Ownership and Review

- Maintainers own this document and are accountable for applying it
consistently.
- Maintainers keep the request log and the list of designated spokespeople.
- Changes are proposed in a pull request that touches only the `Governance/`
folder and are reviewed like any other governance change (see the [Review
Policy](../policies/REVIEW_POLICY.md)).
- This document is versioned with the repository and describes how the project
actually operates rather than an aspiration.

## Success

This policy succeeds when the project's public statements are accurate and
consistent, when contributors are not pulled into speaking for the project
against their will, and when every statement can be traced to an approval.
88 changes: 88 additions & 0 deletions Governance/community/SOCIAL_MEDIA.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
# Social Media Policy

## Purpose

This policy sets rules for the project's official social media presence and for
how contributors talk about TeachLink Web on social media. It keeps the
project's public voice consistent, respectful, and honest, and makes clear when
someone speaks for the project and when they speak for themselves.

## Scope

This policy applies to the project's official accounts and to contributors who
identify themselves as connected with the project when posting. Statements to
journalists and formal public statements are covered by the press and media
policy in this folder ([MEDIA_POLICY.md](MEDIA_POLICY.md)). Personal accounts
are otherwise the individual's own; this policy asks only for the courtesy of
clarity.

## Who May Post Officially

Official accounts speak for the project, so access is limited:

- Only maintainers, and contributors the maintainers have designated in writing
as social media stewards, may post from official accounts.
- Stewards post about releases, events, community news, and recognised
contributions. They do not announce policy changes, roadmap commitments, or
security matters that have not been published through the proper process.
- Access to accounts follows least privilege, uses strong authentication, and is
reviewed on the cadence in the access review policy; credentials are never
shared in chat or issues.
- A steward who leaves the role hands over the account and has their access
removed the same day.

## Tone and Disclosure

Posts are written to reflect the [Code of Conduct](../CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) and
the project's [values](../VALUES.md):

- Be accurate, courteous, and inclusive (see the [Communication
Norms](../policies/COMMUNICATION_NORMS.md)); correct mistakes openly and
promptly rather than deleting them.
- Do not argue with critics, disparage other projects or people, or post about
private conduct cases or security details.
- Credit contributors and sources, and obtain consent before sharing a person's
words, image, or personal information.
- Disclose relationships: a contributor who posts about the project while paid
by or affiliated with a vendor says so. Paid promotion and sponsored content
are labelled as such.
- Contributors posting from personal accounts should make clear they speak for
themselves and not for the project, unless they are acting under the [Brand
Usage](../BRAND_USAGE.md) and the press and media policy.

## Escalation

When something goes wrong:

- A post that is wrong, harmful, or exposes private information is taken down or
corrected immediately by a steward, and a maintainer is told.
- Harassment, threats, or abuse aimed at the project or its contributors are not
answered in kind; they are recorded, reported to the platform where
appropriate, and handled through [Code of Conduct
reporting](../COC_REPORTING.md) when a contributor is involved.
- Mentions of a possible vulnerability are moved to the private reporting
channel in the [Security Policy](../SECURITY_POLICY.md) and not discussed
publicly.
- Media enquiries received on social media are passed to the people named in the
press and media policy.
- Serious or unclear cases follow the [escalation
path](../processes/ESCALATION_PATH.md). Lessons from an incident are recorded
and this policy updated if it fell short.

## Ownership and Review

- Maintainers own this document and are accountable for applying it
consistently.
- Maintainers keep the list of social media stewards and the inventory of
official accounts.
- Changes are proposed in a pull request that touches only the `Governance/`
folder and are reviewed like any other governance change (see the [Review
Policy](../policies/REVIEW_POLICY.md)).
- This document is versioned with the repository and describes how the project
actually operates rather than an aspiration.

## Success

This policy succeeds when the project's public voice is consistent and
trustworthy, when it is clear who speaks for the project, and when mistakes are
corrected quickly and in the open.
Loading