The Young Fabians exists to provide an inclusive and open place for young socialists to discuss, develop and debate ideas. All Young Fabian (YF) officers on our Executive Committee, networks, advocacy groups, national groups and regional groups are expected to uphold our values by respecting all members of the Young Fabians, and by respecting the Young Fabians’ reputation and resources.
This Code of Conduct has been developed to clarify behaviours that are expected of all YF officers. Officers are welcome to go above and beyond these expectations, and to succeed in their roles in their own way.
This Code of Conduct also confirms behaviours which must not be shown by YF officers: any officer who engages in these should expect action from the Young Fabians and/or the Fabian Society.
1. Respecting all members.
YF officers are expected to:
- Help uphold the Young Fabians Safe Space Policy and the Fabian Society bullying and harassment policy at YF events which they organise or attend. This includes supporting or signposting members if they wish to raise any concerns.
- Make all members feel welcomed at YF events, particularly new members, and members with protected characteristics which are under-represented in the Young Fabians.
- Recognise that other members’ conceptions of socialism may differ from theirs, show respect for others’ opinions, and reaffirm that the Young Fabians is a space for honest debate.
- Help enthusiastic members to become more involved in YF activities, including attending and running events, contributing to YF written and recorded publications, and running for officer roles. This includes being clear and proactive in explaining the structures, rules and values governing the Young Fabians.
YF officers must not:
- Make derogatory, patronising or threatening comments or actions towards any member in any form of communications. The Young Fabians has a zero tolerance policy with regard to sexual, physical or verbal harassment, which is outlined further in the YF Safe Space Policy and the Fabian Society bullying and harassment policy.
- Share inaccurate or unfair accounts of a YF member’s contribution to a meeting or discussion.
2. Respecting other officers.
YF officers are expected to:
- Communicate with other YF officers in good faith, and using a calm, friendly tone in all communications. Any criticism of an officer’s work must be focused on the work rather than on the officer; constructive in tone; and given in good faith.
- Agree clear roles and responsibilities for any shared work with other YF officers.
- Follow through on commitments that they make to other YF officers, and avoid making commitments that they cannot fulfil.
- Give other YF officers reasonable advance notice before asking them to contribute to a piece of work. It’s important to appreciate that all officers are volunteers.
- Provide a handover to their successor when leaving their role. At a minimum, this must include the login details for any YF digital assets hold. This handover may be conducted in writing, in person and/or via a call.
YF officers must not:
- Repeatedly put pressure on other officers to make commitments that they have confirmed they cannot fulfil, and which are not part of their agreed roles and responsibilities. It’s important to appreciate that all officers are volunteers.
- Take or communicate decisions affecting another YF officer’s roles and responsibilities without consulting them first.
3. Respecting the brand and reputation of the Young Fabians.
YF officers are expected to:
- Create and share high-quality work which showcases the Young Fabians as an open space for debate within the Labour movement.
- Use Young Fabian branding and communications channels consistently when representing the Young Fabians, helping us to look professional.
- Conduct due diligence checks before inviting any guest contributor to a YF event or publication, and before exploring partnerships with any external organisation. These will help to assess whether they might present a reputational risk for the Young Fabians. The YF Executive Committee reserves the right to veto contributors who are not aligned with the Young Fabians’ values and who pose an unacceptable reputational risk.
YF officers must not:
- Use YF communications channels, or data held by the Young Fabians, for purposes unrelated to their role as a YF officer. This includes usage for personal or commercial purposes. It also includes usage for political advantage in elections within or outside the Young Fabians.
- Use derogatory language on YF social media channels.
- Commit any part of the Young Fabians to any partnership with an outside organisation without first securing the written approval of the YF Executive Committee.
4. Respecting the Young Fabians’ finances.
YF officers are expected to:
- Consider ways to help the Young Fabians to improve our financial situation. This can be through:
Pursuing good value for money in any expenditure, whilst remaining consistent with the Young Fabians’ commitment to using suppliers who have high social and environmental standards.
Considering ways that their work as a YF officer might contribute to YF’s fundraising efforts.
- Seek more than one quote for any proposed item of expenditure which is likely to exceed £100, before choosing an option to submit to the Treasurer of the Young Fabians for approval.
YF officers must:
- Declare and submit any and all funds raised at YF events to the Treasurer and the Chair of the Young Fabians. This applies to funds raised for the Young Fabians, the Fabian Society, or for any other not-for-profit organisation.
YF officers must not:
- Commit any part of the Young Fabians to spending YF funds without first securing the written approval of the Treasurer of the Young Fabians.
5. Respecting personal information and privacy
Officers of the Young Fabians may apply for permission to access relevant personal data about members and other individuals processed by the Fabian Society. Access will only be permitted after the officer has agreed to fully comply with the society’s privacy policy and related requirements.