Codes of Conduct

The OUTreach Center demonstrates leadership in community education and outreach on LGBTQ+ issues by advocating for an Antelope Valley that values our humanity and diversity. We build the foundation of an enduring and thriving LGBTQ+ community through celebration, connection, and empowerment. We strive to embody dignity, integrity, and courage in our pursuit of social justice.

In pursuit of a more civil and just society, we embed diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our organization and the ways we carry out our mission. We purposefully and tangibly apply these principles in our internal operations, programs, policies, and external leadership. The OUTreach Center’s codes of conduct will help to ensure our organization remains a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Any individual who violates this code of conduct is subject to discipline, up to and including a total ban from The OUTreach Center.

Volunteers and group attendees agree to abide by the following code of conduct.

Treat every individual with dignity and respect.
Respect the confidentiality of group attendees. What is shared in group stays in group. There is an exception regarding mention of past or intended harm to oneself or others – this will be reported to the Board of Directors and possibly law enforcement.
Racism, homophobia, transphobia, and bigotry or discrimination of any kind such as that based on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital/partnership status, neurodivergent/neurotypical status, language preference, socioeconomic status, or immigration status will not be tolerated.
Bullying, harassment, or violence of any kind will not be tolerated.
Do not discuss group members or volunteers who are not present.
Do not bring onto The OUTreach Center’s property dangerous or unauthorized materials such as firearms, weapons, or other similar items.
Respect and cooperate with individuals in a leadership position within The OUTreach Center, such as a board member or program lead.
Any individual under the influence of alcohol or any controlled substance, including marijuana, when volunteering for The OUTreach Center or attending an OUTreach Center program may be dismissed by a program lead or board member if showing disruptive for visibly erratic behavior.
Conflicts within the group shall be brought to the Program Lead for possible resolution. In the case a Lead cannot find a reasonable solution, it shall be brought the Board of Directors. Any member or individual within the organization is always welcome to bring problems or concerns to the Board of Directors.

Any violation of the above code of conduct may be reported to any member of The OUTreach Center Board of Directors. A general outline of the consequences for violations of the code of conduct is detailed below, however the Board of Directors may advance consequences on an as-needed basis based on the severity of the incident.

1st offense: Verbal warning.
2nd offense: Written warning with reminder of code of conduct and a temporary ban from the specific group where the incident took place.
3rd offense: Permanent ban from the specific group where the incident took place.
4th offense: Permanent and total ban from The OUTreach Center.

The date of any verbal warning will be documented and maintained in The OUTreach Center’s records. Written warnings may be delivered via mail, email, or hand carry. A copy of the written warning will be maintained in The OUTreach Center’s records. The temporary or permanent ban of any individual from The OUTreach Center or any of its programs will be documented and maintained in The OUTreach Center’s records.

Privacy & Social Media Policy

Purpose

The OUTreach Center (“the Center”) is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment—both in person and online. This policy outlines how we manage privacy, consent, and community interaction across our social media platforms and at events hosted or sponsored by the Center.

1. Scope

This policy applies to:

All social media accounts owned, operated, or moderated by the Center.
All in-person, virtual, public, and private events hosted or co-hosted by the Center.
All staff, volunteers, members, visitors, and participants.

2. Social Media Moderation

The Center maintains official accounts on various social media platforms to share updates, promote events, and foster community connection. We moderate these spaces to ensure they remain welcoming and respectful.

a. Standards of Conduct

Hate speech, harassment, personal attacks, discriminatory remarks, and content that violates applicable laws or platform rules will not be tolerated and will be deleted.
Spam, commercial solicitations, or irrelevant links may be removed.

b. Moderation Practices

Center moderators may remove posts or comments at their discretion if they violate our standards.
Repeat or severe violations may result in temporary or permanent bans from commenting or posting.
Screenshots or records of violating content may be retained for documentation and safety purposes.
Content violating laws or raising reasonable safety concerns may be referred to appropriate authorities.

c. Direct Messages to Center Accounts

Messages sent to the Center’s social media accounts may be viewed by multiple staff/volunteers responsible for communications.
Confidential or sensitive concerns should be directed to our official email or phone number, not social media.

3. Public and Private Event Rules

a. Public Events

Photography, videography, and live-streaming may occur at public events.
By attending public event spaces, you consent to the possible use of your image in Center communications, social media, or promotional materials, unless you opt out (see Section 4).
Event spaces are open to community members, press, and invited guests, unless otherwise stated.

b. Private Events

Access is limited to registered or invited attendees.
Photography or recording is prohibited unless explicitly allowed by the event organizer and all participants in the image/recording.
Social media sharing from private events should respect the privacy of others—do not post identifiable images of attendees without their permission.

c. Behavioral Expectations

All attendees must follow the Center’s Code of Conduct.
Disruptive or unsafe behavior may result in removal from the event and/or future event restrictions.

4. Consent & Privacy Expectations

a. Photography and Recording Consent

The OUTreach Center may arrange official photography or videography at events for promotional, archival, or security purposes.
Attendance at The OUTreach Center constitutes implied consent, except where members have opted out.

b. Member & Guest Consent

Members and guests may request not to be photographed or recorded; reasonable efforts will be made to honor such requests.
Explicit consent will be obtained for:
Close-up identifiable images used in marketing materials.
Images including minors must have written consent from parent/guardian required.

c. Personal Information

The Center does not sell or share personal contact information with third parties without consent, except as required by law.
Email lists are opt-in only, and subscribers may unsubscribe at any time.

d. Social Media Tagging

The Center may tag public profiles in event photos only if those individuals have previously given consent.
We encourage attendees to obtain consent from others before tagging them in their own social media posts.

5. Program Communications, Chat, and Privacy

There shall be no text message group chats that are official for the Center using SMS/MMS/RCS and similar.
Program Contacts shall not add people into group chats without explicit permission.
If there is a need to communicate with group members via these protocols, it should be done individually from the Program Contact to the participant.
Protocols (e.g. Signal, Discord) that do have group support and moderation may be used, whether or not they use a phone number as an identifier, however, Program Contacts should ensure that each participant consents to be added to the group before adding them.
Where possible, programs are advised to use the Center's Teams instance to create groups with full moderation capabilities.

6. Political & Advocacy Considerations

The Center will prioritize community safety over engagement with political debates or controversial topics online.
Posts regarding advocacy will be framed in a way that prioritizes education and empowerment while minimizing potential online backlash.
As a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, all official communications must meet IRS requirements for political neutrality. No partisan endorsement, endorsement of candidates for office, or support for political parties are permitted by Center personnel through official channels.

7. Policy Updates

We may revise this policy from time to time. Updated versions will be posted on our website and available upon request. Continued participation in Center events or engagement with our social media after policy updates indicates acceptance of the revised policy.