Date of Last Revision: January 6th, 2010
Statement of Rights and Responsibilities
This Statement of Rights and Responsibilities governs our relationship with members and others who interact with us. By becoming a member of Stafford Social Hub (SSH), you agree to this Statement. You must read and sign this document in order to be an official member of Stafford Social Hub and receive your I.D. card. We have the authority to question you if you do not keep to the rules stated below. If you continue to disobey the rules SSH will be forced to withdraw your membership status and all access to the network.
Purpose of Network
1. Stafford Social Hub is a social support group and friendship network.
2. Our purpose is to improve, maintain and promote the benefits of social health, through weekly coffee mornings and bi monthly social/cultural outings.
3. All our members have equal say in the running and sustainability of the network.
4. The support network is user-led and so activities are based around the interests and needs of its users.
Privacy
1. Your privacy is very important to us. When you disclose personal information to us, whether in written or verbal form, we will keep it safe under the rules and regulations of the Data Protection Act (1998).
2. We ask for your personal information so that we can:
a) Identify you for membership purposes,
b) Contact you in order to inform you of future activities or a cancellation
3. We will not let any third party have access to your information and it will be kept securely away from public access.
Safety
We will do our best to keep Stafford Social Hub members safe and this can only be achieved through all members abiding by our safety rules and communicating with each other effectively.
1. Please tell us if you wish to take part in an activity either via text, phone or email. This way we can accommodate you, for example, if we need to reserve places. We want to keep groups small so members do not feel intimidated, so please give us notice of your attendance so we can do this.
2. Please let us know if you cannot attend an activity you have previously said you would attend.
3. We will wait a maximum of fifteen minutes for late arrivals.
4. Please keep the SSH mobile number in your phone as an emergency contact number when travelling to our activities. We will also have yours handy.
5. Please let a personal friend or family member know where you are going and with what members.
6. You must take your I.D. card to all activities. No members can take part in an activity unless they have this card. This will ensure only official members take part in activities.
7. Members are asked to act responsibly at SSH activities. They must not let their behaviour put themselves or others in compromising positions whether emotionally, mentally, or physically. For example, members are asked not to take part in the following when engaging in a SSH activity: Fight, argue, take drugs, drink excessively, be physically or mentally abusive, be disrespectful, bully, tell jokes that other members may find offensive, be politically incorrect. (See Section - Dignity and Respect for an elaboration on these terms).
8. All members should be mindful of each others’ limitations to get to or participate in activities. We should all do our best to accommodate and/or breakdown the barriers of these limitations. Limitations may include physical, mental, social, emotional, financial, parental, transportational. This list is not exclusive. Therefore, as an example, if someone cannot drive and does not have much money either, perhaps a member who drives could offer to drive them to an activity, as a sign of good will.
9. Please travel to activities in pairs where possible.
10. In order for an activity to take place, we must have at least three members participating.
11. We take no responsibility for members who meet outside of our activity programme. Our aim is to introduce people so they can make friends and create their own social lives in the future. However, we do encourage members to get to know each other well before agreeing to meet outside of arranged activities. We suggest members stick to the programme for a minimum of six months in order to get to know other members properly. If and when members do decide to meet outside of our sessions, we ask that they let close friends and family know where they are going, with whom and also take a friend where possible. We cannot be held responsible for members who decide to meet outside of our programme schedule as all our members are over 18. We just want members to keep themselves safe at all times.
12. Confidentiality: You are not to disclose information about yourself in our sessions as this may put your identity and personal life at risk of infringement. For example, do not disclose your address to fellow members. Do not disclose names of spouses, children and friends. Do not disclose information about your work address. This way we can enjoy each others’ company without having to disclose our personal lives in full. If members do disclose information at sessions it is at their own discretion and can in no way have repercussions for Stafford Social Hub as this is something we do not encourage.
13. The network and its members cannot take any liability for personal injuries, loss of personal possessions or members’ behaviour during activities.
14. You must not use Stafford Social Hub friendship network to do anything unlawful, misleading, malicious, or discriminatory.
15. You must not do anything that could disable, overburden, or impair the running of SSH.
16. You will not facilitate or encourage any violations of this Statement.
Registration and Membership
By registering with Stafford Social Hub, you are agreeing to the following:
1. You will fill in and sign all relevant documentation including; membership form, social survey, terms and conditions statement, feedback sheets for every session you attend.
2. You will not provide false personal information on your membership form and will be honest and truthful with other members at all times.
3. You will not create membership for any other person without Charlotte Brady’s consent or knowledge.
4. You will not replicate or manipulate your I.D. card or any other documentation produced by Stafford Social Hub to use personally or professionally without Charlotte Brady’s knowledge and consent.
5. You will provide a digital photograph or allow us to take a photo of you for I.D card purposes.
6. You will not use your membership for personal commercial gain (such as using your membership to promote your business).
7. You will not use Stafford Social Hub if you are under 18. Stafford Social Hub holds the right to question a user’s age and ask for proof, if they suspect a user is under age. There is no upper age limit.
8. You will not use Stafford Social Hub if you are a convicted sex offender.
9. You will contact Stafford Social Hub if you need to update your contact information.
10. You will not transfer your membership to anyone else.
Dignity and Respect (Protecting Other People's Rights)
We respect other people's rights, and expect you to do the same.
1. All members are worthy of respect and dignity, irrespective of origin, race, status, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, belief or contribution to society. Behaviour or language that demeans an individual or group is not acceptable.
2. In discussions, one member talks at a time, there should be no side discussions.
3. Each person should be given the chance to speak their mind without judgement or personal attack from other members
4. All communication should be honest and open. There should be no hidden agendas.
5. Members should all listen, be non-judgemental and keep an open mind when having a discussion or conversation at SSH sessions.
6. All discussions that take place as part of our sessions, both coffee mornings and outings, should be regarded as confidential. These discussions should not be shared with anyone (members or not) outside of the session.
7. Where disagreements do occur, it is acceptable to challenge a view or opinion stated. However, this should be done in a constructive and supportive spirit. It is not acceptable to launch into a personal attack on another person as a result of a difference of opinion or perspective.
(This section was constructed with the help of a leaflet produced by Novlette Balela: Equality and Diversity Manager South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, 2009).
Social Health Research
1. We see social health as an aspect of health which is commonly overlooked, neglected and undervalued by people in society. Having a social life is not a luxury. It is essential to lead a healthy life and therefore, with the help of our members we want to promote the benefits of social health. We plan to do this by joining together to do a 6 month research project, encouraging members to be involved in all aspects of the research. We would like members to reflect on their own experiences of social health and help write a report of the findings.
2. We will use a number of research methodology such as discussion groups, cultural outings, photographs, reflection books, scrap books, social surveys and other methods chosen by our members.
3. Members can have as little or as much input into this project as they wish.
Payments
1. Stafford Social Hub does not charge for the being a member of the network.
2. We ask members to donate £1 attendance fee for outings and coffee mornings where possible but this is not compulsory. We want to break down all barriers to socialising and affording a social life is one such barrier.
3. Whilst attending an outing or activity we expect all members to pay for their own admission, travel and snack costs. We can not pay for any such expenses.
4. We are all equal members who experience barriers to socialising and so it is against the rules of the network to pay for other members costs, as listed above.
5. Stafford Social Hub hopes to become a not-for-profit organisation in the future.
Termination
If you violate this Statement, bring our reputation into disrepute or create possible legal exposure for us, we will terminate your membership. We will notify you by email or phone. You may also terminate your membership at any time.
Disputes
If you bring a claim against us related to your actions, content or information, as a member of Stafford Social Hub, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) related to such claims.
Definitions
1. By "Stafford Social Hub" we mean a support network set up to improve and maintain individual social health. We do this through the provision of a) a simple programme of social-cultural activity b) our website at staffordsocialhub.org.uk (c) Marketing and Promotional Material such as press releases in GEM NHS magazine, Staffordshire Newsletter, leaflets, flyers, posters; and (d) A participatory Action Research project on the social health of our members to be published in 2010 (Charlotte Brady hopes to turn the project into a PhD research degree in 2010/11).
2. By "us," "we" and "our" we mean Stafford Social Hub.
3. By “social health” we mean how well a person interacts and relates to others.
4. By "information" we mean facts and other information about you, including actions you take.
I hereby declare that I agree to all the terms and conditions stated above.
Print Name ...................................................................................................
Signature......................................................................................................
Date of signature..........................................................................................
Membership: Valid from............/................/2010
Expires................/................/2010
N.B Please give Charlotte Brady a copy of this Statement of Rights and Responsibilities when you fill-in your membership form. Thank you.