1.1 Introduction
TSNW is committed to a culture of respect, fairness, support and trust for our members, our instructors, coaches and program leaders, our staff, our board and our volunteers. Everyone is expected to act in alignment with these values.
Our members are at times dealing with physical and emotional challenges related to the effects of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. We expect our program leaders, coaches and instructors to do their best to make accommodations for everyone in their activity to encourage participation in any stage of treatment or recovery. It is our goal to provide an encouraging and supportive environment. However, some activities are more intensive than others and may not be suitable for everyone whether due to their stage of recovery or overall fitness level. In addition to getting a medical release, we also require our members to take into account their own capabilities and make good choices to protect their own safety and recovery. We provide many options and provide guidance on intensity level for our activities.
Group activities such as hiking and Dragon Boating have their own set of guidelines and rules to protect the individual and the group. Each participant must follow the guidelines and rules as set forth by the leader(s) of the activity. Should the participant exhibit behavior that puts others or themselves at risk, they will be asked by the leader(s) to change their behavior and should the issue not be resolved immediately, they will be suspended from the activity and the board president notified. The activity leader and board president will meet with the participant to discuss options, which may result in the member being asked to find a different activity. The decision of the Board President will be final.
2.1 Dragon Boating
Dragon Boating is a team sport that is coached by experienced, skilled volunteers. While the coaches and captains do everything they can to accommodate a range of skills and fitness levels, they are in charge of a team of women and must also take into account what is best for the team.
Paddlers are required to follow the team rules, guidelines and coaching instruction. No one should ever be expected to perform beyond what is safe for them, whether it is a particular drill or length of time on a practice exercise. Paddlers are free to pull their paddle out and sit quietly as the practice continues. Self-awareness is encouraged. Paddlers are also encouraged to make coaches aware of any limitations or injuries. However, as participants in a team sport, paddlers must be similarly respectful of other paddlers and teammates. They are expected to listen to the coaches’ feedback and to focus on their own paddling and technique. The coaches will do their best to accommodate individual paddler needs, but will also focus on the team as a whole when making decisions for benching, practices and races.
As SAKE members, the participants are also subject to the rules and code of conduct for club SAKE. Should any paddler fail to follow the rules or cause serious disruption to the safety or enjoyment of the activity for other paddlers, they will be cautioned and may be asked to not participate by the club and/or the TSNW Board President. The TSNW board should be notified if there are issues with TSNW member behavior. Should the disruption not rise to the level of SAKE involvement, or not be a safety issue, the coaches and captains may work with the member to provide guidance and feedback. At any time, the issues may be escalated to the board for a remedy. The coaches and captains must involve the board if they wish for the member to be removed from future participation in the activity.
2.2 Hiking
Participants must behave in a safe and respectful manner while hiking as part of a TSNW group. Each new participant will be provided with the mid-week hiking orientation document which includes the rules and requirements for mid-week hiking participation.
TSNW strives to meet the needs of all of the women within a group of fitness ranges, by allowing faster hikers to move more quickly as well as to ensure that slower hikers can proceed at a more moderate pace. That said, as a seasonal activity, the hikes at the beginning are shorter and less intensive than the hikes later in the season. Should any hiker fail to follow the rules or cause serious disruption to the safety or enjoyment of the activity for the other hikers, they will be cautioned first by the hike leader. Safety issues are always considered more urgent than disruption of other participants’ enjoyment and the leaders can and should take immediate action and notify the board that such event has occurred. Should the behavior create an unpleasant experience for other hikers but not be a safety issue, the hike leaders may caution the member and must involve the board if they wish for the participant to be removed for future participation in that activity.
2.3 All Activities
Although it is impossible to list all forms of unacceptable behavior, following are examples of infractions that may result in corrective or disciplinary action:
• Any form of dishonesty.
• The use of offensive, disrespectful or disparaging language directed at another member, competing team, instructor or the public.
• Inappropriate use of electronic communication that may harm or disrespect other members, leaders, staff or volunteers
• Theft, misuse or inappropriate removal of property.
• Falsification of records.
• Possession, use or distribution of alcohol or drugs except as explicitly allowed.
• Verbal or physical violence.
• Smoking in prohibited areas.
• Possession of firearms, weapons or other dangerous materials.
• Failure to comply with TSNW rules and policies.
• Failure to comply with the terms of any corrective or disciplinary action as imposed by the board.
• Sexual, unlawful or unwelcome harassment or discrimination (see 3.1for additional detail)
3.1 Harassment and Discrimination
A critical part of Team Survivor’s values and members’ experience is that of equity and respect for all individuals, regardless of gender, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, language, physical or mental ability, age, and any other way in which we may differ from each other.
Those associated with Team Survivor NW should never tolerate inappropriate behavior. If feasible, a member or guest should first make his/her feelings known to the offending person, tell him/her that the behavior is not appropriate and request that the behavior stop. However, if a member or guest is uncomfortable in addressing the issue with the offending party, or if the behavior is judged to be pervasive or more severe, the member or guest must promptly report any offending behavior, whether such behavior is directed towards her personally or towards others associated with the organization. Reports of offending behavior must be made to the activity leader or a member of the board. The individual receiving the complaint will communicate it to the Board President. Team Survivor NW is committed to conducting a timely investigation of any harassment complaints and taking appropriate action based on the findings from the investigation. The organization prohibits retaliation against those who’ve raised complaints of harassment or assisted in the investigation of harassment complaints.
3.2 Complaints Regarding Other Infractions
Similar to the process for complaints relating to harassment, members are requested to submit any concerns regarding inappropriate behavior (such as those within the examples above) to the activity leader or a board member. The individual receiving the complaint will communicate it to the Board President.
Investigations of Complaints: Concerns relating to harassment or other inappropriate behavior shall be investigated in a timely, fair and confidential manner. The Board President shall conduct or lead the investigation or assign the investigation to another board member. Investigations will be conducted as discretely as is practical, understanding that complete confidentiality may not be possible in many cases. When the subject of a complaint is a member not serving as a board member, the findings and recommendations from the investigation will be presented to the board for a final decision/resolution by the board. If the subject of a complaint is a board member, the board will create an independent ethics committee to investigate the complaint. Their findings and conclusions shall serve as the final decision/resolution.
4.1 Corrective and Disciplinary Actions
If necessary, TSNW may apply a range of remedies in response to violations of policy. These may include:
• Probation—verbal or written warning for a specified period, during which the individual may participate in TSNW activities as defined within the terms of probation.
• Suspension—written warning for a specified period, during which the individual is not allowed to participate in any TSNW activities.
• Disqualification—permanent revocation of the individual’s eligibility for TSNW membership.
A link to the Code of Conduct is also posted to the TSNW website, on the Membership page. With this agreement, we hope to provide safe and inclusive programs for all of our members to enjoy. Please sign below to agree to the TSNW Code of Conduct. Thank you for being part of our team!