Community Speakers: Terms and Conditions

Responsibility

The organisation hosting the event is responsible for its smooth running. In advance of the event, the organisation should inform the speaker who will be the person responsible on the day for managing the event.

Respect

Our community speaking work supports understanding of humanism, a non-religious worldview. Not everyone is expected to share the humanist approach to life. However, we expect our speakers to be treated with respect just as they will treat those who hold alternative worldviews with respect. Our speakers are trained to deal with questions respectfully. However, it is the responsibility of the person identified as managing the event (see above) to set expectations, ensure audience questions are not hostile, and that any disagreements do not escalate to a level that makes the speaker or audience uncomfortable. Our speakers should not have to deal with disruptive or abusive language or behaviour.

Safeguarding

The organisation hosting the event should identify a representative to whom any safeguarding concerns should be reported.

Feedback

Organisations are asked to provide feedback following a visit from a community speaker. The person who booked the speaker will be sent a short feedback form to complete. This feedback supports us to continually improve our practice.

Room requirements

For most sessions all that is required is a room big enough to seat the expected audience and a computer and screen/projector to show slides. In larger rooms a microphone may be required. Speakers may also sometimes wish to show a short film as part of the session which might require audio to be set up before they arrive.

Information in advance

The more information we receive in advance, the better we can tailor the visit to your needs. Please discuss what you are looking for and any specific requirements with the community speaker in advance of their visit so they can adapt their session to meet the needs of your audience.

Expenses

All our school speakers are volunteers. Their visits are free of charge but we ask that, where possible, the organisation reimburses the speaker’s travel expenses.

Health and safety

Community speakers should be informed about any hazards or safety risks at the location of the event.

Cancellations

Please give us two weeks notice if you wish to cancel or rearrange a visit.

 

Humanists UK Community Speakers Code of Practice

  1. We will treat all members of community organisations with courtesy and respect.
  2. We will respect the guidance we receive from the organisation on its aims, ethos, and policies.
  3. We will plan our involvement and input to fit with the areas of humanism on which the community organisation would like us to focus, and are happy to discuss all details of the visit with organisers in advance.
  4. We will seek to communicate in a way that engages and informs, and is at an appropriate level for the age group(s) and settings concerned.
  5. We will be clear to participants who we are and who we represent.
  6. The purpose of our involvement with organisations is to provide information about the humanist approach to life, answer participants’ questions, and support discussion if and when appropriate.
  7. We are willing to share our own experiences, beliefs, and values, but will not try to impose them on others. We respect the rights of participants of community organisations to hold beliefs which may be different from our own, and we will not seek to undermine those.
  8. We believe that an awareness of humanism is important in helping people to understand the diversity of religion and belief in the UK, and to support a better understanding of each other and what we share.
  9. We are happy to work together with people of other religions and beliefs.
  10. We have been appropriately trained through Humanists UK’s training for community speakers.

Humanists UK Values

In all our diverse work, we strive to embody our values by:

  • engaging in dialogue and debate rationally, intelligently and with attention to evidence;
  • recognising the dignity of individuals and treating them with fairness and respect;
  • respecting and promoting freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law;
  • cooperating with others for the common good, including with those of different beliefs;
  • celebrating human achievement, progress and potential.