Community Rules

1. By joining the community, YOU COMMIT TO BEING A RESPECTFUL member.

2. Rules we honor:

• CONFIDENTIALITY

  • Whatever is said in the chats stays there. We do not gossip.

  • No screenshots/screen recording

• RESPECT

  • We can talk casually and freely. We respect each other's values.

  • Remain open to others, respect their ideas and opinions.

  • Agree to Disagree: Your opinions are yours, no one else's.  Remaining respectful and kind are critical to the safety and comfort of members.

  • Use preferred pronouns (emojis/names may not be indicative of a person’s preferred pronouns).

  • We have a zero-tolerance policy for bullying or harassment. Members who engage in racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, or any other harassing behavior will be removed from Give Us The Floor. 

  • If you are uncomfortable with a topic being discussed such as drugs, sex, etc. It is totally okay to speak up and ask for what you need.

• SAFETY

  • DO NOT share identifying personal details, i.e., last name, social media handles, school, street, phone #, sports team, etc.

  • Make sure your last name is not a part of your username.

  • It is not allowed to use one of your social media username as your username. You must create a new one.

  • This community is not for dating or romance.

  • No one-to-one contact with other members is allowed.

  • Posting nude photos or videos of yourself or others, or photos or videos of yourself or others engaging in inappropriate activities (sexual activity, drug and alcohol abuse, etc.), as well as any other inappropriate content. is not allowed.

  • All participants are asked to use the reporting feature in the app if a participant is in danger, if an uncomfortable situation or a conflict arises, and/or if some participants are breaking the community rules. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure the comfort and safety of all participants. If it is an urgent situation where someone might be harmed, please call 911.

  • If you sense a bully/predator, trust your intuition and reach out to the staff, use the reporting feature in the conversation.

  • If you need immediate support, contact a hotline: we’ve listed a few for you in the “Tip Hub” section of the app. 

• EMPATHY 

  • Try to understand where someone is coming from. Be kind and respectful.

• OKAY TO PASS

  • We always have the right to pass. No one forces anyone to express themselves. Do what's best for you as an individual.

4. Communication Skills & Tips

• In life, more than 80% of communication is nonverbal. When chatting over text, we have to be more creative in expressing emotions, so using emojis, tone indicators, memes, gifs, etc. is highly encouraged and we must be conscious when choosing our words.

• When reading chats, we must be aware that we may read something differently than it was meant. Miscommunication happens all the time and even more so over text. If you don’t understand something or think you might be reading something differently, ask questions!

• Remember to scroll up if you haven’t checked the chat in a day or so! This way you can take breaks as needed, but also can stay up-to-date with your group and the channels you follow.

If you are harassed or treated inappropriately by other members or staff, or if you are the witness of such behavior, you must use the reporting feature immediately. If ever you don’t feel comfortable reporting it, then email Kimba right away at kimba@giveusthefloor.org (Give Us The Floor’s Supportive Group Chat Coordinator). If someone is hurting you or another member, then that person can potentially hurt others. It is critical to stop this person.

Note: Give Us The Floor runs background checks on every staff member in contact with youth members.

A Mandated Reporting Situation for the staff is if a member is involved in, threatened by, or could potentially be involved in a situation that is violent in any way (self-harm or harm to others). This includes suicide, child abuse, violence, or murder.