PD Crew Wiki - User contributions [en-gb]

Crew protocol

2019-04-16T07:41:01Z

John9newton: /* What you should do */

==Introduction==
Crew Protocol is a set of rules designed to provide the desired approach that we would like crew to use for a range of important situations. There is a lot to learn as a member of PD crew - but this protocol covers some of the most important general principles.

==Protocol==
# '''[[Crew protocol#Do not guess|Do not guess]]'''
# '''[[Crew protocol#Do not send a problem to another member of crew|Do not send a problem to another member of crew]]'''

==Do not guess==
There will often be situations where you are asked a question that you do not know the answer to by players or another member of crew. In these situations it is really important not to guess the answer. Many crew are keen to be as helpful as possible - and there is an assumption that making a best guess will help the questioner.

The problem is that wrong answers can cause havoc - last year we had an instance where a disabled player was told there was no disabled toilet on site, because the person they asked wasn't aware there was one. Almost invariably a wrong answer in these circumstances is worse than no answer at all. So please, if you are not certain of the answers you are giving then '''do not guess'''.
{{CaptionedImage|file=RichLoveday.jpg|align=right|width=200px}}
===What you should do===
The ideal approach to handle a question you don't have the answer is to ask your head of department. They should be available on a radio and they should hopefully be able to tell you the answer - or help you find someone who can. If you are working alongside fellow members of crew, then it is worthwhile asking if any of them know the answer. If someone nearby knows the answer - then that is great - but otherwise do not consult a group of people who don't know the answer to produce the team's best guess. That is no more helpful than guessing yourself.

If you can't find your team leader and you can't locate any member of the crew who can definitively answer the question, then please apologize to the person who asked and explain that you simply do not know the answer. Then try to help them find a member of crew who can answer their questions.

==Do not send a problem to another member of crew==
You will often be asked to resolve a problem or question that you assume are best dealt with by another member of crew. For instance, you may be asked a question that sounds like a referee issue - a question best answered by an Empire ref. What you should not do is tell the questioner to go and find another member of the team to help them.

There are two problems here. The first is that the questioner may be unable to find the team you are sending them to. New players in particular can find this kind of redirection very intimidating. Second, if you have sent the questioner to the wrong team - they will get redirected again when they arrive. This reflects badly on all of us and annoys the hell out of players. Worse, you can have a situation where the player is being sent back and forth. In the first year we had several cases where NPCs playing Imperial civil servants were sending players to GOD to get answers to questions - where they were met by GOD crew who told them to get answers from the Imperial civil servants in the field.

Obviously if you know from direct experience that a problem is definitely being resolved at GOD, then you can give a questioner direction on how to get to GOD to get help. But in other cases, it is better to follow the advice below.

===What you should do===
The ideal approach is to get on a radio and locate a member of crew who confirms that they can answer the question or help the questioner. You are looking for another member of crew who is saying "Yes, I can sort that, send them to me". Once you have that, you can give the questioner instructions on how to locate that member of crew. If you are not near a radio, then ideally you should go with the player and help them find a member of crew who can help or who has a radio and can find someone who can help.

[[Category:General]]

Radio protocol

2018-06-01T12:14:00Z

John9newton: /* Radio Channels */

==Introduction==
Everyone wants a radio - they're exciting and cool. They're also expensive and we tend to lose one an event, costing a thousand pounds a year to replace. The more people who have radios, the harder it is to keep track of them, and the harder it is to use them with more people on each channel. For these reasons it is important to limit the number of radios we use and to ensure that everyone uses proper radio protocol.

==Allocation==
Radios are allocated to crew in advance of the event - There are a number of heads of department who are assigned a number of radios to allocate as they see fit to their department(s). Do not take a radio without referring to your radio monitor.

* ''' Beth Charlton - Plot Team, Plot Production, NPC's, Set Dressing'''
* '''Andy Connell - Battle Team & Skirmish Team'''
* '''Tom Butterworth, Site Team, Sparkies, Traffic Management, Site Infrastructure, Camp Coordinators.'''
* '''Waz Bretherick - God, Gate, Drivers, IT Team, Crew Welfare, Participant Welfare, Toilet Team , Tavern Team, Weapon Check, Event Managers, First Aid, Photographers.'''
* '''Clare Evans - Academy, Civil Service, Magistrates, Egregores, Bards'''
* '''Steve Tiernan - Security'''
* '''Nicholas Taylor - Field Refs, Skirmish Refs'''

Radio allocation is done through the teams - if you believe that you need a radio then speak to your team leader. It is the responsibility of the team leaders to ensure that they have enough radio users in their teams.
{{CaptionedImage|file=JamesLittlewood.jpg|align=right|width=250px}}

==Radio Protocol & Use==
When you want to speak to someone on a radio, press the speak button, wait half-a-second (it takes a moment to engage) and then say your name clearly and ask for the person or department you want to talk to.

Several channels have high levels of use - do not hold a conversation with another radio user on any channel that is for contact purpose. Use the contact channel to locate the person you want to talk to and then then go to an adjacent conversation channel to communicate with them.

In particular, please do not swear over an open radio channel, as this is illegal. I appreciate nobody ever gets done for it, but swearing and playing games on the radio risks getting us into trouble and is a pain in the ass for those people who are trying to work.

==Emergencies==
Any [[Crewing#emergency|emergency]] at an event should be reported by radio to the relevant head of department. If your radio channel is being used to convey emergency information then you do not use that radio channel for any other reason. Keep the channel clear so that the crew who are responding to the emergency can use it.

==Radio Channels==

<table>
<tr><th>Channel</th><th>Use</th></tr>
<tr><td>1</td><td>'''Site Contact'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>2</td><td>''Site Conversation''</td></tr>
<tr><td>3</td><td>'''God/Gate Contact'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>4</td><td>''Traffic Management / Ref Conversation''</td></tr>
<tr><td>5</td><td>'''Ref Contact'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>6</td><td>''Ref Conversation 2''</td></tr>
<tr><td>7</td><td>'''Plot Contact'''</td>
<tr><td>8</td><td>''Plot Conversation''</td></tr>
<tr><td>9</td><td>'''Egregore contact'''</td>
<tr><td>10</td><td>''Egregore Conversation / Academy''</td></tr>
<tr><td>11</td><td>'''Skirmish contact'''</td>
<tr><td>12</td><td>''Skirmish Conversation''</td></tr>
<tr><td>13</td><td>''Skirmish Conversation 2''</td></tr>
<tr><td>14</td><td>'''Civil Service'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>15</td><td>'''First Aid '''</td></tr>
<tr><td>16</td><td>'''Security / Weapon Check / Participant Welfare'''</td></tr>
</table>

===Site Contact===
Site contact is the primary contact channel for all site team. It includes sparkies, hygiene and the people controlling vehicle movements.

===Banksmen===
When individual crew are operating vehicles like tractors or the hook loaders, they should operate their conversations on one of the higher channels - ideally one of the conversation channels which is unlikely to be busy before time-in.

== Radio handsets ==

Our current handsets are Baofeng model BF-888S. Their headset connector is a Kenwood K1 (sometimes sold as K01, K001, etc.): any headset with that connector should work with them.

=== Voice prompts ===

Your radio should tell you which channel you're on; if it's beeping instead, follow this procedure to get voice prompts back:
# Turn it off
# Switch to channel 10
# Hold down the push-to-talk button and the orange button with two pips on, next to the push-to-talk button
# With these held down, turn the radio on
# The radio should greet you with "Power on, ten"
# You can let go of the buttons now
This is a toggle; if you actually prefer the beeps, follow the same procedure.

If you find your radio is speaking Chinese, follow the same process but use channel 15 instead of 10.

[[Category:General]]

Supporting players

2018-03-10T14:05:31Z

John9newton: /* Welfare */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the circumstances outlined below.

In general this page complements the generic guidelines for helping players, which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below have their own, additional, requirements.

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that you have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, then please report this to Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incident of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report, ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report, ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Supporting players

2018-03-10T14:05:05Z

John9newton: /* Conduct */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the circumstances outlined below.

In general this page complements the generic guidelines for helping players, which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below have their own, additional, requirements.

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that you have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, then please report this to Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incident of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report, ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report, ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Supporting players

2018-03-10T14:03:30Z

John9newton: /* Cheating */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the circumstances outlined below.

In general this page complements the generic guidelines for helping players, which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below have their own, additional, requirements.

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that you have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, then please report this to Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incident of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Supporting players

2018-03-10T14:01:57Z

John9newton: /* Overview */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the circumstances outlined below.

In general this page complements the generic guidelines for helping players, which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below have their own, additional, requirements.

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Participant welfare team

2018-03-08T19:00:52Z

John9newton: /* Joining the Team */

== Overview ==
The participant welfare team exists to help event participants who are unable to enjoy the event due to mental health issues or emotional distress. When crew members in other teams need support for participants in emotional distress that exceeds their capability to provide help, they can request welfare team support via radio. Crew members who are experiencing distress themselves can contact welfare directly, either by radio or by visiting the welfare tent.

Since emotional distress often accompanies other problems, the welfare team will frequently give and receive referrals with other teams. Welfare team support may be one side of a larger picture, and there may sometimes be a “revolving door” pattern to interactions between the welfare team and other specialised teams within the PD structure. The recurring nature of welfare situations makes it important to track information about the history of interaction with participants to enable effective work by later team members, while maintaining the privacy of the individuals involved.

Members of the welfare team may have skills and experience in counselling, psychotherapy, or similar backgrounds. It is important to recognise, however, that the work of the welfare team at events does not aim to be therapeutic. Event participants and visitors to the welfare tent are not our clients or patients, and our work is closer to that of crisis helpline counsellors or of a good friend than that of a professional counsellor or psychotherapist. The goal of the welfare team is to assist participants move through the distress and help them attain a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event again, as quickly and as smoothly as possible. If that is not possible, and the best thing for them would be to go home, then the welfare team can call other teams to assist them in leaving site.

== Guiding Principles ==
There are five principles that guide the work that the welfare team does.

=== Treat People as Individuals ===
It is all too easy to assign individuals to categories and then make generalisations and assumptions about them. This is to be avoided as it can lead to mistakes and oversights. Instead, treat the person in front of you as a unique individual, not just as ''a'' human being, but as ''this'' specific human being. By starting with the assumption that you know nothing about them, you will find yourself paying more attention to everything they choose to share.

=== Non-judgemental Acceptance ===
It is likely that someone suffering from emotional distress may have compounded their problems by doing something foolish. It is not the welfare team’s place to judge them for their past actions. Accepting a person for who they are means forgetting questions of right and wrong and instead focusing on what is real. This does not prevent us from having opinions about people’s behaviour, if we can ensure that criticism of behaviour is not misinterpreted as criticism of the person.

=== Focus on Needs ===
Everybody has both physical and emotional needs. When any of these needs are unmet, or our usual method of attaining them become unusable, we experience emotional distress. When all our needs are met, we feel good. While the conversation may wander in various directions, and the participant may want to talk about their experiences or history, the welfare team member should aim to focus on the question of needs. Which needs are being met? Which needs are not being met? Then the conversation can naturally progress to forming a plan of action that will help the participant achieve their unmet needs. It is important not to forget the basic physical needs; if someone is cold, wet and miserable then getting them warm and dry will often be the most effective means of improving their experience.

=== Autonomy ===
We all need a sense of control over what happens to us and the freedom to make our own decisions and choices, which helps us to feel in charge of ourselves rather than overwhelmed by life. Sometimes, people really want you to take their agency: decide for them; reinforce a prior decision; fix their problem. Members of the welfare team should, wherever practically possible, encourage participants to think for themselves and choose their own course of action. We can help by offering options and making recommendations, but the final decision must remain with the participant. We are not there to solve their problems for them.

=== Confidentiality ===
Except for the specific circumstances noted below, any information that is shared with a member of the welfare team must be kept confidential and not shared with anyone outside the team, either during the event or afterwards. You should therefore ask participants if it is ok for their whereabouts to be shared with concerned friends who come looking for them.

Information may be shared within the welfare team in case the participant returns when the original team member is unavailable. Discussion between team members can also help us evaluate and improve our methods, and act as a way for team members to release any emotional distress they themselves may be experiencing because of interaction with participants.

If a member of the team receives information that leads them to believe that a child is being neglected, abused or at risk of harm then this must be reported to a member of the management team and a missing child must be reported to security. Similarly, information about any other participant who is at risk of serious harm must be reported to first aid and/or security. If a participant informs the welfare team that they have been the victim of sexual harassment or assault at an event, then they should be gently encouraged to make a report to the conduct team. If they do not wish to make an official complaint, then the welfare team may make an anonymous report on their behalf.

There are also legal obligations that require disclosure of confidential information concerning serious crimes, particularly regarding the prevention of terrorism; members of the welfare team may disclose information to the appropriate authorities if it is required by law.

The circumstances noted above do not require permission to breach confidentiality. If a welfare team member believes that any other information should be shared outside the team then they must first obtain permission from either the participant who told them or from the head of the welfare team. Failure to follow this policy will result in removal from the welfare team.

== Process and Techniques ==
While every situation is unique, the welfare team member should remember that the aim is always to get the participant to a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event. The methods listed in this section will be useful in most, if not all, situations.

=== Calm ===
Individuals undergoing overstimulation or emotional crisis often reach out toward anything they see as "solid" to reorient themselves with the world. Calm people with your presence and actions and example, not by telling them to calm down. It is hard to get people to calm down if you are acting anxious or angry. Never tell anyone to calm down. A useful warning sign is if you or the participant are starting to repeat yourselves. This may indicate something has gone wrong in the communication cycle. The speaker may feel misunderstood, or you may be getting overwhelmed or over-involved. If this happens, take a breath, slow down and ask different questions, or request help from another member of crew.

=== Building Rapport ===
Your communication can be effective only when received in a language the receivers can understand. You need to speak not in your own language or style of thinking but in the language and style of thinking of the receivers. The greater the matching of behaviours between two people, the more likely they are to feel themselves in emotional rapport, to like each other and be interested in what each other is saying.

=== Empathy, Not Sympathy ===
Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. The presence that empathy requires is not easy to maintain. Instead of empathy, we tend to have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy, on the other hand, requires focusing full attention on the other person's message. We give to others the time and space they need to express themselves fully and to feel understood. The key ingredient of empathy is presence: we are wholly present with the other party and what they are experiencing. This quality of presence distinguishes empathy from either mental understanding or sympathy. While we may choose at times to sympathise with others by feeling their feelings, it is helpful to be aware that during the moment we are offering sympathy, we are not empathising. Other common behaviours that prevent us from being sufficiently present to connect empathically with others include: advising, educating, consoling, diagnosing, and explaining.

=== Attentive Listening ===
Listen. Do not interrupt. Wait until the end of a story or a pause in the conversation to ask a question, clarify a point, or consolidate information. People in emotional crisis often want an opportunity to talk at length about what they are thinking and feeling. Give them the time. Be aware of body language and gesture; this can provide important clues to a participant's actual state of mind. Be open, but not coercive or overtly directive. Let them tell the story in their own time and style.

People in crisis often have an acutely keen sense for immediacy and sincerity. The simple fact that someone safe, sane, and sensible is paying close attention to them provides a powerful anchor in their internal turbulence. You need to bring your full authentic presence and focus to the situation. It can be hard to remain focused there, but compassion and patience are critical. You may not see the effect of your compassionate presence in their immediate presentation, but we are social creatures, and do not fail to notice when another human gives us their focused attention. If that attention is genuine and benevolent without attempting control, the internal effect can be powerfully reassuring.

Of course, your first goal in listening is to provide emotional support to the participant. But another important goal is to gather information that may be helpful as we figure out how to care for them. This could include information like what happened, who else was involved, where they are camped, whether they have friends on site, and pre-existing medical or psychological conditions, etc. Some of these things you may be able to verify, some you probably will not. If necessary, take notes so that this information can be shared with other team members.

Reflect thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Reflection here means re-stating what a person has said using their own words and phrases. Reflection tells the participant that you are listening and care, giving them permission to discuss sensitive topics; it allows the participant to listen to their own thought processes and stories, heightening their self-awareness; and it allows the participant to confirm, correct, or amplify upon your understanding of what you have heard and seen.

=== Finding Solutions ===
Having built rapport and obtained information about the participant’s current situation, the next essential step is to ask the participant what their objectives are. When asking what they want, it is important to get the participant to think of goals which can be expressed positively and are specific, realistic, and achievable. Identify the first steps toward the goal and discuss how this might be achieved. If the participant has more than one problem, tackle the problems in order of their perceived importance to them.

Involve participants in the decisions of what to do whenever you can: if they have chosen something, then they are in control of at least part of their lives. Guiding them to choices that are helpful is better than making those choices for them. Leave them space to be humans with self-respect, without encouraging them toward any further danger.

Often, participants will solve their own problems. As you explore viable solutions with participants, you can have them rehearse a scenario of what each solution might look like. Be generous but truthful as to your own opinions regarding these solutions. Always ask the participant about what they realistically think the outcome of their proposed action will be, and whether it will be helpful to the situation at hand. If the participant doesn't know what to do about their situation, suggest some possibilities or engage in a little brainstorming. Remember, we are trying above all to help identify options for them, so they can solve their own problems.

If the participant suggests behaviour or solutions that are bizarre, detrimental, or violent then don't disagree; instead ask them what the chain of consequences from the proposed behaviour might be, and whether it will really solve their problems or improve their situation. Be patient, even if the participant rambles. Rambling is common as they are using the time to organise and process events, emotions, and memories. There is often substantial iterative mental processing going on, which does not necessarily lend itself to coherent, linear trains of thought.

=== Closure ===
Close the process with the participant themselves: re-narrate your understanding of their situation in brief terms to them as part of your farewell. They may have trouble tracking the whole thread of the crisis on their own - this wrap-up gives them a stable transition and helps frame how they will look back on it.

When handing off with other teams, give a concise summary, and expect the same when receiving a handoff. Start with the basics, even if they could see them for themselves, then proceed to the most important nuggets of information, including anything practical you have done for them, and keep it short and focused. That kind of focused communication is not only good for the participant, it builds respect and trust between teams.

Decompress - these can be emotionally intense experiences and swallowing them all alone is more foolish than heroic. We all have friends, and crew we respect, and the welfare team are happy to help volunteers find their own inner footing before it becomes a crisis. Give yourself time to sit down and run through the parts that bug you with someone else. Don’t do all that work alone. We all get into tough calls from time to time and are there to help each other back into our various grooves when we come out the other side of them. Respect the work you’ve done and allow yourself some support.

== Joining the Team ==
Current members of crew are welcome to join the participant welfare team if they have experience of helping others using techniques similar to those above, are able to be emotionally empathetic to strangers, and can remain logical and objective in the presence of high emotion. If you have the relevant skills but wish to remain a member of another crew team then it may be possible to be a casual member of the welfare team, who we can call on as and when needed. As with all crew members, you will be expected to be familiar with [[crew protocol]], the guidelines on [[supporting players]] and PD's [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Child_protection_information child protection information]. For further information, please speak with the head of the participant welfare team, John Newton. [[File:John.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Head of Participant Welfare: John Newton]]

Supporting players

2018-03-08T18:58:54Z

John9newton: Fixed outbound link

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the three circumstances outlined below.

In general this page compliments the generic guidelines for helping players which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Supporting players

2018-03-08T18:57:16Z

John9newton: Fixed outbound links

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the three circumstances outlined below.

In general this page compliments the generic guidelines for helping players which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Reporting_discrimination_or_harassment report of harassment or discrimination], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct#Supporting supporting guidelines] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Conduct conduct] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Participant welfare team

2018-03-08T18:47:06Z

John9newton: /* Joining the Team */

Participant welfare team

2018-03-08T18:46:01Z

John9newton: /* Joining the Team */

== Overview ==
The participant welfare team exists to help event participants who are unable to enjoy the event due to mental health issues or emotional distress. When crew members in other teams need support for participants in emotional distress that exceeds their capability to provide help, they can request welfare team support via radio. Crew members who are experiencing distress themselves can contact welfare directly, either by radio or by visiting the welfare tent.

Since emotional distress often accompanies other problems, the welfare team will frequently give and receive referrals with other teams. Welfare team support may be one side of a larger picture, and there may sometimes be a “revolving door” pattern to interactions between the welfare team and other specialised teams within the PD structure. The recurring nature of welfare situations makes it important to track information about the history of interaction with participants to enable effective work by later team members, while maintaining the privacy of the individuals involved.

Members of the welfare team may have skills and experience in counselling, psychotherapy, or similar backgrounds. It is important to recognise, however, that the work of the welfare team at events does not aim to be therapeutic. Event participants and visitors to the welfare tent are not our clients or patients, and our work is closer to that of crisis helpline counsellors or of a good friend than that of a professional counsellor or psychotherapist. The goal of the welfare team is to assist participants move through the distress and help them attain a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event again, as quickly and as smoothly as possible. If that is not possible, and the best thing for them would be to go home, then the welfare team can call other teams to assist them in leaving site.

== Guiding Principles ==
There are five principles that guide the work that the welfare team does.

=== Treat People as Individuals ===
It is all too easy to assign individuals to categories and then make generalisations and assumptions about them. This is to be avoided as it can lead to mistakes and oversights. Instead, treat the person in front of you as a unique individual, not just as ''a'' human being, but as ''this'' specific human being. By starting with the assumption that you know nothing about them, you will find yourself paying more attention to everything they choose to share.

=== Non-judgemental Acceptance ===
It is likely that someone suffering from emotional distress may have compounded their problems by doing something foolish. It is not the welfare team’s place to judge them for their past actions. Accepting a person for who they are means forgetting questions of right and wrong and instead focusing on what is real. This does not prevent us from having opinions about people’s behaviour, if we can ensure that criticism of behaviour is not misinterpreted as criticism of the person.

=== Focus on Needs ===
Everybody has both physical and emotional needs. When any of these needs are unmet, or our usual method of attaining them become unusable, we experience emotional distress. When all our needs are met, we feel good. While the conversation may wander in various directions, and the participant may want to talk about their experiences or history, the welfare team member should aim to focus on the question of needs. Which needs are being met? Which needs are not being met? Then the conversation can naturally progress to forming a plan of action that will help the participant achieve their unmet needs. It is important not to forget the basic physical needs; if someone is cold, wet and miserable then getting them warm and dry will often be the most effective means of improving their experience.

=== Autonomy ===
We all need a sense of control over what happens to us and the freedom to make our own decisions and choices, which helps us to feel in charge of ourselves rather than overwhelmed by life. Sometimes, people really want you to take their agency: decide for them; reinforce a prior decision; fix their problem. Members of the welfare team should, wherever practically possible, encourage participants to think for themselves and choose their own course of action. We can help by offering options and making recommendations, but the final decision must remain with the participant. We are not there to solve their problems for them.

=== Confidentiality ===
Except for the specific circumstances noted below, any information that is shared with a member of the welfare team must be kept confidential and not shared with anyone outside the team, either during the event or afterwards. You should therefore ask participants if it is ok for their whereabouts to be shared with concerned friends who come looking for them.

Information may be shared within the welfare team in case the participant returns when the original team member is unavailable. Discussion between team members can also help us evaluate and improve our methods, and act as a way for team members to release any emotional distress they themselves may be experiencing because of interaction with participants.

If a member of the team receives information that leads them to believe that a child is being neglected, abused or at risk of harm then this must be reported to a member of the management team and a missing child must be reported to security. Similarly, information about any other participant who is at risk of serious harm must be reported to first aid and/or security. If a participant informs the welfare team that they have been the victim of sexual harassment or assault at an event, then they should be gently encouraged to make a report to the conduct team. If they do not wish to make an official complaint, then the welfare team may make an anonymous report on their behalf.

There are also legal obligations that require disclosure of confidential information concerning serious crimes, particularly regarding the prevention of terrorism; members of the welfare team may disclose information to the appropriate authorities if it is required by law.

The circumstances noted above do not require permission to breach confidentiality. If a welfare team member believes that any other information should be shared outside the team then they must first obtain permission from either the participant who told them or from the head of the welfare team. Failure to follow this policy will result in removal from the welfare team.

== Process and Techniques ==
While every situation is unique, the welfare team member should remember that the aim is always to get the participant to a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event. The methods listed in this section will be useful in most, if not all, situations.

=== Calm ===
Individuals undergoing overstimulation or emotional crisis often reach out toward anything they see as "solid" to reorient themselves with the world. Calm people with your presence and actions and example, not by telling them to calm down. It is hard to get people to calm down if you are acting anxious or angry. Never tell anyone to calm down. A useful warning sign is if you or the participant are starting to repeat yourselves. This may indicate something has gone wrong in the communication cycle. The speaker may feel misunderstood, or you may be getting overwhelmed or over-involved. If this happens, take a breath, slow down and ask different questions, or request help from another member of crew.

=== Building Rapport ===
Your communication can be effective only when received in a language the receivers can understand. You need to speak not in your own language or style of thinking but in the language and style of thinking of the receivers. The greater the matching of behaviours between two people, the more likely they are to feel themselves in emotional rapport, to like each other and be interested in what each other is saying.

=== Empathy, Not Sympathy ===
Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. The presence that empathy requires is not easy to maintain. Instead of empathy, we tend to have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy, on the other hand, requires focusing full attention on the other person's message. We give to others the time and space they need to express themselves fully and to feel understood. The key ingredient of empathy is presence: we are wholly present with the other party and what they are experiencing. This quality of presence distinguishes empathy from either mental understanding or sympathy. While we may choose at times to sympathise with others by feeling their feelings, it is helpful to be aware that during the moment we are offering sympathy, we are not empathising. Other common behaviours that prevent us from being sufficiently present to connect empathically with others include: advising, educating, consoling, diagnosing, and explaining.

=== Attentive Listening ===
Listen. Do not interrupt. Wait until the end of a story or a pause in the conversation to ask a question, clarify a point, or consolidate information. People in emotional crisis often want an opportunity to talk at length about what they are thinking and feeling. Give them the time. Be aware of body language and gesture; this can provide important clues to a participant's actual state of mind. Be open, but not coercive or overtly directive. Let them tell the story in their own time and style.

People in crisis often have an acutely keen sense for immediacy and sincerity. The simple fact that someone safe, sane, and sensible is paying close attention to them provides a powerful anchor in their internal turbulence. You need to bring your full authentic presence and focus to the situation. It can be hard to remain focused there, but compassion and patience are critical. You may not see the effect of your compassionate presence in their immediate presentation, but we are social creatures, and do not fail to notice when another human gives us their focused attention. If that attention is genuine and benevolent without attempting control, the internal effect can be powerfully reassuring.

Of course, your first goal in listening is to provide emotional support to the participant. But another important goal is to gather information that may be helpful as we figure out how to care for them. This could include information like what happened, who else was involved, where they are camped, whether they have friends on site, and pre-existing medical or psychological conditions, etc. Some of these things you may be able to verify, some you probably will not. If necessary, take notes so that this information can be shared with other team members.

Reflect thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Reflection here means re-stating what a person has said using their own words and phrases. Reflection tells the participant that you are listening and care, giving them permission to discuss sensitive topics; it allows the participant to listen to their own thought processes and stories, heightening their self-awareness; and it allows the participant to confirm, correct, or amplify upon your understanding of what you have heard and seen.

=== Finding Solutions ===
Having built rapport and obtained information about the participant’s current situation, the next essential step is to ask the participant what their objectives are. When asking what they want, it is important to get the participant to think of goals which can be expressed positively and are specific, realistic, and achievable. Identify the first steps toward the goal and discuss how this might be achieved. If the participant has more than one problem, tackle the problems in order of their perceived importance to them.

Involve participants in the decisions of what to do whenever you can: if they have chosen something, then they are in control of at least part of their lives. Guiding them to choices that are helpful is better than making those choices for them. Leave them space to be humans with self-respect, without encouraging them toward any further danger.

Often, participants will solve their own problems. As you explore viable solutions with participants, you can have them rehearse a scenario of what each solution might look like. Be generous but truthful as to your own opinions regarding these solutions. Always ask the participant about what they realistically think the outcome of their proposed action will be, and whether it will be helpful to the situation at hand. If the participant doesn't know what to do about their situation, suggest some possibilities or engage in a little brainstorming. Remember, we are trying above all to help identify options for them, so they can solve their own problems.

If the participant suggests behaviour or solutions that are bizarre, detrimental, or violent then don't disagree; instead ask them what the chain of consequences from the proposed behaviour might be, and whether it will really solve their problems or improve their situation. Be patient, even if the participant rambles. Rambling is common as they are using the time to organise and process events, emotions, and memories. There is often substantial iterative mental processing going on, which does not necessarily lend itself to coherent, linear trains of thought.

=== Closure ===
Close the process with the participant themselves: re-narrate your understanding of their situation in brief terms to them as part of your farewell. They may have trouble tracking the whole thread of the crisis on their own - this wrap-up gives them a stable transition and helps frame how they will look back on it.

When handing off with other teams, give a concise summary, and expect the same when receiving a handoff. Start with the basics, even if they could see them for themselves, then proceed to the most important nuggets of information, including anything practical you have done for them, and keep it short and focused. That kind of focused communication is not only good for the participant, it builds respect and trust between teams.

Decompress - these can be emotionally intense experiences and swallowing them all alone is more foolish than heroic. We all have friends, and crew we respect, and the welfare team are happy to help volunteers find their own inner footing before it becomes a crisis. Give yourself time to sit down and run through the parts that bug you with someone else. Don’t do all that work alone. We all get into tough calls from time to time and are there to help each other back into our various grooves when we come out the other side of them. Respect the work you’ve done and allow yourself some support.

== Joining the Team ==
Current members of crew are welcome to join the participant welfare team if they have experience of helping others using techniques similar to those above, are able to be emotionally empathetic to strangers, and can remain logical and objective in the presence of high emotion. If you have the relevant skills but wish to remain a member of another crew team then may be possible to be a casual member of the welfare team, who we can call on as and when needed. As with all crew members, you will be expected to be familiar with [[crew protocol]], the guidelines on [[supporting players]] and PD's [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Child_protection_information child protection information]. For further information, please speak with the head of the participant welfare team, John Newton. [[File:John.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Head of Participant Welfare Team: John Newton]]

Supporting players

2018-03-08T18:44:24Z

John9newton: /* Welfare */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the three circumstances outlined below.

In general this page compliments the generic guidelines for helping players which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [[Conduct#Supporting|supporting guidelines]] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [[conduct]] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[Participant welfare team|participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Participant welfare team

2018-03-08T18:38:57Z

John9newton: New page

== Overview ==
The participant welfare team exists to help event participants who are unable to enjoy the event due to mental health issues or emotional distress. When crew members in other teams need support for participants in emotional distress that exceeds their capability to provide help, they can request welfare team support via radio. Crew members who are experiencing distress themselves can contact welfare directly, either by radio or by visiting the welfare tent.

Since emotional distress often accompanies other problems, the welfare team will frequently give and receive referrals with other teams. Welfare team support may be one side of a larger picture, and there may sometimes be a “revolving door” pattern to interactions between the welfare team and other specialised teams within the PD structure. The recurring nature of welfare situations makes it important to track information about the history of interaction with participants to enable effective work by later team members, while maintaining the privacy of the individuals involved.

Members of the welfare team may have skills and experience in counselling, psychotherapy, or similar backgrounds. It is important to recognise, however, that the work of the welfare team at events does not aim to be therapeutic. Event participants and visitors to the welfare tent are not our clients or patients, and our work is closer to that of crisis helpline counsellors or of a good friend than that of a professional counsellor or psychotherapist. The goal of the welfare team is to assist participants move through the distress and help them attain a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event again, as quickly and as smoothly as possible. If that is not possible, and the best thing for them would be to go home, then the welfare team can call other teams to assist them in leaving site.

== Guiding Principles ==
There are five principles that guide the work that the welfare team does.

=== Treat People as Individuals ===
It is all too easy to assign individuals to categories and then make generalisations and assumptions about them. This is to be avoided as it can lead to mistakes and oversights. Instead, treat the person in front of you as a unique individual, not just as ''a'' human being, but as ''this'' specific human being. By starting with the assumption that you know nothing about them, you will find yourself paying more attention to everything they choose to share.

=== Non-judgemental Acceptance ===
It is likely that someone suffering from emotional distress may have compounded their problems by doing something foolish. It is not the welfare team’s place to judge them for their past actions. Accepting a person for who they are means forgetting questions of right and wrong and instead focusing on what is real. This does not prevent us from having opinions about people’s behaviour, if we can ensure that criticism of behaviour is not misinterpreted as criticism of the person.

=== Focus on Needs ===
Everybody has both physical and emotional needs. When any of these needs are unmet, or our usual method of attaining them become unusable, we experience emotional distress. When all our needs are met, we feel good. While the conversation may wander in various directions, and the participant may want to talk about their experiences or history, the welfare team member should aim to focus on the question of needs. Which needs are being met? Which needs are not being met? Then the conversation can naturally progress to forming a plan of action that will help the participant achieve their unmet needs. It is important not to forget the basic physical needs; if someone is cold, wet and miserable then getting them warm and dry will often be the most effective means of improving their experience.

=== Autonomy ===
We all need a sense of control over what happens to us and the freedom to make our own decisions and choices, which helps us to feel in charge of ourselves rather than overwhelmed by life. Sometimes, people really want you to take their agency: decide for them; reinforce a prior decision; fix their problem. Members of the welfare team should, wherever practically possible, encourage participants to think for themselves and choose their own course of action. We can help by offering options and making recommendations, but the final decision must remain with the participant. We are not there to solve their problems for them.

=== Confidentiality ===
Except for the specific circumstances noted below, any information that is shared with a member of the welfare team must be kept confidential and not shared with anyone outside the team, either during the event or afterwards. You should therefore ask participants if it is ok for their whereabouts to be shared with concerned friends who come looking for them.

Information may be shared within the welfare team in case the participant returns when the original team member is unavailable. Discussion between team members can also help us evaluate and improve our methods, and act as a way for team members to release any emotional distress they themselves may be experiencing because of interaction with participants.

If a member of the team receives information that leads them to believe that a child is being neglected, abused or at risk of harm then this must be reported to a member of the management team and a missing child must be reported to security. Similarly, information about any other participant who is at risk of serious harm must be reported to first aid and/or security. If a participant informs the welfare team that they have been the victim of sexual harassment or assault at an event, then they should be gently encouraged to make a report to the conduct team. If they do not wish to make an official complaint, then the welfare team may make an anonymous report on their behalf.

There are also legal obligations that require disclosure of confidential information concerning serious crimes, particularly regarding the prevention of terrorism; members of the welfare team may disclose information to the appropriate authorities if it is required by law.

The circumstances noted above do not require permission to breach confidentiality. If a welfare team member believes that any other information should be shared outside the team then they must first obtain permission from either the participant who told them or from the head of the welfare team. Failure to follow this policy will result in removal from the welfare team.

== Process and Techniques ==
While every situation is unique, the welfare team member should remember that the aim is always to get the participant to a state where they can go back into the field and enjoy the event. The methods listed in this section will be useful in most, if not all, situations.

=== Calm ===
Individuals undergoing overstimulation or emotional crisis often reach out toward anything they see as "solid" to reorient themselves with the world. Calm people with your presence and actions and example, not by telling them to calm down. It is hard to get people to calm down if you are acting anxious or angry. Never tell anyone to calm down. A useful warning sign is if you or the participant are starting to repeat yourselves. This may indicate something has gone wrong in the communication cycle. The speaker may feel misunderstood, or you may be getting overwhelmed or over-involved. If this happens, take a breath, slow down and ask different questions, or request help from another member of crew.

=== Building Rapport ===
Your communication can be effective only when received in a language the receivers can understand. You need to speak not in your own language or style of thinking but in the language and style of thinking of the receivers. The greater the matching of behaviours between two people, the more likely they are to feel themselves in emotional rapport, to like each other and be interested in what each other is saying.

=== Empathy, Not Sympathy ===
Empathy is a respectful understanding of what others are experiencing. The presence that empathy requires is not easy to maintain. Instead of empathy, we tend to have a strong urge to give advice or reassurance and to explain our own position or feeling. Empathy, on the other hand, requires focusing full attention on the other person's message. We give to others the time and space they need to express themselves fully and to feel understood. The key ingredient of empathy is presence: we are wholly present with the other party and what they are experiencing. This quality of presence distinguishes empathy from either mental understanding or sympathy. While we may choose at times to sympathise with others by feeling their feelings, it is helpful to be aware that during the moment we are offering sympathy, we are not empathising. Other common behaviours that prevent us from being sufficiently present to connect empathically with others include: advising, educating, consoling, diagnosing, and explaining.

=== Attentive Listening ===
Listen. Do not interrupt. Wait until the end of a story or a pause in the conversation to ask a question, clarify a point, or consolidate information. People in emotional crisis often want an opportunity to talk at length about what they are thinking and feeling. Give them the time. Be aware of body language and gesture; this can provide important clues to a participant's actual state of mind. Be open, but not coercive or overtly directive. Let them tell the story in their own time and style.

People in crisis often have an acutely keen sense for immediacy and sincerity. The simple fact that someone safe, sane, and sensible is paying close attention to them provides a powerful anchor in their internal turbulence. You need to bring your full authentic presence and focus to the situation. It can be hard to remain focused there, but compassion and patience are critical. You may not see the effect of your compassionate presence in their immediate presentation, but we are social creatures, and do not fail to notice when another human gives us their focused attention. If that attention is genuine and benevolent without attempting control, the internal effect can be powerfully reassuring.

Of course, your first goal in listening is to provide emotional support to the participant. But another important goal is to gather information that may be helpful as we figure out how to care for them. This could include information like what happened, who else was involved, where they are camped, whether they have friends on site, and pre-existing medical or psychological conditions, etc. Some of these things you may be able to verify, some you probably will not. If necessary, take notes so that this information can be shared with other team members.

Reflect thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Reflection here means re-stating what a person has said using their own words and phrases. Reflection tells the participant that you are listening and care, giving them permission to discuss sensitive topics; it allows the participant to listen to their own thought processes and stories, heightening their self-awareness; and it allows the participant to confirm, correct, or amplify upon your understanding of what you have heard and seen.

=== Finding Solutions ===
Having built rapport and obtained information about the participant’s current situation, the next essential step is to ask the participant what their objectives are. When asking what they want, it is important to get the participant to think of goals which can be expressed positively and are specific, realistic, and achievable. Identify the first steps toward the goal and discuss how this might be achieved. If the participant has more than one problem, tackle the problems in order of their perceived importance to them.

Involve participants in the decisions of what to do whenever you can: if they have chosen something, then they are in control of at least part of their lives. Guiding them to choices that are helpful is better than making those choices for them. Leave them space to be humans with self-respect, without encouraging them toward any further danger.

Often, participants will solve their own problems. As you explore viable solutions with participants, you can have them rehearse a scenario of what each solution might look like. Be generous but truthful as to your own opinions regarding these solutions. Always ask the participant about what they realistically think the outcome of their proposed action will be, and whether it will be helpful to the situation at hand. If the participant doesn't know what to do about their situation, suggest some possibilities or engage in a little brainstorming. Remember, we are trying above all to help identify options for them, so they can solve their own problems.

If the participant suggests behaviour or solutions that are bizarre, detrimental, or violent then don't disagree; instead ask them what the chain of consequences from the proposed behaviour might be, and whether it will really solve their problems or improve their situation. Be patient, even if the participant rambles. Rambling is common as they are using the time to organise and process events, emotions, and memories. There is often substantial iterative mental processing going on, which does not necessarily lend itself to coherent, linear trains of thought.

=== Closure ===
Close the process with the participant themselves: re-narrate your understanding of their situation in brief terms to them as part of your farewell. They may have trouble tracking the whole thread of the crisis on their own - this wrap-up gives them a stable transition and helps frame how they will look back on it.

When handing off with other teams, give a concise summary, and expect the same when receiving a handoff. Start with the basics, even if they could see them for themselves, then proceed to the most important nuggets of information, including anything practical you have done for them, and keep it short and focused. That kind of focused communication is not only good for the participant, it builds respect and trust between teams.

Decompress - these can be emotionally intense experiences and swallowing them all alone is more foolish than heroic. We all have friends, and crew we respect, and the welfare team are happy to help volunteers find their own inner footing before it becomes a crisis. Give yourself time to sit down and run through the parts that bug you with someone else. Don’t do all that work alone. We all get into tough calls from time to time and are there to help each other back into our various grooves when we come out the other side of them. Respect the work you’ve done and allow yourself some support.

== Joining the Team ==
Current members of crew are welcome to join the participant welfare team if they have experience of helping others using techniques similar to those above, are able to be emotionally empathetic to strangers, and can remain logical and objective in the presence of high emotion. If you have the relevant skills but wish to remain a member of another crew team then it is possible to be a casual member of the welfare team, who we can call on as and when needed. As with all crew members, you will be expected to be familiar with [[crew protocol]], the guidelines on [[supporting players]] and PD's [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire-wiki/Child_protection_information child protection information]. For further information, please speak with the head of the participant wefare team, John Newton. [[File:John.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Head of Participant Welfare Team: John Newton]]

Supporting players

2018-03-08T17:43:25Z

John9newton: /* Welfare */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the three circumstances outlined below.

In general this page compliments the generic guidelines for helping players which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [[Conduct#Supporting|supporting guidelines]] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [[conduct]] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [[participant welfare team]]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.

Supporting players

2018-03-08T17:42:51Z

John9newton: /* Welfare */

==Overview==
One of the primary responsibilities of all Empire crew is that you will provide some basic support for players. Although all Empire crew have different responsibilities, with some in more player-facing roles than others, players attending the event have a legitimate expectation that crew who are asked will support them if they need help. For this reason you should be ready to provide basic help in the three circumstances outlined below.

In general this page compliments the generic guidelines for helping players which are laid out in our [[crew protocol]]. Those rules apply in all circumstances where a player asks you for help, but the situations below

==Cheating==
* '''Please try to ensure that every report of cheating involving specific individuals is reported to Graeme Jamieson or a head referee'''
* '''Generic reports of cheating involving entire nations should be ignored'''

If you believe that have seen a player cheating or you receive a report that a player is cheating, the please report this Graeme Jamieson at the first available opportunity. Graeme can be contacted by radio, or is usually working in the Matt Bunker near monster.

The most effective report is a first-hand account - ideally delivered in person. If you are speaking to a participant who is reporting an incidence of cheating, please try to persuade them to make the report to Graeme in person. If they do not wish to do this then ask them if you can take the report to Graeme on their behalf - either openly or anonymously.

We wish to chase up any report of cheating that involves one or more specific individuals - provided that there is some identifying information more specific than the characters' nation. It is always best to have the names of the players accused of cheating, but a description of some kind is sufficient for us to chase a matter up.

What we don't deal with is completely generic descriptions of cheating - it is extraordinarily unlikely that every single member of an entire nation of players is cheating, no matter what any individual claims. We cannot take action against an entire nation if some of their players are breaking the rules but we have no idea which ones. Be polite, ask for any identifying details and explain the difficulties involved.

==Conduct==
* '''Try to ensure that any breech of conduct is reported to Emma Woods or a member of the conduct team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the participant you are dealing with'''

If a participant approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], please stop what you are doing and give the person your full attention. Listen carefully to everything they have to say and then follow the simple guidelines laid out below:

* Ask them if you can arrange for a member of the conduct team to talk to them
* If they don't want to report ask them if you can report the matter on their behalf, either anonymously or in their name
* If they want to report ask them if they have a friend who can accompany and support them (you may be the friend they are hoping will do this)

Do not try to deal with the problem yourself, in particular do not make assumptions about the severity of the situation or whether it needs to be passed on. Ask the participant you are speaking to for permission to contact the conduct team - if they give you that then contact us as quickly as humanly possible.

Please listen to the person who is talking to you and respect their wishes. If the participant does not give permission for you to contact the conduct team then you must not do so, but please consider the points laid out in the [[Conduct#Supporting|supporting guidelines]] written for all participants to see what help you can give. If a member of the hobby has chosen to approach you for help then it is likely that they will feel most comfortable with any help that you can give them.

Whatever happens, please ensure that you '''do not do any of the following:'''

* Do not pressure them for details of what happened, leave any investigation for a member of our [[conduct]] team.
* Do not comment on the anyone's state of inebriation, dress, emotional state or any other factor.
* Do not try to persuade or dissuade them from any reasonable course of action
* Do not make any promises or judgements

==Welfare==
* '''If any participant is experiencing obvious distress then you can put them in touch with John Newton or the participant welfare team'''
* '''Respect the wishes of the player you are dealing with'''

If you encounter a participant who is experiencing obvious distress that is impacting their ability to enjoy the game then you should ask them if they wish to speak to John Newton or another member of the [participant welfare team]. This is most likely to happen if someone approaches you with a [[reporting discrimination or harassment|report of harassment or discrimination]], but it is not confined to these situations.

John or another member of the team will be available on radio throughout the day. We do not currently have sufficient volunteers to provide support and help to players throughout the event, but you can encourage people experiencing problems after time-out to ask for a member of the welfare team the next morning.

The participant welfare team are there for all participants, players and crew. They are there to help any member of our crew who is experiencing distress at events and would like the support and help.

==Event Experience==
* '''Please try to ensure that any negative event experience is reported to the appropriate person or to Waz in GOD'''

There are a range of possible experiences that players can have that will impact negatively on their event. If a player approaches you to describe a problem they have had or are having - or you overhear them talking about it - please encourage them to bring it to our attention.

Most problems fall into three broad areas:

* Problems with the site facilities, the toilets, the showers, etc should be reported to Alison Pennington or a senior member of the site team.
* Game problems such as plot inconsistencies or failed conjunctions should be reported to Matt Pennington (or Andy Raff or Graeme Jamieson if Matt is not available).
* Administration problems such as resources missing from a pack should be reported to Mark Bretherick in GOD.

If you are in any doubt who to report a problem to then please report it to Mark Bretherick, who can then help ensure the right person is informed.