HAI Global Policy on Events, Lists and Leaders

Preamble

HAI Events and HAI Lists (as used herein “HAI Lists”or “Lists” refer to all HAI Global email lists, online groups, and other social media) are a tremendously valuable resource. They help us reach out to the community and they assist the community in building itself.

This policy aims to strike a balance between encouraging the community to grow while limiting non-HAI advertising on our lists and protecting HAI in the ways detailed below. It also aims to support HAI Producers in building thriving communities without limiting their ability to produce events that support the workshops and/or community.

These are some of the concerns this policy is intended to address:

• Potential overuse of HAI Lists
• Confusion about what is and what isn’t a HAI Event
• Protection of HAI’s reputation and quality control of HAI Events by having them led by certified or approved leaders
• Protection of training programs by assuring that only certified and/or approved leaders lead HAI events
• Preventing scheduling conflicts
• Limiting HAI’s legal liability. It is essential that only HAI Events be advertised as HAI Events, that Non-HAI Events be clearly distinguished from HAI Events, and that it be made clear that HAI assumes no liability for Non-HAI Events. Similarly it is important that users of HAI Lists understand that HAI assumes no responsibility or liability for posted content, including content related to Non-HAI Events or other advertised products and services.

Section 1. HAI Events and Non-HAI Events

What are HAI Events ?

HAI Events are events that are led by HAI Facilitators or other certified leaders, and produced by HAI Global or a HAI Producer (for this document, HAI UK Trustees are considered the Producer).

To qualify as a HAI Event, the event needs to be produced by HAI Global or a HAI Producer, approved in writing (email will suffice) and scheduled by a HAI Producer, HAI Global’s Executive Director (ED), or authorized proxy. (For example, in Norcal, the Lights teams and Mini-Workshop coordinator have permission to schedule events, serving as the Producer’s proxy.)

Examples of HAI Events include:

• HAI Workshops (Facilitator led)
• Completion Parties and Follow Ups
• HAI Facilitator workshops when produced by HAI Global or a HAI Producer
• Community Nights/Days/Weekends (led by a certified Presenter, or led by members of the community when the HAI Producer organizes it that way)
• HAI parties organized by the Producer on behalf of HAI
• Mini-Workshops led by a certified Mini-Workshop Leader or HAI Producer assigned leader
• Support Groups and HAI Connects led by certified HAI Presenters or HAI Producer assigned presenter
• Membership Picnic sponsored by HAI Global
• Holiday Party organized by a HAI Producer
• Scholarship Auction
• Love Fest organized by a HAI Producer

Non-HAI events include:

• HAI Facilitator workshops that are not produced by HAI Global or a HAI Producer
• Private parties, including private parties held by HAI Facilitators, Mini-Workshop Leaders, Presenters, Producers, Board Members, Team Members, Office Staff, Volunteers or other personnel, who are holding the event in their personal capacity and not on behalf of HAI
• Pride Parade and other public events
• Love-a-brations
• Other workshops
• Everything else

Who are HAI Producers?

HAI Producers are individuals, associations or organizations authorized by HAI Global to produce HAI Workshops in various regions around the world. HAI Producers are responsible not only for production of workshops, but also for nurturing the growth of the HAI community in their region.

Section 2: Who can lead HAI Events and Exercises?

HAI events and exercises need to be led by a certified HAI Leader or HAI Facilitator. In regions that lack an adequate number of trained leaders, HAI Producers may designate leaders whom they feel are qualified to lead the event(s) in question. HAI Producers are requested to work with our Global Training Coordinators to arrange to support and train more leaders as soon as practicable.

HAI Producers may also create events such as Community Weekends, Love Fests, Grad Reunions, etc. in which members of the community who are not certified leaders may lead the event or exercises, provided that the community is aware that this is the case. HAI Producers may also invite outside leaders to lead portions (not HAI exercises) in which they have particular expertise.

Certified HAI Leaders

HAI has identified a path for leaders, with significant milestones along the way, and certification for those who demonstrate a particular level of proficiency. (This is our current structure as of March 2016 and is subject to change.)

• • Certified Presenter: may lead community events whose audience is only those who have completed a HAI Connecting in Love (Level 1) workshop.
  • Certified Mini-Workshop Leader: may lead Mini-Workshops or other introductory events where people are encountering HAI for the first time.
• Certified PTI Leader: may lead Pathways to Intimacy, HAI’s one-day workshop (not offered in all regions). May not lead LIS workshops.
• Certified Facilitator: may lead all HAI Workshops and all HAI events.

Section 3: Advertising on HAI Lists

What events may be advertised?

Any event, product or service may be advertised on a HAI List provided it complies with this policy and is not in conflict with the HAI Mission Statement.

HAI Events are to be branded with the current HAI logo and say “This is a HAI Event” in prominent writing near the top. Notices of HAI Events must be sent from a hai.org email address through the regional or global HAI Office (or its proxy such as the Marketing Director), except in cases where the regional HAI List does not come from hai.org, but rather comes from an alternative email address established by the HAI Producer (such as space.org.au in Australia).

NOTE: HAI reserves the right to block or remove any post that it considers offensive, inappropriate, contrary to its values as expressed in our Mission Statement, or that violates confidentiality agreements, including posts that reveal the content of HAI Workshops.

Advertising Guidelines for HAI Events

HAI Producers and their proxies may advertise HAI Events anywhere as often as needed. Please keep in mind not to oversaturate the List, but to plan ahead on what needs to be sent. Often a regional monthly newsletter is the most efficient way to get all of the information to the community. If you are sending to Chatter Groups from specific workshops, please include a personal note to honor the flavor of that environment.

HAI Facilitators may announce their own Non-HAI Events as follows:

• Facilitators may advertise on HAI lists once a month, plus once shortly before any particular event.
• Facilitators may send one email blast from hai.org per advertised workshop per month starting a maximum of four months out (to be handled through our Marketing Director).
• Facilitators may advertise to Chatter Groups for specific HAI workshops they facilitated up to twice per event.

Each HAI Grad, defined as a person who has completed HAI Connecting in Love (Level 1), has the right to post one ad per month to each HAI List for the Grad’s own Non-HAI Events or other commercial activities in compliance with the guidelines of each List, and subject to the following policies:

1. Services and products consistent with HAI’s Mission Statement may be advertised. (Discounts for HAI workshoppers are encouraged.)
2. Ads should only be posted to the appropriate regional HAI Lists.
3. Ads about events may include more than one event. Each event must be clearly labeled at the top: “Non-HAI Event”
4. No ads may be placed on behalf of another person.
5. Each event may only be posted once per month, regardless of who posts it. This is to prevent someone from getting someone else to post their event more times.
6. Ads are limited to ONCE EVERY 30 DAYS, or less frequently.
7. All advertisements will have [AD]: in the subject where subject headers exist (Heartbeat does not currently support subject headers). Where subject headers do not exist, advertisements will start with [AD]:
8. The size of the ad will be less than 500 words per event, product, service or skill.
9. A link to a website with more information is encouraged.
10. In the HeartBeat, advertising is restricted to the “Promote” Chatter Groups for each region, or globally. Please restrict advertisements to the appropriate regions. Grad advertising is not allowed in any other Chatter Group, including the groups for specific workshops.

Section 4: List/Groups Enforcement

Some HAI Lists have moderators to assist users in following list guidelines. HAI does not have the resources, however, to monitor all Lists or moderate all conversations, and the HeartBeat does not support moderation. Thus we ask the community to be self-enforcing, with HAI Producers and the HAI Global Executive Director (ED) in support. Here’s how it works:

1. Before putting any ad on a HAI List, look to see whether it is, by definition above, a HAI Event. If so, has it been approved? If not, please get approval from your local HAI Producer, HAI Office, or the ED.
2. If it is a Non-HAI Event, check when you last posted to this place, and make sure it wasn’t within the last 30 days. Be sure you post only to the appropriate List(s) and follow the other guidelines above.
3. If you think someone is abusing the List in some way, please approach the person kindly and ask about it. He/She may not be aware they have stepped outside the guidelines.
4. If you can’t get satisfaction in speaking with the individual, please bring it to the attention of the list manager or HAI Producer responsible for the region. If it falls outside all regions, please bring it to the attention of the ED.
5. The HAI Producer or ED will approach the person and try to work things out.
6. The HAI Producer and the ED have the right to remove the post and/or remove the person from the List if they cannot otherwise resolve the issue. This will be the recourse of last resort.

Disclaiming Responsibility for Non-HAI Events and Services

It is important for HAI to clearly establish, and for the community to understand, the distinction between HAI Events and Non-HAI Events, and the limits of HAI’s liability for Non-HAI Events and Lists. To this end, each person subscribing to a HAI list or group will be required to acknowledge the following statement as a condition of using any HAI List. This statement will appear at the bottom of each email posted to a HAI List and will be posted prominently in social media groups.

HAI Global List/Group Disclaimer

This list or group is provided as a service to the community. HAI reserves the right to remove any post determined by HAI to be inappropriate, contrary to the Mission Statement, or in violation of confidentiality.

HAI disclaims any and all responsibility for events posted here, unless expressly designated a “HAI Event.” All other events shall be deemed “Non-HAI Events.” HAI will not be liable for any damages arising from or in connection with any opinion, information, product, service, or Non-HAI Event posted in this or any HAI list or group.  

You are solely responsible for your use of any HAI list or group, including your participation in advertised events and services, and for researching the qualifications of any person or group advertising any product, service, or Non-HAI Event. By using this list or group, you agree to be bound by this disclaimer and to release HAI from any claims, liability or damages described herein.