This council will work with the Kingdom Seneschal office to encourage and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the Kingdom, offer training and raise awareness, and advise as required in cases of complaint relating to a breach of the Code of Conduct.
The council can be contacted at dei@drachenwald.sca.org. All and any contacts must be made at that email address, and not using the council members’ personal email addresses or their personal social media accounts.
Purpose
The Drachenwald Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council is in place to
- Increase awareness of matters relevant to the council by way of training individuals and groups
- Promote initiatives that come under the Council’s remit
- Maintain and develop the Code of Conduct including Anti-Bullying Policy and Sanctions Policy
- Support the Kingdom Seneschal and Their Majesties in solving disputes relating to the council’s remit by providing advice and policy information
- Provide advice and information to individuals and group on matters relating to the council’s remit
Function
The council’s main functions are:
- Offer advice and training as a group regarding policies and procedures
- Listen or otherwise gather information without prejudice
- If requested by the Kingdom Seneschal or Their Majesties, offer a suggestion of action in a case of dispute, based on the Code of Conduct, policies and laws of the Kingdom
- Remain informed on relevant policies at Society level
- Provide training in matters relating to the council’s remit
- Research and suggest ways to improve diversity, equity and inclusion in Drachenwald
The council will not:
- Be the first point of contact for official complaints
- Offer counselling
- Have any kind of deciding power with respect to disputes or sanctions
- Comment on any specific cases
- Pressure an individual or group to take action, legal or in the society
- Investigate or give advice as individuals
- Investigate without being asked to do so by the Kingdom Seneschal or Their Majesties.
- Police events
- Deliver any sort of sanctions
Membership
There will be three members in the council. Each will sit for 2 years. However, in order to ensure informed handover, the first three council members will not sit for the entire period. Respectively, the first three council members will sit 1 year, 1.5 years and 2 years. In preference, the council members should not all come from the same region.
The first council members started their term at Midsummer 2020.
Members should meet the following criteria:
- Have no outstanding harassment/bullying/etc complaint made against them
- Have a good understanding about the Code of Conduct and the associated policies
- Be familiar with issues relating to bullying, harassment, hate speech etc
- Paying member of the SCA Inc or affiliate
- Conduct themselves ethically, following the Code of Conduct, and observe strict confidentiality regarding any issues or dispute cases they may be involved with
The council members operate independent of their SCA personae, ranks, titles, or other offices. However, if a council member’s partner, child, sibling, parent, SCA dependant, or SCA mentor/Peer has a formal complaint made against them, that council member should declare that relationship and not participate in any advice or investigation relating to that case.
Documents
- Drachenwald Code of Conduct (Google Docs)
Current DEI council
- André Corterier, Germany (Lord Walter von Are, Barony of Knights Crossing)
- André has been involved in the SCA for 20 years. He is happy to be part of a diverse society and conscious that keeping it welcoming to everybody takes care. As one of his roles in mundane life, he is a Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador. Walter is squire to Duke Lief Wolfsonne.
- Linda Holmberg, Sweden (Lady Aeirin av Varoijve, Principality of Nordmark)
- Linda is passionate about helping our society grow and to assist in making it a safe space. The SCA and Drachenwald has always been a place where she has felt safe and accepted for who she is. It is her dream that everyone can feel that way. Linda studies social work and is a certified sex coach. Aeirin is squire to Sir Æiríkr inn Hárfagri.
- Mika Mäkelä, Finland (Baron Gilbert Blakthorn, Barony of Aarnimetsä)
- Mika’s family is multicultural and multilingual, with everyone involved with the Dream. He has found SCA to be a fairly safe place but he is aware it’s not the same for everybody. Drachenwald is in itself multicultural which he looks forward to expanding and helping to make safe for anyone who wants to be part of it.