INTRODUCTION
For the purposes of the code of conduct, the term student refers to any person enrolled in Absolute Leadership Development’s 9-month training program; the term volunteer refers to any person currently part of Absolute’s staff or road team in a volunteer capacity; the term staff refers to any person who is currently employed by Absolute; the term team member is inclusive of all three categories mentioned above and any band or technical team under contract with Absolute; the term high school student includes any and all students of any age or grade level in the audience at any and all Absolute performances (including night concerts).
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
- Conduct yourself in a respectful and civil manner at all times. Have respect for other team members, staff, home billets, property, and the rules of the program.
- Verbal abuse, insults, or any other behavior that demonstrates a lack of respect or civility will not be tolerated.
- All team members must take part in the programs and group activities and share in all responsibilities related to those activities.
- First year students are not permitted to pursue dating relationships within the context of Absolute. Students are permitted to stay in a dating relationship that existed before they arrived, but for the health and benefit of all members on the team students must refrain from starting a dating relationship with any other team member during their first year.
- All team members must abstain from sexual relations and exclusive relationships and/or couple relationships that could be harmful to the group’s well being.
ALCOHOL
- Alcohol is not to be consumed by any team member at any time while touring under the banner of Absolute.
- Alcohol is not permitted on Absolute Leadership Development’s housing or office properties.
- Leadership students are not permitted to consume alcohol at any time during the school year. While at home during rest periods, students must obey the laws regulating alcohol consumption in the province where they are living.
- Excessive use of alcohol by any team member, resulting in intoxication, will not be tolerated and may result in dismissal.
DRUGS AND MEDICATION
- Consumption or possession of illegal drugs, by any team member, is prohibited and can lead to dismissal from the program. For the purposes of this code of conduct, possession of marijuana (in any amount) is considered illegal and may result in dismissal.
- Any prescription medication you are required to take must be reported to the Team Supervisor.
SMOKING
- Smoking, by any team member, is prohibited on the tour bus, on all Absolute property and during all group activities. Smoking on school property is also prohibited.
CLOTHING
- Appropriate clothing must be worn during a motivational assembly. Tank-tops, shorts and athletic clothing are unprofessional and therefore inappropriate. All team members, including technical crew must comply.
- Logos must also by school appropriate. This includes beer or other alcohol companies, sexual content or profanities, and violent and/or grotesque images.
- Please also take these guidelines into consideration when staying at a billet’s house and in all group situations. I.e. please keep your clothes on!
- Bandannas and any other clothing that could be considered to be gang paraphernalia cannot be worn in the high school setting, as this is often against the rules of the schools that we are going into.
- Absolute recommends that ball caps and toques not be worn in any high school assemblies, churches, or more formal settings. Many high schools have rules about hats, and it makes it more comfortable for our working relationship with them if we make an effort to abide by those regulations as much as possible.
PORNOGRAPHY
- Possessing or viewing pornographic films or images is prohibited. Magazines (I.E. Maxim, FFH, Stuff, Cosmo etc) are also unacceptable. These magazines are not only demeaning to women but go against the positive self worth message we are promoting in the High School assemblies.
STUDENT RELATIONS
- Personal email addresses may not be given out to any high school student you meet while touring with Absolute. If a student wishes to contact a member of the Absolute team, they can email any specific team member through the Absolute general email address (email@absoluteontheweb.com) and place the team member’s name in the subject line. The student relations department will then forward the email to the appropriate team member. To respond, the team member must email their reply back to the student relations dept. who will then forward it onto the student. This process protects the student, the team member and Absolute Leadership Development.
- Physical contact with high school students must be kept to a minimum. At the high school student’s request a high-five or ’side hug’ is appropriate. A team member must never initiate physical contact. .
- Team members should avoid physical contact with a high school student of the opposite sex.
- Team members must never be alone with a high school student. When talking with a high school student, team members must be in a group or within full visibility of the group.
- Do not autograph clothing, jackets, back packs, shoes. Do not autograph any body part, faces, and arms.
- As per the Absolute Child protection paper, any confession of abuse by a high school student to a team member must be reported first to the team supervisor and subsequently to the proper authorities.
- Any confession of suicidal thoughts, or attempts by a high school student to a team member, must be reported to a team supervisor.
BILLETING
- Billeting will be set up by Absolute staff. As far as Absolute is able, we ensure team members are staying in a safe environment. The decision to remove a team member from a billets house rests ultimately with the team supervisor.
- An unmarried male and female will not be billeted alone together.
- Team members will act in a respectful manner to those billeting them and abide by all house rules set in place by billets.
- Team members must leave a Thank You card with each billeting family.
TRAVEL
- The vehicle used by Absolute for travel will only be driven by licensed and authorized team members.
- Team members will respect all rules set in place for smooth travel on the vehicle (circumstantially, team supervisors may be required to change or add to these rules at any given time without notice)
FINANCES
- All purchases for the road team must go through a team supervisor in advance or they will not be compensated.
PROPERTY
- All road gear must be handled with care and respect. Damage caused to any road gear may be charged to the offending party.
- All equipment brought on the road by an individual team member is at that team member’s own risk. Absolute will not be held responsible for the loss, damage or theft of individually owned property.
- Incident and damage reports must be completed when any property damage (beyond normal wear) occurs. A thorough account of the occurrence must be recorded and witnessed. When appropriate, a signature from a principal or teacher at the school may need to be obtained.
- All dorm rooms, facilities, road vehicles, and appliances are the property of Absolute, and need to be treated with care and respect.
GENERAL
- Team members must receive permission from a team supervisor before leaving any group activity.
- In the context of the road team, the team supervisor must know where you are at all times. This is both for your safety and for communication purposes.
- In response to unforeseen circumstances, new policies may need to be established by authorized team leaders at any time.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
- Please be respectful of others’ personal choices regarding religion, politics, and other highly debatable topics. While Absolute is a Christian values-based organization, we recognize that not everyone may share the same values as us, so we ask that each team member avoid undue conflict.
- At all times, please be mindful of who and what you are representing. This applies to public settings (i.e. presentations, high schools, churches, billets’ homes) as well as in the office and in communication with email, phone, etc. Whether it seems fair or not, general impressions of our organization are formed from the moment people meet you, and we desire that this be a fair representation of Absolute and of our mission.
- In regards to language, please be mindful that there is a place and time for everything, and think before you speak. Using common terms such as ‘retarded’, ‘gay’, ‘fag’, or ‘homo’ in a derogatory manner is potentially very offensive and damaging. As well, please limit and try to eradicate vulgar terms and phrases from your vocabulary. This is unprofessional in all situations, and we prefer that all Absolute staff and students adhere to this standard.
- Sexual vulgarity and discriminatory talk will not be tolerated. Please note that this also applies to housing, road team, and public settings. We are a leadership organization, and therefore, we choose to live that out at all levels.
- While we understand camaraderie and relationship building, please be mindful of when and where you use your ‘inside jokes’ and special phrases.
