Inclusivity

Image of conference labels

UKSEDS is committed to making its events as inclusive and accessible as possible. To that end, there are a few initiatives we’ve put in place, these are outlined below. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact us at [email protected]. Equally, we’re always hoping to improve, so please get in touch if you’ve got any other ideas on how we can make NSSC as welcoming to everyone as possible! Please also get in touch if you have any accessibility requirements.

 

Gender Pronoun Stickers

At registration you will receive a pronoun sticker with a space to write your preferred pronouns (eg. he/him, she/her). Please do this even if you are cis-gendered (identify as the same gender you were assigned at birth), as it normalises the act for everyone.

This tweet by @queermel summarises it pretty well:

"As someone who’s trans, when I see a cis person with pronouns in their bio, it a) signals to me that this person is a safe person to be out to, and b) normalizes both the idea that one has the right to self-identify AND that that right should be respected."

Colour Communication Stickers

Colour communication badges were first developed in Autistic spaces to help people who find conversations difficult. They allow people to express their current communication preference quickly, non-verbally, and simply. At NSSC we are using three coloured stickers:

  • Showing a green sticker means that the person is actively seeking communication; they have trouble initiating conversations, but want to be approached by people who are interested in talking.
  • Showing a yellow sticker means that the person only wants to talk to people they recognise, not by strangers or people they only know from the internet. If they approach you to talk, that is okay and you should talk back, but unless you have already met the person face-to-face, you should not approach them to talk.
  • Showing a red sticker means that the person probably does not want to talk to anyone, or only wants to talk to a few people. If they approach you to talk, that is okay and you should talk back, but unless you have been told already by the wearer that you are on their “red list”, you should not approach them to talk.

Breakout Room

NSSC is a super fun and action-packed weekend, with long days and loads of people and talks, we understand that sometimes, people need a bit of peaceful space. To that end, we’ve allocated a breakout room where you can go for as long as you like to have some peace and quiet. Please just knock on the door before you go in, to let anyone in there know that someone is entering.

Dress Code

There is no formal dress code for NSSC, we want everyone to wear what they feel comfortable in. Please be mindful that potential employers will be there. Please also refrain from wearing clothes with offensive slogans/words.

Code of Conduct

We want this event to be safe and inclusive for all. We expect all attendees to abide by our codes of conduct, accessible here.

Social Media

You are encouraged to post on social media about today’s event. Please use the hashtag #NSSC2019 We will be live-posting on Twitter and Instagram as @spacecareersuk and @ukseds.

Photography

Our photographers will be taking photos throughout the weekend. If you don’t wish to be in any photos, please make a volunteer aware. You are welcome to take photos yourself, and we’d be very grateful if you’d share them with us, as we’re always on the look out for good publicity shots. Please check with speakers before you take photos of their slides, and before you take photos of any other delegates.