Gov/en/Portal:Vision/Ecopol-Social-Contract

💡 In simple words: Living and working together goes better with a few simple promises: close what you open, help each other, speak kindly, say thank you. This page shares the community agreements that inspire how people are intended to treat each other on WikiDeal.

🎯 In 20 seconds (scientific summary): This page is an English adaptation of the Ecopol social contract (Bâtir Groupé / Smala communities, V26), an internal reference of the Ynternet.org ecosystem, practised in its communities for years. It keeps the original structure: 8 golden rules of community sharing, 9 agreements for a good community dynamic, and 10 communication keys. The original text was written m mostly by Théo Bondolfi, inspired partly (8 golden rules solely) from an eco-community charter in state of Minas Gerais (Brasil), for community housing and living together; the wording here is generalised to the whole of WikiDeal's relationships and community dynamics. It is proposed as a one of the founding reference of the Vision portal.

Ecopol Social Contract

Source: adapted from the Ecopol social contract (Bâtir Groupé / Smala communities, V26), an annex to community lease agreements. It is an internal source of the Ynternet.org ecosystem, lived in its communities for years. The original text applies to shared housing; this adaptation generalises it to the whole of WikiDeal's relationships and community dynamics, and omits or rephrases the points that only make sense in a housing context. It is published under the free licence of this wiki, in line with the free culture key of the original text.

Why this text

WikiDeal starts from the intuition that fair deals need a fair everyday culture. The Ecopol social contract describes such a culture, tested over years of shared living: we are all partners, we communicate in a nonviolent way, we practise preventive alerts and mediation, and we say thank you. WikiDeal aims at extending these agreements from a shared house to a shared platform: between users, contributors, user groups and teams. These agreements also feed the culture of trust that whistleblower protection is intended to defend.

The 9 agreements for a good community dynamic

1. Freedom of rhythm. We are free to choose when to act alone, in a close circle, and with the community.
2. Partners. Unity makes strength. We need one another. Let us keep in mind that we are social and cultural partners, united by our differences and our complementarities.
3. Responsibility. Let us take a few voluntary contribution commitments, and keep them. The responsibility staff: one project or action = one single responsible person, so that cooperation is organised around reference persons. Roots: objectives and tools. One trunk: a commitment to results. Branches: occasional help.
4. Learning. Let us engage in a permanent individual and collective process of improvement.
5. Positivity. Together, let us be cheerful and optimistic. Let us focus on kindness and trust. Let us salute acts of solidarity, to stimulate them.
6. Uncertainties. Let us know how to recognise them, accept them and adapt to them, without spreading fears or doubts.
7. Moderation. My freedom ends where the freedom of others begins. So that serenity prevails over the emotions of the present moment, let us adopt a more moderate behaviour, on request or preventively.
8. Gift culture. Let us give a little for the pleasure of making others happy, without necessarily expecting a direct return.
9. Evolvability. Let us contribute to completing and amending these agreements, after having practised them for one or two years.

The 10 communication keys

Ten keys to live these agreements well:

1. Anticipation and mediation. Let us practise the preventive alert of conflicts (communicating our own limits to be respected) and, when needed, accept dialogue through mediation.
2. Positive track record. Let us inform about our commitments and keep them (do what we say, say what we do).
3. Civility. Let us know how to listen to the other person and give them the floor, with respect, without dramatising or provoking.
4. Validation. After contributing, let us ask the responsible person (the trunk) for validation before considering ourselves discharged.
5. Diversity of opinions. Let us keep an open mind, both to respect the opinions of others and to know how to disagree, peacefully.
6. Syntony. Let us avoid interfering in existing dynamics without being invited. Let us show interest in what others do or like. Let us rejoice with those who rejoice, and support those in distress. Let us take part in celebration activities, to strengthen our bonds.
7. Targeted recipients. Let us express our difficulties (suffering, dissatisfaction, doubts, fears...) only directly to the people concerned, and not to third parties (confidences, rumours, polemics...), to avoid focusing attention at the expense of exchanges and of the usual balance of the community.
8. Nonviolent communication. Let us aim at observing, listening to our feelings, then expressing our needs, saying just what is necessary, in a pleasant tone, rather than bad jokes, judgements, hurtful words, gossip or comments on the faults of others. Let us favour impeccable speech.
9. Free culture. Let us share our recipes, methods and practices by publishing them under a free licence, as on Wikipedia (Creative Commons).
10. Gratitude. Let us know how to say thank you in the way that suits each person, recognise contributions, and give priority to expressing our gratitude. And when the time comes to take stock, let us remember the good deeds.

And if sometimes we do not manage, let us forgive one another quickly, without intermediaries, simply.

For in-person only: the 8 golden rules of sharing

These rules were written for shared spaces and objects. They apply just as well to any shared resource, physical or digital.

1. You opened it? Close it.
2. You switched it on? Switch it off.
3. You used it? Clean it, tidy it, repair it.
4. You do not know how to do it? Ask for help.
5. You borrowed something? Give it back.
6. You want to use something that is not yours? Ask first.
7. You do not know how something works? Be careful, ask before using it.
8. It is made available to everyone? Enjoy it in moderation.

See also

• Vision portal: the founding references that guide WikiDeal
• Universal Code of Conduct (WikiDeal adaptation)
• Whistleblower protection: the culture of trust these agreements feed