‘"A brown stuffed squirrel sits on an assembly table at Congress. It wears green 3D-printed cat ears and holds a small roll of paper in its hand. In the background, telephones and seated people can be seen."

Awareness, Auti, Accessibility auf dem 39C3

EN DE

TL;DR

  • Various support structures are available for you at 39C3.
  • Awareness: e.g. in cases of discrimination, boundary violations, harassment and (sexualised) violence.
  • c3auti: Needs and problems of neurodivergent beings
  • Accessibility: easy access and minor support issues on site.
  • Contact details can be found in the text below and at help.ccc.de.
  • In addition, CERT is available for medical care, CrewCrew for security issues and the arbitration board for serious conflicts.
  • Please read the principles.

All Creatures Welcome

“What brings us together is not what we already know, but what we still want to learn. This exchange of knowledge is only possible if we approach each other with an open mind and with an attitude of mutual respect and support. We want to create an environment characterised by tolerance, respect, curiosity, fun, openness to communicate, friendliness and consideration”, as stated by our principles. The Chaos Communication Congress aspires to be a space where all beings can find a place – as free as possible from harassment, boundary violations and discrimination, and to be needs-oriented and with as few barriers as possible. To get closer to this goal, there are various teams that take care of different aspects and are there to provide support:

  • The awareness team can be contacted in cases of discrimination, boundary violations, harassment and (sexualised) violence, or if you have previous experience of such issues and need help dealing with them at the event.
  • The c3auti team is the point of contact for the needs and problems of neurodivergent beings and takes care of the QuietQube. The QuietCube can also be used by beings who are not neurodivergent.
  • c3accessibility deals with accessibility issues in advance and is also available at the information desk for minor support requests.

In addition, you can also contact

c3awareness

People can turn to the awareness team when they have experienced discrimination, boundary violations, harassment or even sexualised violence and there is a connection to the event. Sometimes the issue is about break ups, conflicts, or uncertainty about how to deal with a challenging situation. It might also be a case of people just being overwhelmed by the event and its many impressions.

We are partial, meaning that we are on the side of the person who asks us for support. We do not seek to determine what is right or wrong – our focus is always on ‘How are you feeling about this?’. Naturally, we treat all conversations as confidential.

During the conversation, we will work together to find out how attending the rest of the event can be made as pleasant an experience as possible. Sometimes, however, it is not possible to resolve the issue.

Many of the experiences that cause people to contact us did not happen at the event itself but beforehand. However, they do affect participation in the event because the other person may also be there. Boundary violations, including (sexualised) violence, have a lasting impact on people. The experience must be processed, certain situations are difficult to endure afterwards, and trust in other people or that nothing will ‘happen’ can be shaken or destroyed. Those affected often fear that they will not be believed or that they will even be held responsible (or blamed) for what happened. This makes it difficult for them to talk about their experiences. The thought that the person who committed the assault or violence is at the event, or that an encounter with them could occur, can cause anxiety. Often, the consequence is that those affected no longer feel comfortable and sooner or later stay away. We try to counteract this through our work.

Contact

Find out more about our work on our webpage and in our Talk at 37C3.

c3auti

The conference is a great event, but it can quickly lead to sensory overload and exhaustion. Many members of the c3auti team are autistic and are familiar with this situation.

c3auti is a team that specifically focuses on the needs and challenges of neurodivergent beings (Autism, AD(H)D, …), as well as beings who would like to take advantage of these offers. All creatures are welcome.

With the QuietQube we offer a quieter place for low‑key socializing/hacking. In addition to a listening ear, you’ll also find tools such as stimming toys or hearing protection. If you need even more quietness, we’re happy to provide you with a silent/dark retreat via the Silent Room. Just let one of our angels know.

In the event of a melt-/shutdown, call us at 1199 or signal another being to do this for you. We’ll pick you up and escort you along the quickest route to a quiet, secluded place where we can support you. Through our close collaboration, we can also connect you – if you wish – with CERT, Awareness, or CrewCrew (Security).

Contact

These numbers are open from 10:00 to 03:00 (morning to late night) during the event. Outside these hours, CERT can be reached in emergencies by dialing 112 (DECT).

Accessibility

For several years now, this team has been working to remove barriers at the Congress. The team has compiled a large amount of information on accessibility on the infopages and is also available to answer any questions or concerns you may have before the event.

In addition to the information desk, there will be a special contact point for all accessibility issues at the event. There you can ask for help if you need assistance with anything specific. You can also let them know if you encounter any further barriers.

The accessibility help desk is a first-level support service, similar to the information desk, but it may have more experience and sensitivity in supporting people with disabilities. Communication cards containing basic information on how to interact with people with disabilities are also available there. Limited short-term assistance may also be provided. If you foresee that you will need constant personal assistance, please bring your own.

You can also make your own hidden disabilities badge at the accessibility help desk or get help creating one.

@c3tactile is working on tactile signage and floor plans. The team is also supplementing the tactile guidance system already in place at CCH. Please keep the strips clear, as well as the escape routes.

And one more request: some people rely on the lifts to get from one floor to another in the CCH. If you do not need to take the lift, please use the stairs and escalators, as the lifts quickly reach their capacity limits.

Contact

Header ImageImage CC BY-SA 2.0 Leah Oswald_