This document clarifies what Keep Calm offers in exchange for volunteer contributions and how we handle relationships with external communities. Our non-commercial foundation means we approach reciprocity differently than commercial groups.
The Core Principle
Reciprocity in kind, not in promotion.
- If someone volunteers time → they get community recognition
- If a community shares our events → we share their non-commercial events
- Commercial promotion is not part of any exchange
Internal: What Organisers & Volunteers Receive
Leaders and organisers give their time, expertise, and energy to make Keep Calm work. Here's what we offer in return:
What We Offer
| They Give | They Get |
|---|---|
| Time organising | Recognition (public thanks, organiser title) |
| Expertise | Platform to lead and teach (beginner sessions, clinics) |
| Consistency | Community status and relationships |
| Ideas | Input on community direction |
| Reliability | First access to popular/limited events |
| Sustained contribution | Fast-track to Keep Calm Core |
What We Don't Offer
Commercial promotion of any kind - see community-conduct.md for the full advertising policy.
Setting Expectations Upfront
When someone expresses interest in organising, be clear about the exchange:
"We value volunteer contributions enormously. The trade here is community, not commercial access. If you're looking for a marketing channel, this isn't the right fit-but if you want to be part of something meaningful and meet great people, we'd love your help."
Handling Requests from Organisers
If an organiser asks to promote their commercial activity:
- Thank them for their contribution to the community
- Remind them of our non-commercial policy
- Offer alternatives if appropriate:
- They can mention what they do in personal conversations
- They can include it in their personal bio if we have organiser profiles
- If it's genuinely relevant (e.g., they're a physio and someone asks about injury recovery), informal word-of-mouth is fine
- Be firm that group announcements and pins are not available for commercial promotion
External: Relationships with Other Communities
Barcelona has many sports and social communities. We want to collaborate, not compete-but we also need clear boundaries.
Partnership Tiers
| Tier | They Are | We Do | We Don't Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aligned | Non-commercial, similar values | Cross-promote freely, collaborate on events | - |
| Friendly | Commercial but respectful | Mention occasionally, informal referrals | Regular or formal promotion |
| Transactional | Expect quid pro quo for commercial events | Politely decline the arrangement | Promote their paid events |
How to Identify Each Tier
Aligned communities:
- Run by volunteers
- No paid events or membership fees (or minimal cost-recovery only)
- Share similar values around inclusivity and community
- Happy to collaborate without expectation of commercial return
Friendly communities:
- May have commercial elements but aren't pushy about it
- Respectful of our non-commercial stance
- Don't pressure us for reciprocal promotion
- Generally good relationship
Transactional communities:
- Explicitly expect promotion in exchange for sharing our events
- Run paid events, workshops, or memberships as primary activity
- Frame the relationship as a marketing exchange
Responding to Cross-Promotion Requests
When an aligned community shares our event:
"Thanks for sharing! Happy to do the same for your events anytime."
When a friendly community shares our event:
"Thanks for sharing! We appreciate it."
(No obligation to reciprocate, but can do so informally if appropriate)
When a transactional community expects reciprocal promotion:
"We appreciate you sharing our events. We're a non-commercial community so we don't promote paid events or commercial services in our groups-but we're happy to informally refer people who ask about [their activity]."
What We Will Promote
- Free, community-run events from other groups
- Non-commercial activities that align with our sports/social focus
- Genuinely useful resources for our members (even if from commercial sources, shared as information not advertisement)
What We Won't Promote
- Paid workshops, courses, or events
- Commercial services (coaching, training, equipment sales)
- Events where the primary purpose is revenue generation
- Anything that requires our members to pay someone outside Keep Calm
Handling Awkward Situations
"But I've done so much for the group..."
When a long-time volunteer expects commercial promotion as reward:
- Acknowledge their contribution genuinely
- Explain that this applies equally to everyone, including founders
- Offer the non-commercial recognition options
- Be clear but kind: "This is about protecting the community's character, not about your contribution which we really value"
"Other groups do this..."
When compared to communities that mix commercial and community:
"Different groups work differently, and that's fine. We've chosen to stay non-commercial because we think it creates a different kind of trust and atmosphere. It means we can't do some things other groups do, but it also means members know they won't be marketed to here."
"Just this once..."
Exceptions undermine the policy. If we promote one person's business "just this once," we'll be asked again. Stay consistent:
"If we do it for one person, we'd need to do it for everyone, and then we'd become a different kind of community. We need to stay consistent."
External pressure / "We'll stop sharing your events"
If a community threatens to stop cross-promoting unless we reciprocate commercially:
"We understand, and no hard feelings. We'll continue to mention your group informally when it's relevant, but we can't commit to promoting paid events. If that means the arrangement doesn't work for you, we respect that."
Recognising Volunteers Without Commercial Exchange
Since we don't offer commercial promotion, we should be generous with what we do offer:
Public Recognition
- Thank organisers in group announcements
- Spotlight volunteers in social media posts
- Acknowledge contributions at events
Community Status
- Organiser titles and roles
- Input on community decisions
- Early access to limited events
- Invitation to organiser meetups/socials
- A fast-track to Keep Calm Core
Platform to Lead
- Opportunities to run beginner sessions
- Chance to shape their sport's direction
- Support to try new ideas
Genuine Appreciation
- Personal thanks from other organisers
- Small gestures (buying them a drink at social events)
- Remembering what they've contributed
Summary
| Situation | Our Response |
|---|---|
| Organiser wants to promote their business | Thank them, explain policy, offer alternatives |
| External community shares our events | Thank them, reciprocate if they're non-commercial |
| External community expects commercial reciprocity | Politely decline, offer informal referrals |
| Long-time volunteer expects exception | Stay consistent, offer non-commercial recognition |
| Pressure to change policy | Stay firm, explain our reasoning |
Related Documents
- Communities.md - Our approach to other Barcelona communities
- Rules.md - Community rules overview
- Organisers.md - Current volunteer organisers