Community member agreements are shared agreements regarding behavior expected of everyone who participates in a harm reduction site or service. Harm reduction leaders were careful to say that these agreements should be simple and err on the side of some ambiguity in order to make room for a variety of different potential behaviors. The primary rule all harm reduction leaders talked about was the need to treat everyone with respect. Many referred to this as the “don’t be an asshole” rule. All said that one of the main rules community member agreements should include is something to the effect of “be respectful”.

Some nearly universal community member agreements in harm reduction spaces include:

• Respect: Treat everyone with honesty, kindness, and respect.
• Inclusivity: Ensure that the space is welcoming to people of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities. Avoid behaviors or language that could exclude or marginalize others.
• Consent: Always ask for and respect personal boundaries. Obtain consent before touching people or their things, taking photos or filming, or sharing personal information with third parties.
• Non-Violence: Maintain a peaceful and non-violent environment. Physical aggression, threats, or any form of violence is prohibited.

Other common agreements include:

• Confidentiality: Respect the privacy of others. What is shared in the space, and whether you met or have seen each other at the site, is private.
• Conflict Resolution: We address conflicts calmly and respectfully. Try to resolve things peacefully or seek help from a staff member.
• Community Care: We look out for one another here. We all belong here and we’re all responsible for the space/service. Please clean up after yourself, keep music down, and take care of one another.
• Accessibility: Please keep aisles and walkways clear, refrain from using heavy scents, tie up your dog or bike, and only take up one seat at a time to ensure enough for everyone.

Many programs find the need to add specialized agreements over time as situations arise. As one valued harm reduction leader quipped, “but they surprise you. I never would’ve thought I needed a rule about not having your genitals out in the drop-in, but here we are.”

Harm reduction leaders also suggested involving participants or at least Community Advisory Boards in making choices for the community agreements as well as periodically reviewing those agreements with those same bodies in order to ensure participant buy-in for these important community standards.