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Community

Home to Balean’s Community handbook

Balean is a non-profit organization powered by a community of ocean impact makers. The contribution of volunteers is indispensable to supporting our mission and everything we do. We envision a sustainable world where our oceans, our planet, and humanity thrive.

At the heart of Balean is the belief that meaningful change happens through collective action. Balean was built by people who care deeply about the ocean and are willing to contribute their time, skills, and energy to protect it. Our community is the foundation that allows Balean to exist, grow, and create impact.

Volunteers play a key role in transforming ideas into action. Every hour contributed, every skill shared, and every commitment made helps amplify our reach, strengthen our projects, and inspire others to take part in ocean conservation. Whether supporting operations, sharing knowledge, creating content, or helping build connections, our volunteers help turn purpose into measurable impact.

By volunteering with Balean, individuals become part of a collective movement where small actions, when combined, lead to lasting change for the ocean and the communities that depend on it.

Volunteering

How to get involved

Whether you are looking to join us for the first time or you are an existing volunteer ready for your next project, our Volunteering section provides everything you need. There, you’ll find our community guidelines, current roles, and the steps to start making an impact.

Explore our Volunteering Opportunities & Guidelines Volunteer Policy & Guidelines.

Communication

Balean is a fully remote and multidisciplinary organization where we welcome anyone who wants to make a positive impact on the oceans, no matter where they are in the world. We have people from all over the world working together to drive ocean sustainability.

🌍 Working Together, Apart: Since we work 100% remotely, we rely on clear, asynchronous communication to stay aligned. For tips on how we stay productive across borders, check out our How to effectively work remotely.

Team Communication Channels

Ensure everyone knows where to share updates, store documents, and collaborate effectively without the need for a physical office.

  • Slack: Our virtual “office” for daily communication and quick updates. Use for: Quick questions, coordination, sharing short progress updates, and posting meeting reminders.
  • Google Meet: Our space for face-to-face virtual meetings to organize or coordinate ideas. Use for: Scheduled syncs, brainstorming sessions, and getting to know your fellow impact makers.
  • Google Drive: Our Centralized document storage and file sharing. Use for: Project documentation, reports, presentations, and visual assets.
  • GitLab: Our project hub for technical knowledge and task tracking. Use for: Code repository, backlog/task management (Challenges), meeting notes, and tracking project progress.
  • Email: External communication, inquiries and official foundation updates.

Challenges

To channel volunteering work, all things to work on as a volunteer are tracked as challenges in the Balean Coding Challenges project. Challenges can range from marketing challenges to software development or infrastructure challenges. Everyone can apply by signing up for the balean-oss group and assing a challenge to their name.

The software that Balean uses to build the platform is mostly open-source software, published via the Balean OSS group on GitLab. The challenge listed should indicate what the challenge is about. Even though software may be owned by a 3rd party, every challenge is created to bring the platform and therefore Balean forward in their mission.

1 - Code of Conduct

Our mission at Balean is to promote global ocean sustainability through innovative (IT) solutions, community engagement, fundraising, and sustainable practices. To achieve these goal, we strive to create a welcoming environment for all members of our community.

This Code of Conduct outlines the standards of behaviour we expect from everyone involved in Balean, including team members, partners, collaborators, and users of our platform. By participating in our ocean sustainability community on Discord, you agree to abide by this Code of Conduct.

We value your contribution and we hope you will welcome other members with an open mind as well.

Our Standards

Balean’s community standards are based on our values.

  1. Be Respectful: Treat others with kindness, empathy, and understanding.
  2. Keep it Civil: Avoid using language or tone that might be perceived as aggressive, discriminating, condescending, or dismissive.
  3. Accountability and Transparency: Be honest and open in your actions, take responsibility for your contributions, and strive to foster an environment of trust.
  4. Constructive Feedback and Improvement: Focus on helping each other grow and improve rather than discouraging others.
  5. Focus on the Issue: Engage in constructive discussions without resorting to personal attacks or inflammatory rhetoric.
  6. Respect Diverse Perspectives: Recognize and appreciate differing viewpoints while maintaining a commitment to respectful dialogue.

Our Responsibilities

As a member of the Balean community, we are committed to providing an environment that is:

  1. Safe: Welcoming and free from harassment, hate speech, and other forms of unacceptable behaviour.
  2. Inclusive: Welcoming individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.
  3. Respectful: Fostering a culture where all members feel valued, heard, and respected.

To achieve this goal, we:

  1. Monitor community interactions: Regularly review online discussions to ensure they align with our Code of Conduct.
  2. Address concerns promptly: Respond quickly to reports of unacceptable behaviour or other issues that may impact the community’s well-being. Balean holds the right to remove content that is against Balean’s Code of Conduct.
  3. Foster open communication: Encourage members to share their thoughts, ideas, and respect each other’s opinions, perspectives, and dignity.

Unacceptable Behaviour

  1. Harassment: No form of harassment, including but not limited to:
    • Verbal abuse
    • Threats
    • Intimidation
  2. Hate Speech: Language or behaviour that discriminates against individuals based on their identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities).
  3. Unwelcoming Behaviour: Dismissive or exclusionary behaviour, or making others feel unwelcome contradicts our standard of inclusivity.
  4. Spamming: Posting excessive content with the intention of disrupting discussions.
  5. Advertisement: Posting advertisement for other initiatives than Balean, being commercial or non-commercial, without notice and written approval by Balean.

Reporting Incidents

If you experience or witness any behaviour that doesn’t align with this Code of Conduct, please report it by:

  1. Reaching out directly: Contacting the individual involved (if comfortable doing so).
  2. Using our reporting mechanism: Utilizing Balean’s designated reporting system to alert moderators.

All reports will be handled with confidentiality and with the safety and well-being of our community members as a priority.

Consequences

Repeated instances of unacceptable behaviour may result in consequences such as:

  1. Temporary or permanent suspension: Restricting access to specific features, forums, or the entire community.
  2. Removal from roles: Revoking responsibilities related to community management and content curation.

By adhering to this Code of Conduct, we can foster a positive environment that encourages collaboration, learning, and growth within our ocean sustainability community.

Acknowledgement

By participating in Balean’s online forums or engaging with the platform, you acknowledge having read and understood these guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns about this Code of Conduct, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

2 - Volunteering

Volunteer Policy & Guidelines

Volunteering

What it Means to Volunteer with Us

Volunteering for ocean impact within Balean is rewarding and inspirational. It offers the opportunity to make a positive change in the world while expanding your knowledge, experience, and network with like-minded people. While rewarding, volunteering is also time-consuming and comes with specific obligations to ensure our collective success.

Volunteer Requirements

To maintain a productive and respectful environment, we seek volunteers who demonstrate:

  • Commitment: A strong passion for the ocean and a dedication to the community’s objectives.
  • Communication: Good communication skills to help us work together effectively.
  • Proactivity: We love to hear new ideas! If you have a creative spark and the initiative to propose something fresh, don’t hesitate to share, we truly value your input and vision for the community.
  • Teamwork: The ability to collaborate effectively in a fully remote and multidisciplinary organization.
  • Respect & Cordiality: We welcome anyone who wants to make a positive impact; we value a friendly environment and respect for all, regardless of culture, background, or gender.

Roles and Responsibilities

Volunteers support our mission through various pillars. Please note that while these are our main areas of focus, this list is not written in stone! We would love to explore what you enjoy doing and how you want to collaborate or grow within the foundation:

  • Communication & Storytelling: Contributing ocean stories and creating content (articles, social media, or research) for our community.
  • Community Management: Interacting with members, fostering engagement, and managing social channels.
  • Events & Activities: Assisting in the organization of workshops, projects, and community events.
  • Open source contributions: Put your technical skills into action and help us improve the platform. Explore our Challenges.
  • Operations: Supporting the daily administrative and operational needs of the foundation.
  • Representation: Representing the Balean Foundation in a positive and professional manner.

Commitment and Expenses

  • Time and Availability: Each volunteer is responsible for organizing their own schedule within their daily life to meet agreed-upon goals and community tasks.
  • Virtual Collaboration: This commitment includes the availability to hold virtual meetings to organize or coordinate ideas.
  • Flexibility and Communication: If you are unable to fulfill a task or attend a meeting, don’t worry! Just let us know in advance. Our team values flexibility, understanding, and open communication to stay organized.
  • Compensation: As a non-profit, although we would love to, we generally cannot afford to pay all volunteers for the work they do for our oceans. Exceptions for a “volunteering allowance” are rare, bound by strict regulations under Dutch law, and based on strategic dependency or specific knowledge .
  • Expenses: Costs and expenses for travel or materials are, of course, covered by Balean; simply discuss these with us upfront and we will take care of it .

New to the Community?Join Us!

If you are ready to help us leverage the potential of our oceans, please complete our application form here: Link to Google Form.

We will be in touch soon!

If you sign up as a volunteer, you also agree to the Balean’s volunteering Code of Conduct.

Already a Volunteer?

If you are already part of the team, here is how to stay active and make the most of your journey with Balean:

  • Check our Communication Channels: Stay connected by checking Slack for daily updates, quick questions, and coordination with your sub-teams.
  • Pick up a Challenge: Visit the GitLab Challenges project to find new tasks in marketing, infrastructure, or software development.
  • Share your feedback: We want to grow with you! If you have ideas on how to improve our community or want to explore a new way to collaborate, let us know. Your voice helps shape Balean.
  • Support your Peers: Offer assistance or mentorship to new volunteers to foster the welcoming and collaborative environment we value.

Thank you for being part of a community that believes in open, inclusive, and scalable ocean impact.💙