Shared-Space and Participation Agreement

Wild & Wonder 2027 is a four-day shared experience centered on reflection, connection, vulnerability, creativity, rest, and community.

Living and processing together in a shared space can bring up strong emotions. Participants may experience anxiety, discomfort, defensiveness, sadness, fatigue, overstimulation, or other emotional responses.

Phones check in at arrival

We check our phones in at arrival to make space for presence, rest, and kinship. Phone storage, return, and emergency contact arrangements will be shared before camp. Contact the planning team before arrival to arrange device access for accessibility, health, or caregiving needs.

Pause before reacting

When you notice that you are anxious, reactive, overwhelmed, or dysregulated:

• pause before speaking or acting
• take several slow, deep breaths
• step outside or move to a quieter space
• write, rest, walk, stretch, or use the creativity table
• ask for space
• ask whether someone is available to offer support

No participant is required to regulate another person’s emotions. You may request support, but another participant may decline, delay, or place limits on what they can offer.

Moving through hard emotions together

When hard or conflicting emotions come up and you notice yourself becoming reactive:

• Pause and slow down. Breathe before speaking or acting.
• Notice what your body is experiencing. Name it plainly: a tight chest, a racing heart, heat, tears, exhaustion.
• Walk through your emotions with the group. Once grounded, share what came up for you, in your own words and at your own pace.

Hard group conversations

• Listen without comment. We hold space quietly, with no interruptions, advice, or cross-talk.
• Share without fear of feedback. What you say is received, not debated, corrected, or critiqued.

Let other people own their experiences

Another person’s story, emotions, identity, boundaries, choices, or way of processing belong to them. Listening does not require absorbing another person’s experience or making it your own.

Participants may not:

• criticize another person’s life, identity, choices, emotional capacity, boundaries, or coping methods
• diagnose, interrogate, shame, ridicule, lecture, or correct another participant
• pressure someone to speak, explain, forgive, comfort, disclose, or participate
• offer advice unless the person has asked for it
• demand emotional access or continued conversation
• treat another person’s boundary as a personal attack
• debate or challenge someone’s lived experience

Differences may exist without requiring correction or resolution.

Participation is voluntary

Every camp activity is invitational. Participants may speak, write, listen, remain silent, pass, step outside, rest, leave an activity early, or participate in a different way.

No participant will be required to disclose personal history or explain why they do not wish to participate. Silence is participation. Listening is participation. Resting is allowed.

Sharing agreements

During structured sharing activities:

• each person may speak for up to five minutes
• a participant may stop or pass at any time
• no one may interrupt
• no cross-talk is permitted
• no advice, debate, correction, or interpretation is permitted
• participants may not redirect another person’s share into their own story
• silence after someone speaks is allowed

After a gathering, ask before discussing something another participant shared: “Would you be open to talking about what you shared?” A person may say yes, no, not now, or place limits on the conversation.

Confidentiality

Participants may share their own reflections and learning after the camp. Participants may not share another person’s name, story, identity, personal history, disclosure, emotional response, or private conversation.

The camp organizers will establish and reinforce confidentiality expectations. Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed because attendees are independent participants.

Check-ins

Short check-ins will take place periodically, including before or after some activities and meals. Check-ins are opportunities to notice:

• What am I feeling?
• What does my body need?
• Do I need food, water, movement, quiet, rest, or space?
• Am I able to participate without harming myself or someone else?
• Do I need to pause before continuing?
• Am I seeking support, or expecting someone else to manage my emotions?

No one is required to disclose their answers publicly.

Support and boundaries

You may ask: “Would you like company?” “Would you like me to listen?” “Would you prefer space?” “Are you open to advice?” or “Would you like help finding a facilitator?”

Do not assume another person wants touch, conversation, advice, reassurance, or intervention. Respect no, not now, silence, changed consent, requests for space, and social or communication lanyard signals.

Camp limits

Wild & Wonder 2027 is not therapy, medical treatment, crisis care, psychiatric treatment, or a substitute for professional mental-health services.

Facilitators may offer structure, grounding, information, and practical support, but they are not responsible for treating or resolving a participant’s mental-health condition.

Threatening, discriminatory, harassing, coercive, repeatedly disruptive, or unsafe behavior may result in removal from an activity or the camp without a refund.