Org mailing list

[Per Andersson <avtobiff AT gmail.com>]

(For the record, I am also involved in Serengeti.)

Hi!

On Mon, Jul 8, 2013 at 4:47 PM, Stian Rødven Eide 
<stian AT fripost.org>
 wrote:
> 2013-07-07 19:53, Staffan Melin (Oscillator) skrev:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> here are some topics that some people (incl me) from Serengeti have
>> been discussing:
>>
>> 1. Self-organized parent group/network. Can FSCONS provide
>> c. An e-mail/discussion list for this?
>> b. Some info about this on the website and in the promotion material?
>> Text provided by Serengeti.
>
> I don't think that should be a problem.
>
> Does the web group have any input on the matter? If it's ok by you,
> could you please set up a list and coordinate with Staffan to bring up a
> web page?

Great!


>> 2. What about tickets for children? Can we allow people under X years
>> of age entrance for free? What is X?
>
> While we did not decide on the specific age limits, I think it would be
> fair to let young children in for free and that older children pay a
> children ticket. As for the age limit, perhaps a discussion on the list
> is in order. My suggestion would be that we regard school children as
> older children, i.e. that every child going to school will have to pay
> the childrens ticket (and also receives the Arduino).

I am a firm believer that children of all ages should be regarded full
visitors. Serengeti is also focusing on a children/parent/education
track this year.

Having said that, letting children from age seven (7) pay a ticket is
unreasonable IMHO.

My assumption is that visitors don't fully partake and enjoy in the
conference until they at least reach their early teens. This of course
this is a floating limit with high individual variance.

A solution is to have free tickets until visitors are, say, thirteen (13)
years old, and then let them pay a youth ticket up to eighteen (18), and
then full price. I also think that it should be optional to select
between a free ticket or a youth (arduino) ticket until, say, eighteen
years old. This option would better suit visitors (and families) economy
and individual variance in interest and knowledge.

Remember, age is just a number and should be treated as such.


> Since we're selling alcohol at FSCONS, it may be that no person under
> the age of 18 can enter without being accompanied by an adult. If so,
> that sets the upper limit, and perhaps we should rename it to youth ticket.

This really, really sucks big time.

I request having a separate area or beer garden where alcohol is sold
and also consumed. There is no point in allowing alcohol everywhere in
the conference area. Not everyone enjoys this, and it can make the
conference inaccessible to some people; not only children.


>> 3. Child care. Is this something that FSCONS can provide? Pay salary
>> for a professional?
>
> That has not been budgeted for, and in my opinion it would be the
> self-organized parent group/networks responsibility. Perhaps you could
> arrange it so that the parents take turns being child care responsible.

Fair enough.


>> 4. Café. Will food suitable for children be provided?
>
> If you mean baby food, that has not been discussed, and I think it would
> be easier for the parents to bring it themselves, concidering the
> different children ages and viewpoints on what is suitable. If you mean
> non-baby food, then I don't know what would be unsuitable.

Having a few cans baby food, that most babies can eat would be great.
Even if it is only five cans with a selection of vegetables, such as
potatoes, carrots etc, it can be a real life saver allowing people to
stay at the conference and enjoying some event instead of walking away
investing half an hour, or more, in getting food.

Food is mostly critical for babies, up until the age of about a year or
year and a half. Before that they are mostly breast or bottle fed and
after that children basically eat the same food as adults.

Of course having healthy tasty snacks such as raw vegetables and fruit
available is good for children, but also so for everyone else.


I think that we are touching on universal design in many of the subjects
above. Just because something is good for children does not mean that it
is only good for children and worthless for everyone else. Making things
accessible for one audience we are making living simpler for all people,
not only the target audience.


--
Per