Code of conduct: Investigating misconduct & the storytelling community

To be listed as a storyteller on the author directory, you must first be an accredited storyteller on the Directory of Storytellers (TRACS)(this link will open in a new window) as set out in our criteria. After gaining your accreditation, you would apply to the author directory, reading and accepting the below information in addition to our full Code of Conduct as part of submitting your application.

If you are registered on both directories please note the following:

• If the Scottish Storytelling Forum receives a complaint about the conduct of a storyteller, they will investigate and address this complaint in line with their own policies, as set out in their handbook.
• Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Storytelling Forum will only share information about complaints while they are under investigation if relevant TRACS or Scottish Book Trust staff believe:

1. there is a present or immediate risk of future harm to audiences, pupils or staff of host organisations, or
2. there is a present or immediate risk of severe damage to the reputation of Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Storytelling Forum or the Live Literature Programme.

• In most cases, if Scottish Book Trust receives a report of misconduct by a storyteller we will investigate and address this as with any other practitioner on our directory. However, if a complaint made to Scottish Book Trust is about the conduct of a storyteller outside of our programmes, and our staff feel we are not best placed to address this, you may be asked to direct your complaint to the Scottish Storytelling Forum. A record will still be held by Scottish Book Trust that a complaint was made.
• Similarly, if a complaint made to the Scottish Storytelling Forum concerns misconduct at a Live Literature event, you may be asked to direct your complaint to Scottish Book Trust instead.
• If you are excluded from the Directory of Storytellers as a result of the Scottish Storytelling Forum, the Storytelling Network Co-ordinator will notify Scottish Book Trust. We will begin a process of investigating and assessing misconduct based on this information, which may result in your profile being removed from the Scottish Book Trust directory.
• If Scottish Book Trust is satisfied that serious or repeated misconduct by a storyteller has taken place, we will share this information as soon as possible with the Storytelling Network Co-ordinator and the Director of TRACS. TRACS will follow its own misconduct and complaints procedures from there, taking this information into account.

Addressing misconduct

If misconduct by an author has occurred, we may take some or all of the following steps as appropriate:

• Issue a warning that any future misconduct will result in the removal of your profile from the directory.
• Ask to meet with you to discuss how a conflict can be avoided in future.
• Where misconduct by an author is serious, or presents a risk of harm to audiences and Scottish Book Trust, we reserve the right to remove your profile without warning while we look into the matter.
• In cases of serious or repeated misconduct, we may permanently remove your profile from the directory.
• Scottish Book Trust reserves the right to withhold or deny payment for sessions where serious misconduct has occurred, to be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Getting in touch with us

General enquiries: [email protected](this link will open in a new window)

Alan Lynch, Writing Communities Co-ordinator (Live Literature): [email protected](this link will open in a new window)

Caitrin Armstrong, Head of Writing Communities: [email protected](this link will open in a new window)

Phone 0131 524 0160 and ask for Writing Communities.