VALUES, PHILOSOPHy, AND ETHICS
Our primary obligation and accountability is to the women and children we serve.
A priority is to actively promote the safety and well-being of women and children in the Boundary region.
We are committed to non-violence and we are pro-active in our dedication to the prevention and elimination of violence against women and children in all of the services we provide and all the activities in which we engage.
We maintain confidentiality of all acquired information except in cases of: child abuse, the personal safety of a client or others, or if information is subpoenaed by the court.
We deal with situations of child abuse with the full knowledge of the women whenever possible.
We use a consensus decision-making model
We conduct ourselves with honesty, integrity and fairness
We maintain respectful, open relationships with each other
We follow through on commitments
We learn from our mistakes
We take responsibility for our issues, our triggers, and our reactions
We understand the best practice with clients precludes the sharing of details of our personal lives
We speak up, understanding that each contribution has value
We act, out of our belief in the following quote from “Peace and Power” written by Peggy Chinn
PEACE IS NOT - letting things slide for the sake of friendship
- doing whatever is required to keep on good terms
- criticizing someone behind his/her back
- being silent at a meeting only to rant and rave afterwards
- letting things drift if they don’t affect you personally
- playing safe in order to avoid confrontation
- manipulating someone to avoid open conflict
- coercing someone to do what you want
- hearing distortions of truth without refuting them
- indulging another’s behaviour when it is destructive
- withholding information in order to protect someone else
A priority is to actively promote the safety and well-being of women and children in the Boundary region.
We are committed to non-violence and we are pro-active in our dedication to the prevention and elimination of violence against women and children in all of the services we provide and all the activities in which we engage.
We maintain confidentiality of all acquired information except in cases of: child abuse, the personal safety of a client or others, or if information is subpoenaed by the court.
We deal with situations of child abuse with the full knowledge of the women whenever possible.
We use a consensus decision-making model
We conduct ourselves with honesty, integrity and fairness
We maintain respectful, open relationships with each other
We follow through on commitments
We learn from our mistakes
We take responsibility for our issues, our triggers, and our reactions
We understand the best practice with clients precludes the sharing of details of our personal lives
We speak up, understanding that each contribution has value
We act, out of our belief in the following quote from “Peace and Power” written by Peggy Chinn
PEACE IS NOT - letting things slide for the sake of friendship
- doing whatever is required to keep on good terms
- criticizing someone behind his/her back
- being silent at a meeting only to rant and rave afterwards
- letting things drift if they don’t affect you personally
- playing safe in order to avoid confrontation
- manipulating someone to avoid open conflict
- coercing someone to do what you want
- hearing distortions of truth without refuting them
- indulging another’s behaviour when it is destructive
- withholding information in order to protect someone else
We acknowledge and work towards alleviating the power imbalances that exist between and within collective members, staff, volunteers and the women and children we serve.
We value all work equally.
We believe that no task is more or less important than another and we each demonstrate this by our willingness to do whatever is needed.
We take responsibility for our own needs and self-care, including debriefing when needed.
We are committed to working from a feminist perspective in our work towards ending the oppression of women.
We promote the self-empowerment of women.
We respect and support each woman’s right to self-determination and autonomy.
We ensure that our personal belief systems do not interfere with the rights of women to make their own choices.
We do not exploit relationships with clients or co-workers for personal gain or the gain of friends, relatives or associates.
We ensure that outside interests do not jeopardize BWC’s judgment, independence, competence, or role as advocates.