You have the Right to:
- Receive fair treatment free of discrimination.
- Be treated with consideration and respect for personal dignity, autonomy, and privacy.
- Be free from abuse, exploitation, retaliation, humiliation, and neglect.
- Consent to, refuse, or withdraw from any service.
- Know the cost of services.
- Access your records at any time.
- Confidentiality and to be informed of the limits to this confidentiality.
- Be informed in advance of the reason(s) for a service being discontinued.
- Receive an explanation of the reasons for denial of service.
- Access, or be referred to, appropriate community, support, legal, and advocacy services.
- Be fully informed of all rights.
- Make a complaint if you feel your rights have been violated.
Your Responsibilities are to:
- Treat everyone with respect.
- Honour diversity.
- Not infringe on the safety, well-being, or rights of others.
- Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of all others.
- Not use alcohol or drugs or be impaired when at Kiwassa.
- Use services responsibly and follow guidelines.
- Provide accurate, current information for service use.
- Supervise and care for their children when not in program.
- Pay program fees in a timely manner, if applicable.
- Inform staff of safety issues that might affect programs or people.
- Ask questions when you do not understand what is happening to you.
- Accept responsibility for your actions.
Kiwassa has the rights and responsibilities to:
- Determine and provide quality services to meet community needs, within resource limits.
- Ensure the safety, health, and well-being of Kiwassa employees, volunteers, participants, and visitors.
- Meet our legal and regulatory responsibilities and requirements.
- Refuse service due to non-eligibility, non-payment of fees, or behavioral concerns that affect safety.
Definition of a Complaint
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack of action by Kiwassa Neighbourhood House as an organization, or a staff member or volunteer acting on behalf of Kiwassa Neighbourhood House. It can include concerns about our staff’s conduct, quality of service, delay in providing a response, or the reasonableness of a decision made or action taken by a member of our staff. It can also include the response provided by a staff member to a complaint or concern raised about our organization.
Our Commitment to You
Kiwassa Neighbourhood House is committed to providing a transparent process for participants, volunteers, and others connected with our organization to express their concerns.
Sharing your concerns with us will not have any negative impact on the services you receive and will not result in retaliation of any kind. We will work through your concerns respectfully, fairly, and in a timely manner. We will protect your personal information throughout the complaint process and beyond.
Our Complaint Procedures
If you want to communicate your concern, we suggest taking the following steps in registering a complaint and escalating it if needed:
1: Complaints and concerns raised by participants are received and handled in a courteous and respectful manner, and every effort is made to resolve the complaint fairly and quickly. Complaints and subsequent actions are kept confidential as much as possible.
2: Participants with a concern or complaint are encouraged to talk directly with the employee closest to the situation, the employee’s supervisor or a Director. Support for this discussion may be offered. Employees may refer the matter to their supervisor or Director. Employees will report participant complaints to their supervisor, and depending on scope of complaint, to the relevant Director. All complaints not immediately resolved will be documented.
3: Participants who wish to make a formal complaint may fill out the Kiwassa Complaint Form, available from program staff and the front office, filling in the online form, or by giving their complaint verbally to an employee who will document it on the complaint form and have the participant sign.
4: Formal complaints are referred to the relevant Director to handle and the Executive Director is informed. The complaint may be escalated to the Executive Director.
5: In the event of an allegation of serious wrongdoing by staff, the matter must be referred immediately to the Executive Director. Complaints about the Executive Director will be forwarded directly to the Executive of the Board of Directors: BoardofDirectors@kiwassa.ca.
TimeFrame
Complainant will receive acknowledgement of a formal complaint within 2 business days and be kept informed of its status. Efforts will be made to resolve the complaint quickly, and within two weeks of receipt. Complaints will be resolved to the extent possible within agency and program policies. Policies will be explained, including the intent of the policy. If the complaint is resolved, the participant will be asked to sign the original complaint form.
Support
Kiwassa Neighbourhood staff are here to help. If you need support during the complaints process, or help completing the form, please reach out to any trusted staff member, who will support you through the process.