EAFWR Values and Principles

1.    Respect for the Value of Every Individual 

• Full inclusion for all people
• Intrinsic value, equality and dignity of each person and that each person's presence is integral to the community
• The right of all people to feel safe and secure and the right to confidentiality

 2.    Honouring Individual and Family Needs 

• The experience and knowledge of families and honouring their right to make choices
• In collaborative partnership with families and in participation at a level which is most comfortable and meaningful for each person
• In taking initiatives and responding to individuals and families in holistic and creative ways
• Providing meaningful supports, both formal and informal in the most respectful way

 3.    Mutual Support and Responsibility 

• Helping each other out by giving and receiving support
• In being open and responsive to opportunities for learning, in the value of taking suitable risks and actions based on open and honest consideration, and in acknowledging and taking responsibility for our mistakes
• In celebration  

 4.    Strength of Community Diversity 

• In promoting and nurturing relationships within the community which facilitate the development of both community and individual potential
• That human and cultural diversity is an enriching facet of community which must be deliberately fostered in a manner that is anti-oppressive

Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region's Anti Oppression Commitment

Extend-A-Family Waterloo Region (EAFWR) is committed to developing a diverse workforce that is reflective of the community we serve. Part of our vision for Extend-A-Family is "that EAFWR be an organization that honours and reflects Waterloo Region's diversifying community by building an inclusive and anti-oppressive employment team".   EAFWR is committed to being inclusive and welcoming to all its employees, volunteers and students.

EAFWR believes that every employee has the right to work in an atmosphere that is safe and free from oppression.  Oppression in the workplace is defined as behaviour that is discriminatory, marginalizing and/or abusive towards any person or any group of people based on grounds stated in the Human Rights Code[1]. It is expected that all employees will conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful and mindful of both the rights and diverse needs of others. Oppressive behaviors (ie. written or spoken comments, pictorials or physical gestures) based on any of the above prohibited grounds are not acceptable at EAFWR.  

EAFWR is changing, and in order to move ahead on its anti-oppressive initiative, we have taken a number of steps to begin the process.  We have hired an external diversity consultant, Dr. Leeno Karumanchery from Diversity Solutions Inc. (DSI), to act as our resources person in the field.  We have brought EAFWR management, Board members, staff and community together in an initiative Steering Committee to help direct our change process.  We have developed a staff committee (Anti-Oppression Action Committee) to lead us in our efforts to shift our organizational culture, and EAFWR recently commissioned an Anti-Oppressive Organizational Needs Assessment, the recommendations from which we will be implementing via staff working groups throughout the coming years.  

If any employee needs clarification or needs to discuss an issue related to our anti-oppression initiative, including experiences on the job or on site which have made him/her feel personally uncomfortable, discriminated against or oppressed, he/she is encouraged to bring the issue forward in one or more of the following ways: to the person involved in the situation, his/her supervisor, a member of the Anti-Oppression Action Committee[2], the EAFWR Director for Organizational Development2 or our External Diversity Consultant[3], depending on the circumstance and/or issue.

Anti-Oppression Action Committee

March 18, 2008

[1] Human Rights Code, 1981 (part 1): race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability   

[2] Phone (519) 741-0190 Ext. 0 and ask to speak to a member of the committee or the Director for Organizational Development

[3] Dr. Leeno Karumanchery from Diversity Solutions Inc. (DSI). Phone: (416) 476-5755 or Email: info@diversitysolutions.net