Policies

YWCA Hamilton is dedicated to providing goods and services in a manner that upholds the dignity and independence of individuals with disabilities. We are committed to ensuring that our services, facilities, and information are accessible to all individuals.  We are committed to fostering inclusion, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate in our programs and access our goods and services on an equitable basis. This commitment involves enhancing accessibility and eliminating barriers.  We welcome the use of assistive devices.  We welcome service animals on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.  YWCA Hamilton strives to meet and exceed the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and its associated standards and will consistently adapt its policies and procedures to align with the AODA and its standards.

Please reach out to us at 905-522-9922 or email feedback@ywcahamilton.org for the complete policy.

YWCA Hamilton values and actively seeks the input of clients, members, and community members regarding the organization’s programs, services, and practices. We recognize that complaints and feedback are valuable opportunities for enhancing our services. Individuals, whether clients, members, or community members, are encouraged to express their concerns individually or with the assistance of a representative acting on their behalf. We value and appreciate feedback on all aspects of the organization’s programs, services, or practices. Your feedback is important to us and helps us continually improve.  Maintaining a high standard in the operation of the organization and its associated programs and services is a priority for YWCA Hamilton.

Please reach out to us at 905-522-9922 or email feedback@ywcahamilton.org for the complete protocol.

YWCA Hamilton is committed to fostering environments that prioritize safety, respect, and dignity for all individuals. We emphasize a zero-tolerance stance on workplace violence and harassment, applicable to everyone.  All members of our community have the right to work, live, and use our facilities free from violence or harassment. YWCA Hamilton is dedicated to handling complaints or incidents of workplace violence and harassment with sensitivity, ensuring fairness, respect, and prompt investigations.  We encourage and appreciate collective efforts towards maintaining accountability and strive to consistently implement this policy and program requirements across the organization.

Please reach out to us at 905-522-9922 or email feedback@ywcahamilton.org for the complete policy.

YWCA Hamilton understands that the diverse communities served by the organization contribute to the growth, enrichment and strength of YWCA Hamilton and of the larger community. We are also sensitive to the fact that various groups in our communities often encounter barriers to full access and participation because of racism and oppression. It is the policy of YWCA Hamilton to provide an environment, which is free of racism and oppression.

YWCA Hamilton believes that every employee, volunteer, student, client, member and visitor has the right to work, volunteer, access services and enjoy an environment that is free from gender, racial, sexual and other forms of oppression. As an employer and service provider YWCA Hamilton will not tolerate and will address any intentional or unintentional acts of oppression towards an individual or a group of people that creates barriers to access or inclusion on the basis of race/colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion/creed, socio-economic class, gender, sexual orientation, gender orientation, receipt of public assistance, political affiliation, record of offences, level of literacy, citizenship/immigration status, country of origin, mental health status, age, type of housing, neighbourhood of residence, language, family status, health status, ability or any other personal characteristics in all aspects of its operation and at all levels of the organization.  Related violations will be resolved through the organizations complaints protocols.

All stakeholders of YWCA Hamilton are entitled to fair and equitable treatment. YWCA Hamilton is committed to ensuring that our mission and operations embrace our entire communities. We will make every effort to see that our structure, policies and system reflect all aspects of the total community and to promote equal access to all.

YWCA Hamilton values and encourages the feedback of clients, members and
community members about the programs, services and practices of the organization. Complaints and feedback can provide important opportunities for improving service. A complaint can be made by a client, member or community member individually or with the support of an individual acting
on behalf of the client, member or community member if necessary. The complaint can relate to any aspect of the organization’s programs, services and practices.

YWCA Hamilton maintains a high standard with respect to the operation of the organization and its associated programs and services. Strict compliance is expected for all employees, volunteers and contractors of the YWCA Hamilton with respect to its established policies and procedures.

To access the full protocol, please contact us at 905-522-9922

The Volunteer Policy and recruitment procedures are in place to support, nurture and further the rich history of volunteerism at YWCA Hamilton.

Policy: Volunteers have been involved in almost every area of activity since YWCA Hamilton was founded. YWCA Hamilton continues to attract people with a range of backgrounds and skills, with a shared commitment to seeking equity for women, girls and their families. Volunteers work within an
anti-racism and anti-oppression framework and culture of philanthropy towards achieving YWCA Hamilton’s mission, vision and strategic objectives.
The purpose of our Volunteer Program is to:

Recruit and maintain a committed team of diverse volunteers who are reflective of the broader community to support YWCA Hamilton staff to improve and extend service delivery.

Provide volunteers with the level of responsibilities and involvement that meet their expectations and provide fulfilling volunteering opportunities while maintaining a high level of service to our clients and members. The contribution of volunteers remains vital to YWCA Hamilton’s operations. The organization recognizes and values the reciprocal nature of the relationship between YWCA Hamilton and individual volunteers and is committed to providing a volunteer program which both:

Supports YWCA Hamilton’s work, and meets the expectations of individual volunteers. YWCA Hamilton’s Volunteer Program brings substantial benefit to:

Clients and members by providing them with a high level of service in a safe environment that ensures successful program outcomes and confidentiality.
Volunteers by providing them an avenue to: join a vibrant, creative organization with a great passion for its role in the struggle in achieving equity for women, girls and their families; and contribute their vast wealth of skills, experiences and knowledge to support women, girls and their families.

Staff by facilitating additional human resources to ensure we maintain a high level of service to
YWCA Hamilton’s clients, members, stakeholders and the wider community.

Organization by bringing specialist advice and skills into the organization and through the provision of additional human resources in a wide variety of activities.

Community by providing an avenue for community participation in specific campaigns or the organization as a whole.

To access the full policy, please contact us at 905-522-9922

The YWCA Hamilton is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information for its employees, volunteers, members, clients, donors, and other partners. We value the trust of those we interact with, including the public, and recognize that maintaining this trust requires transparency and accountability in handling the information shared with us. As part of our operations, we gather and use personal information, which we carefully protect. Our privacy principles are based on the 10 Privacy Principles in the Federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

1. Accountability: YWCA Hamilton protects the personal information shared with us by following proper practices and protocols for the collection, use, disclosure and retention of this information.
2. Identifying Purposes: We collect, use and disclose personal information only for certain purposes identified to us. We will consult with the person sharing the personal information to make sure they understand how their information will be used, where it will be stored and for how long.
3. Consent: We will explain why we need this information and answer questions before we collect personal information. We will always obtain consent before collecting, sharing, and using personal information.
4. Limiting Collection: We will only collect personal information based on what is needed for the identified purposes.
5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention: We will not use or disclose personal information for other than identified purposes, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law. The information will be kept only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes.  We will let you know how long we will keep the information before you provide consent to share your information with us.
6. Accuracy: We will keep personal information accurate, complete and up to date.
7. Safeguards: We will protect personal information in ways that are appropriate to how sensitive the information is. This includes protecting all personal information (regardless of how it is stored) against loss, theft, or any unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification.
8. Openness: We will make our privacy practices and policies clear and easy to understand, and readily available. You will not be expected to decipher complex legal language to make informed decisions on whether to provide consent.
9. Individual access: Anyone may ask about their personal information and update it. Please email us at privacy@ywcahamilton.org and we will respond within 10 business days.
10. Challenging Compliance: Anyone may register a complaint at any time by emailing privacy@ywcahamilton.org.

To access the full policy, please contact us at 905-522-9922.