SVP Teens is a leadership and community development program for
youth in grades 7-12 in Waterloo Region. The program runs September to June, with meengs usually once a
month. Through discussions with community leaders, volunteering, fundraising, and grant-making, SVP Teens
offers its parcipants:
insight into social issues in our community;
leadership and teamwork skills development;
diverse volunteer opportunies;
opportunies to work with other teens who are interested and engaged in our community
Commitment
SVP commits to providing an engaging and educaonal
experience for the SVP Teen members. A SVP Teen
parcipant commits to full parcipaon in the program throughout the school year, posively contribung to
team dynamics, and being respecul of others at all times.
SVP is responsible for ensuring the safety and well-being of all SVP Teens parcipants and volunteers, and
therefore balances individual rights against the welfare of the larger group. Parcipants’ behaviour, acons, and
communicaons (verbal and wrien) are to be consistent with SVP Teens values at all times.
SVP Teens Values
These principles are the foundaon of SVP Teens:
It’s Cool to Care!
People who aren’t afraid to speak their minds and take acon about things they care about are the coolest.
Commit.
Be accountable. Don’t try to do it all.
Initiave > Experience.
You get what you give. Take initiave, commit to projects you’re excited about, and put in the work.
Failures are not Fatal.
Don’t be afraid to partcipate due to fear it won’t work out. It’s only a failure if you don’t learn from it.
Speak Up!
You’re here for a reason, so be bold and share your strengths with the team.
Say Yes to Collaboration.
Each person on a team brings a new perspecve; be inclusive and transparent.
Your Actions Matter.
Your actions reflect on us, and on SVP as an organizaon. We have zero tolerance for bullying or inappropriate
behavior of any kind.
Participant Code of Conduct
1.1 Respect for Self and Others
Each participant shall:
Respect the rights and dignity of all members of the SVP community.
Demonstrate responsibility, recognizing that words and behaviours are an example to other parcipants.
Communicate in an open, respecul, and honest way.
Be friendly, courteous, and kind, encouraging the parcipaon of others while being sensive to the
different capacies of community members.
1.2 Safety and Security
It is important that parcipants behave
responsibly and do not compromise their own safety or endanger the health and
safety of others. SVP staff and program (adult) mentors reserve the right to determine
what constutes unsafe pracces.
1.2.1 Drugs and Alcohol
SVP has a zero tolerance policy
on the consumpon and/or possession of recreaonal or illegal drugs and/or alcohol
which are both unlawful and strictly forbidden.
1.2.2 Weapons
We have a zero tolerance policy on parcipants
carrying, or having in their possession, any weapon as defined in the
Criminal Code of Canada . This includes but is not limited to any firearm, weapon, imitaon of a weapon, ammunion,
hunng knife, prohibited device, or dangerous chemicals including explosives or fireworks.
1.2.3 Lost, Stolen or Damaged Property
The SVP Teens program is not liable, directly
or indirectly, for any loss or the of personal property, or for damage or
destrucon of such property.
1.2.4 Sexual Harassment/Abuse
All members of the SVP community have a right
to a safe and supporve environment that respects everyone’s dignity and self-esteem.
Behaviour which constutes sexual harassment or abuse is neither condoned nor tolerated. Please report incidents of this
nature to Rose Greensides, SVP’s Execuve Director: rose@svpwr.org.
Sexual harassment can be regarded as an unwarranted \
intrusion upon the sexual dignity of a person, and it can include jokes, innuendos, insults, sexist remarks, derogatory or
pornographic pictures, leering, touching or kissing. It is any conduct, comment, gesture,
or contact of a sexual nature, whether on a one-me basis or in a series of incidents, that could cause offense,
embarrassment, or humiliaon, or that could be perceived by the individual as placing a condion of a sexual nature on their
acceptance, involvement, or inclusion. Sexual harassment may be directed at members of the same or opposite sex.
1.2.5 Harassment, Bullying and Violence
The following behaviour will not be tolerated within the SVP Teens Program:
Any physical assault, threats of assault, intimidation, or bullying.
Any jokes, slurs, remarks, comments or any other behavior of a derogatory or oppressive nature relating to another
person’s religion, creed, race, gender, sexual orientaon, colour, ancestry, ethnicity, or ability.
Any abuse of any nature including emoonal or psychological abuse, verbal violence, and/or social exclusion.
Hate-movated comments or behaviour.
Verbal or wrien statements that could be construed as threats of violence.
