We firmly believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion and are committed to fostering and conserving a culture based on respect for all. HSBV embraces differences in age, ability, ethnicity, language, national origin, race, religion, and socio-economic status. HSBV is proud to support the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and recognizes, respects, and embraces all racialized groups, ancestries, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations. 

HSBV is committed to remaining active and educated in diversity, equity, and inclusion through: 

• Seeking and participating in diversity, equity, and inclusion education and training opportunities for team members on an on-going basis.

• Maintaining inclusive and safe spaces with a zero tolerance for discriminatory language, behaviours, or actions. HSBV programs and spaces are continually assessed to ensure inclusivity and safety. 

  • HSBV is committed to making efforts to enhance inclusivity within our spaces. For instance, washrooms within the shelter spaces are gender neutral.

• Practicing the use of inclusive language.

  • HSBV implements gender inclusive language within our policies, procedures, and program design. 

  • HSBV clients, staff, and volunteers are welcomed to voluntarily share their preferred pronouns.

Placing emphasis on supporting and collaborating with organizations that are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion

HSBV is committed to working toward active allyship to aid in the reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. HSBV is dedicated to continuously updating internal policies and programs designed through a lens of reconciliation and in accordance to the central commitments outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples including: the right to self-determination; the right to be recognized as distinct peoples; the right to free, prior, and informed consent; and the right to be free from discrimination and treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.

HSBV aims to advance relevant Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada to further reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. More specifically, Action 92 which calls for policies and operational activities to include Indigenous peoples through: 1) commitment to building respectful relationships and obtaining free, prior, and informed consent, 2) ensuring equal access to jobs, trainings, and education opportunities within the organization, 3) provide internal teams with education opportunities on the history of Indigenous peoples, the legacy of residential schools, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples.

HSBV places great emphasis on collaborative efforts from a lens of ‘nothing about us without us’. Our team hosts regular feedback sessions with our clients to not only offer a safe space to share their thoughts and ideas, but to also engage in honest and open conversations surrounding HSBV programming and recommendations for continued improvement in order to meet clients’ needs. In addition to structured feedback sessions, our clients are empowered to communicate with on-site staff to share their ideas and feedback on HSBV programs. Insights shared by clients to staff are elevated to HSBV management team to further inform program development. 

One of our objectives is to help facilitate our clients' access to the local system of care. HSBV feels that the best way to provide local, community-based support is through ongoing collaboration with partners, clients, stakeholders, and service providers. HSBV believes that through collaboration within the community, we can receive meaningful feedback from those with lived experience, improve the quality of service to clients in need, increase efficiency in use of resources, generate new ideas, and develop a more cohesive approach to supporting a brighter future for all. HSBV is extremely grateful to all current partners and clients and looks forward to continuing to build relationships and enhance collaborative efforts moving forward.

Our team is committed to maintaining a high level of transparency, integrity, and accountability. HSBV aims to embody honesty, open communication and accountability for our programs and operations. We aim to demonstrate this through our Annual Reports, external communications, Annual General Meetings, and input sessions with various stakeholders. As a small and growing organization, HSBV is devoted to continued growth and development in order to achieve our mission.

Through HSBV’s low-barrier programs, we recognize that our team engages with and supports vulnerable community members. As a result, we have a responsibility to maintain and prioritize client privacy and confidentiality. Our team is committed to handling all sensitive information with diligent care, confidentiality, and security. HSBV is committed to safeguarding shared information unless (a) explicit, written, and informed consent is provided by a client for the purposes of offering enhanced client support, or (b) HSBV is mandated to release information under strict legal proceedings.