Providing a welcoming and safe environment for all
The Safe Harbour Program provides businesses, agencies, and institutions with an opportunity to take a leadership role in creating an environment where all members of their community feel welcomed and safe. We invite staff from businesses, agencies, institutions, and other publicly accessible community offices to attend a two-hour training session. These sessions create an understanding of diversity and issues of inclusion/exclusion.
Participants are given insight into how diverse community members might experience living in their community. Safe Harbours commit to:
- Equitable treatment: Treating all of their clients and/or customersin an equitable manner; if a concern is expressed regarding a lack of equitable treatment, staff members take this concern seriously and take steps to address the problem.
- Providing a “Safe Harbour”: Being a safe place where a community member who has experienced racism or hate will receive a helping hand such as a place to sit, a glass of water, a telephone to use, and information about how to seek further assistance.
- Prepared employees: Trained participants commit to sharing their knowledge with their coworkers through discussion and review of Safe Harbour in the Participant’s Workbook
Participants who sign a Safe Harbour Participant Commitment Form receive Safe Harbour designation and a window decal to display as a visible marker of their commitment to promoting diversity in their community.
Throughout B.C., a wide range of community-based agencies and committees has already implemented Safe Harbour. Over the next decade, the Safe Harbour decal will become as widely recognized as Block Parent and other programs that promote community safety and well-being.
Our Supporters
We would like to acknowledge the generous support of BC's Ministry of Attorney General:
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