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Safe Spaces

Everyone deserves a
safe inclusive environment

New Dawn Enterprises aspires to create a safe, welcoming, supportive space for all clients, visitors, patrons, tenants, staff, and volunteers. New Dawn Enterprises considers infractions to this policy to be serious and will act accordingly.

Policy

Purpose: To support New Dawn in creating a safe*, welcoming, supportive space for all clients, visitors, patrons, tenants, staff, and volunteers.

At New Dawn, we expect those using and sharing space in New Dawn buildings to treat others with respect, kindness, dignity, and compassion.

Discrimination** in any form or any behaviour which makes people feel vulnerable or threatened will not be tolerated. This includes, but is not limited to, discrimination based on age, race, colour, religion, creed, ethnic, national, or Indigenous origin, sex, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, political belief, gender identity, and/or gender expression.

Aggressive behaviour towards staff, volunteers, patrons, tenants, visitors, and clients will not be tolerated.

Solicitation/retailing by visitors is not permitted in New Dawn buildings.

*Safe Space: A place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.

**Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability.

Applies to:

Staff of New Dawn Enterprises

Contractors doing work for New Dawn divisions

Student Placements

Cafe Marie

The Meals on Wheels kitchen

Tenants

Visitors

Principles

We can all work to create a safer, more welcoming workplace by adhering to the guiding principles of the New Dawn Safe Space Policy:

Respect for others’ physical and emotional boundaries.

Respect for others’ identities and backgrounds, including pronouns and names.

Refrain from making or assuming judgments/conclusions about anyone’s gender identity, sexual preference, survivor status, health status, economic status, religion, background, beliefs, opinions, etc.

Respect for others’ right to privacy both during dialogue and beyond. This includes refraining from pushing anyone to answer questions they don’t want to answer and/or sharing the personal and private stories of others.

Remain aware that our actions and words may have unintended effects on other people and that their feelings are valid, regardless of our intentions.

Avoid raising your voice, interrupting, or talking over anyone else. Be aware of how much you’re participating and make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.

Assume positive intent. If someone does or says something that crosses a boundary, gently let them know, but do not assume they intended harm.

Remember, we are all learning.

Responsibilities

The Organization (New Dawn Enterprises) will:

  • Enforce this policy within all divisions of New Dawn Enterprises.
  • Foster a positive, supportive, and respectful workplace culture.

The Human Resources Coordinator will:

  • Ensure that staff and volunteers receive training on this policy and procedure upon hire and annually thereafter.
  • Ensure that the policy and procedures are updated accordingly and reviewed on a regular basis.
  • Attend to internal infractions of this policy in consultation with senior management.
  • Attend to external infractions of this policy as outlined.

The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (JOHSC) will:

  • Ensure that the policy is posted in public areas at all New Dawn Enterprises facilities and work sites.
  • Work with the Human Resources Coordinator, as needed, to investigate any policy infractions that are brought to the committee’s attention.
  • Ensure this policy is referenced in our Workplace Violence and Respectful Workplace Policy.

Directors/Managers/Supervisors will:

  • Deal with issues in their divisions based on the severity of the problem.
  • Inform the Human Resources Coordinator of infractions and participate in investigations and debriefings if necessary.
  • Provide support for those affected by infractions to this policy in collaboration with the Human Resources Coordinator.

Taking care of your own safety

If you feel unsafe, let your Manager/Supervisor/HR Coordinator know.

If you need to momentarily step away from your workplace or station because of a violation of this policy, feel free to do so.

If you need an extended break from your workplace station because of a violation of this policy, let your Manager/Supervisor know.

More Information

If you wish to report a safe space violation or want to discuss the policy in greater detail, please contact the Human Resources Coordinator.

If you have an issue related to this policy that you would like to discuss with the police (that is not an emergency) you can call the Cape Breton Regional Police Non-Emergency line at 902-563-5151.

In an emergency, call 911

Remember, in the case of an emergency and/or if your physical safety or the physical safety of those around you is in danger, call 911.

Policy Violations

Examples of unwanted behaviours (or violations of this policy) include, but are not limited to:

  • Offensive, derogatory, threatening, aggressive, or silencing comments (related to gender, sexuality, disability, physical appearance, language, body size, age, race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, and more).
  • Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names.
  • Violence, intimidation, stalking.
  • Wearing offensive attire including (but not limited to) hate symbols or culturally appropriative pieces.
  • Persistent, abusive, or non-constructive criticism.
  • Persistent micro-aggressions in the form of comments, jokes, or material.
  • Non-consensual photography or recording.
  • Physical contact without consent.
  • Inappropriate social contact or unwelcome sexual attention.
  • False messages, indecent or harassing phone calls.
  • Encouraging any of the above behaviour.

Procedure

We ask that staff follow these steps when dealing with infractions to this policy:

  • If you feel you are danger and the situation is unsafe for yourself or others, call 911 immediately.
  • If you do not feel a call to 911 is warranted, but you want the person to leave the premises, contact the Human Resources Coordinator (902-565-0109) and they will coordinate their removal. If you cannot reach the Human Resources Coordinator, contact the Properties Manager (902-577-4500) to coordinate their removal.
  • If (a) your physical safety (or the physical safety of others/integrity of property) is not in danger, (b) you do not want the person removed from the premises, and (c) you feel comfortable doing so, address the situation with the person violating the policy.
  • If someone has done something that violates this policy and you are not comfortable bringing it up at the time of occurrence, you can contact the Human Resources Coordinator and they will pass the information on the appropriate person to ensure that the issue addressed.
  • In all cases where an incident has occurred that violates this policy, contact your manager/supervisor to complete an incident report. This report will be discussed with the Human Resource Coordinator and potentially the Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committee (with identifying information of the complainant removed before it is shared with the JOHSC).

Violations

Violations of this policy will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Violations may result in:

  • Termination of leases held by tenants.
  • Discipline, up to and including termination, of staff and volunteers as refenced in the Human Resources Policy Manual.
  • Visitors being asked to leave the premises.
  • Student placements concluding.
  • Contracts being cancelled.
  • Those in violation of this policy may not be welcomed back on New Dawn property.

Resources

Diversity and Inclusion Canada

Open

Inclusion and respect for diversity


https://www.international.gc.ca


Why Safe Spaces are Important

Open


https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/safe-spaces-college


Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission

Open


https://humanrights.novascotia.ca/


Mental Health Commission of Canada

Open


https://mentalhealthcommission.ca/


Nova Scotia Mental Health and Additions Hotline

Open


1-888-429-8167


Federal Cyberbullying Legislation

Open

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-against-law.html


Eymu’ti’k Unama’ki

Eymu’ti’k Unama’ki, newte’jk l’uiknek te’sikl Mi’kmawe’l maqamikall mna’q iknmuetumittl. Ula maqamikew wiaqi-wikasik Wantaqo’tie’l aqq I’lamatultimkewe’l Ankukamkewe’l Mi’kmaq aqq Eleke’wuti kisa’matultisnik 1726ek.

We are in Unama’ki, one of the seven traditional and unceded ancestral territories of the people of Mi’kma’ki. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship which the Mi’kmaq first signed with the British Crown in 1726.

Ketu’-keknuite’tmek aqq kepmite’tmek ula tela’matultimkip wjit maqamikew ta’n etekl mtmo’taqne’l. Ula tett, ula maqamikek, etl-lukutiek l’tunen aqq apoqntmnen apoqnmasimk aqq weliknamk Unama’ki.

We wish to recognize and honour this understanding of the lands on which we reside. It is from here, on these lands, that we work to create and support a culture of self-reliance and vibrancy.