Raising a Concern

You can talk with us about concerns connected to your experience with Equi, including:

How you were treated
Concerns involving staff, volunteers, interns, contractors, or other guests while using Equi programs and spaces.

Safety, boundaries, or harm
Harassment, discrimination, bullying, unwanted behavior, threats, boundary concerns, or other experiences affecting your safety at Equi.

Accessibility
Barriers to accessing our spaces, programs, services, or accommodations.

Our programs and practices
Concerns about a Center policy, decision, Community Agreement, program, service, event, or space.

Not sure whether your concern fits? Tell us anyway. We can help figure out what Equi can address and what other support may be available.

1. We listen.

You'll have an opportunity to tell us what happened and what you want us to know.

2. We consider immediate needs.

We'll consider whether there are safety, accessibility, or support needs that should be addressed.

3. We review.

We'll determine what is within Equi's role and what response may be appropriate. Depending on the concern, this may involve talking with people involved, reviewing available information, clarifying Community Agreements, or considering safety or behavioral expectations.

4. We keep you updated.

We make reasonable efforts to acknowledge grievances within 2 business days after they reach the person responsible for reviewing them and provide an initial update within 5 business days, when possible.

We'll also let you know about significant delays and when our review is complete.

These are communication timelines, not deadlines for resolving a grievance.

Sometimes harm or conflict between people who use the Center happens somewhere else but affects someone's ability to safely participate at Equi.

Equi does not investigate incidents between guests that happen outside our programs or spaces or determine whether an assault, crime, or other harm occurred.

That doesn't mean we don't take what you tell us seriously or that there's nothing we can do.

Our role is to address how the situation affects safety, access, and participation at Equi.

Depending on the situation, we may be able to support:

• Safety planning

• Clear expectations about contact or interaction at Equi

• Reinforcement of our Community Agreements

• Changes to how Center spaces or services are accessed

• A voluntary facilitated conversation about future boundaries, when appropriate

• Responses to concerning behavior that happens at Equi

• Connections to outside advocacy, medical, legal, or other support

Making a report about another guest does not automatically mean that person will be suspended or removed from the Center. We consider the information available, safety and access needs, and whether a less restrictive response can reasonably address the concern.

There isn't one response to every grievance. Depending on the situation, Equi may:

• Clarify expectations or Community Agreements

• Provide additional staff support

• Develop safety, behavioral, or no-contact expectations

• Adjust how programs, services, or spaces are accessed

• Offer education, coaching, or opportunities for repair

• Offer a voluntary facilitated conversation

• Temporarily or permanently restrict access when necessary for community safety

• Address staff or volunteer conduct

• Change a Center policy, practice, or service

We try to use the least restrictive response that can reasonably address the concern while maintaining community safety and access.

When you raise a concern, you can expect us to:

Listen and take your concern seriously.
Being heard doesn't mean we'll always agree, be able to determine exactly what happened, or provide the outcome you request.

Treat you with dignity and respect.
You don't need formal language or experience navigating grievance systems to be taken seriously.

Pay attention to equity and power.
Race, gender, disability, housing status, communication style, relationships with staff, or who reported first do not determine whose account matters.

Consider safety and accessibility.
You can tell us about safety concerns and ask about supports that may help you access the Center.

Protect you from retaliation.
You will not lose services or be punished for making a grievance in good faith.

Respect your privacy.
We will make reasonable efforts to protect your privacy, but we cannot promise complete confidentiality. Sometimes information needs to be shared in order to review a concern, maintain safety, or meet legal requirements.

Be honest about our role.
If something is outside Equi's grievance process or beyond what we can address, we'll tell you.