Privacy Policy

  1. Our Commitment

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) is committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of all personal information. This statement explains BBBS policies and practices regarding the use and disclosure of your personal information. Please note that BBBS reviews and updates this policy from time to time as necessary. Any revisions to this privacy policy will be made available on the lacombe.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca website. You may also request a copy by contacting us.

  1. Personal Information and Privacy Practices

Personal information is information that can be used to distinguish, identify, or contact a specific individual, such as SIN #, age, marital status, and language. Exceptions that are not considered personal information include certain publicly available information, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers as published in telephone directories.

Personal information is not collected by BBBS unless specifically submitted via an online registration function or form (for example, volunteer inquiries and surveys), an electronic mail message, a phone call, or postal mail.  All information is kept confidential, subject to legal requirements to disclose.  BBBS will not maintain records on individuals without permission.  All information is protected by BBBS’s physical, electronic, and managerial security methods, which are updated as necessary. BBBS personnel are authorized to access personal information for the reason(s) for which it was obtained. Your information will not be disclosed or shared more widely than is necessary to achieve the purpose for which it was gathered.

Information you provide may be used periodically to keep you informed of BBBS and its member agencies, including programs, services, opportunities to volunteer, events, funding needs, and membership benefits.  If at any time you no longer wish to receive such information, please contact us at [403-782-7870 or [lacombe@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca].

BBBS will not provide or share your personal information with third parties unless:

  • You authorize us to share the information
  • Sharing the information is necessary; for example, to process a credit card transaction
  • We are required by law

Any BBBS website may provide links to other third-party websites.  These are provided for convenience only and you access them at your own risk.  Regardless of a third party’s association with BBBS through a business relationship or otherwise, BBBS is not responsible for the privacy policies, practices, or content of such third-party websites.

Complaints Policy

This policy and procedure applies to complaints received by staff or board members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District (“BBBSLD”) about our activities, programs, services, staff, or volunteers.

  1. Guiding Principles
  • Complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved as quickly as possible in the interest of all parties.
  • Review of complaints is fair, impartial, and respectful to all parties.
  • Updates are provided to complainants during review processes.
  • Complainants are provided clear and understandable reasons for decisions regarding complaints.
  • If dissatisfied with the treatment or outcome of their complaint, complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint to a senior staff person.
  • Complaints are used to assist in improving services, policies, and procedures of BBBSLD.
  1. Types of Complaints

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about the service, actions, or lack thereof by BBBSLD as an organization, a staff member, or a volunteer acting on behalf of BBBSLD. Examples of complaints include but are not limited to:

  • perceived failure to complete an agreed-upon action;
  • failure to observe policy or procedures;
  • error made by a staff member/volunteer; or
  • unfair or discourteous actions/statements by a staff member/volunteer.
  1. Complaint Receipt and Handling

Anyone personally affected can submit a complaint and it will be reviewed in accordance with this procedure. A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in-person), or in writing (by mail, fax, or email).

An employee or volunteer who receives a complaint should first determine the proper person to handle it. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or has the specific knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. If the complaint is transferred, the recipient must acknowledge to the transferor that they have received it and will act on it.

The person who initially receives the complaint should acknowledge to the complainant that the complaint has been received and will be acted on either by themselves or another employee. If a timeframe for action can be determined, that should be included in the acknowledgement. Basic contact information including name, phone number, and email address should immediately be recorded.

  1. Resolving the Complaint

Every effort should be made to resolve complaints received in a timely fashion. When receiving a verbal complaint, staff should listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately. Complaints received in writing shall be acknowledged within two business days, and staff shall attempt to resolve the matter within ten business days.

Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it shall be escalated to the relevant Vice President. If the Vice President cannot resolve the complaint, it shall be escalated to the President & CEO. If the complaint is about the President & CEO, shall be handled by the Chair of the Board.

Complainants shall be kept informed of the status of their complaint. Every attempt shall be made to resolve an escalated complaint within an additional ten business days, such that the complaint is resolved within a month of having been received.

  1. Documenting the Complaint

A record of any complaint that involves a dispute over money will be stored, as well as any complaint that cannot be resolved on the same day that it is received. Information about such complaints will be recorded on BBBSLD’s complaints tracking worksheet. Information recorded on the worksheet will include a description of the complaint, who handled it, what was done to resolve the complaint, timeframe, and a description of the resolution. A summary of the complaints received, including number and type, shall be reported to BBBSLD’s Board of Directors annually.

All complaints can be sent to:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Lacombe and District
5103 49 Street
Lacombe, AB T4L 1J4
Phone: 403-782-7870
or by e-mail: brianna.berthiaume@bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

Adapted from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada

WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District is committed to the highest ethical standards. We do this by conducting our business with maximum integrity and by achieving full compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. In line with this commitment, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District provides an avenue for its employees, Board members, volunteers and other stakeholders to report any concerns they may have about the activities covered by this policy and to be assured that they will be protected from reprisal or victimization for reporting their concerns in good faith.

This policy covers instances where an employee, Board member or other stakeholder has evidence of activity by any Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District officer, employee, Board member or consultant (including external auditors) that to his/her knowledge constitutes:

  • Accounting, auditing, or other financial reporting fraud or misrepresentation;
  • Violations of federal or provincial laws that could result in fines or civil damages payable by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District, or that could otherwise significantly harm Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District’s reputation or public image;
  • Unethical business conduct in violation of any Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District policy, including, but not limited to its Codes of Ethics (Board Policy X-40 and HR Policy 1);
  • Danger to the health, safety, or well-being of employees, Board members and/or the general public.
  • Harassment, retaliation, or discrimination, stemming from having reported a Reportable Activity.

For the purposes of this Policy, any of the foregoing activities shall be deemed to be a “Reportable Activity”.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe & District will not permit any employees, Board members, volunteers, consultants or external stakeholder to harass, retaliate or discriminate against any other employee, Board member, volunteer or stakeholder who, in good faith, has reported a Reportable Activity (a Complaint). Retaliation in any form will not be tolerated.

Any violation of this Policy may subject the violator to disciplinary action, which may include, in appropriate circumstances, termination of employment or legal action.

Making a complaint not in good faith will be viewed as a serious offence, and may be subject to discipline up to and including discharge of an employee, and/or the severing of the relationship with a Board member, supplier, or other stakeholder.

PROCEDURE FOR MAKING A COMPLAINT

To file a complaint or Reportable Activity, please click on the REPORT button which will forward your complaint on a confidential basis to the Chair of the Board’s Governance and Board Development Committee, who has the responsibility for investigating such complaints and taking the appropriate action.

In the event that the complaint concerns a Reportable Activity on the part of the Chair of the Board’s Governance and Board Development Committee, after you have completed the Complaint Report Form, click on the BOARD CHAIR button in order to forward your complaint on a confidential basis for the attention of the Board Chair.

A Complainant may remain anonymous. However, in order to allow for a better investigation of a complaint, the Complainant should consider providing his/her name and contact information. Whether or not a name and contact information is provided, the substance of the complaint will be treated with utmost confidence and not discussed with others except to the minimum extent necessary to conduct a complete and fair investigation. In all cases, any person who is alleged to have conducted the Reportable Activity will be made aware of the complaint at an appropriate point during the investigation.

The Complainant should give enough information to enable a full investigation, including where and when the Reportable Activity occurred, names and titles of individuals involved, and as much other relevant detail as the Complainant can provide.

INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINT

The recipient of a complaint made in accordance with this policy (the “Investigator”) shall be responsible for expeditiously conducting or causing to be conducted an investigation of the complaint, resolving the matter, and reporting such resolution to the Complainant. Under no circumstances will the Investigator allow such investigation or resolution or reporting to be delegated to or shared by anyone whom the Complainant identified as being or having been involved in the Reportable Activity, or whom the Investigator deems inappropriate.

REPORT
BOARD CHAIR
WHEN YOU SUBMIT YOU REPORT, PLEASE INCLUDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE, SUCH AS :

Your Name

Your Role at Big Brothers Big Sisters (volunteer, client, staff, donor)

Supervisor Name (if applicable)

Phone #

Email address

Description of reportable activity

Whether the reportable Activity is ongoing, completed, (or unclear)

Department (if applicable)

Individual(s) suspected of reportable activity

How you became aware of the activity

Describe any steps you took prior to submitting this report (ex. informed a BBBS representative)

CONFIDENTIALITY

All staff and volunteers of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe and District are required to abide by this Confidentiality Policy. Any breach of this policy will be considered grounds for termination.

Procedure/Guidelines:

Agency Service Delivery Staff will explain the confidential nature of our service to the volunteer, child and parent/guardian as early as possible in the orientation and/or screening process.  At all times thereafter Service Delivery Staff will ensure the privacy of case information.

Information contained in the Casework files will not be disclosed by the Agency to any person without written approval of said person except in the following cases:

  • where the safety of a child depends upon divulging this information. This could include suspicion of neglect or abuse of a child.  The proper authorities will be informed when necessary. This could result in the disclosure of confidential information without written consent from the person to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada’s insurers and or legal counsel, as may be appropriate in connection with any legal proceeding or inquiry;
  • when subpoenaed by the courts;
  • where required by law;
  • during periodic agency accreditation reviews case records, including relevant personal information will be shared to authorized representatives of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.

In the event that confidential information is requested to support a custody or access application, or for any court matter other than a “child protection” case, the agency will only release the information if required to do so by a Judge’s Order.

No staff member or volunteer shall use confidential information from the agency to advance any personal interest, financial or otherwise.

In accordance with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada’s National Standards:

  • No information will be provided to persons or organizations outside of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, and its agents, about parents, children or volunteers without their express prior written consent except where required by law.
  • All information and records, including electronic records, shall be kept secure (for example, in a filing cabinet, desk, etc. under lock and key, password protected, etc.) and confidential at all times.

Case records will be accessible only to the Caseworker, Executive Director, Casework Supervisor, and in appropriate situations, other Caseworkers.

This policy will be signed by all staff and volunteers upon application to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lacombe and District.