Client Rights & Responsibilities

Client Rights

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. respects the rights and dignity of individuals, families and communities it serves. We pledge to treat clients with consideration, as well as respecting their personal autonomy and privacy.

Right to Choose

  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. services are voluntary and non-coercive except for those which are mandated by law or court order.
  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. respects clients’ rights to choose services and service providers. We provide clients with information of alternative choices.
  • Individuals, families and/or legal guardians have the right to participate in decisions regarding the services provided.
  • When clients choose to seek service from other sources or when clients’ needs are found to be better met by other organizations, staff need to provide relevant information and referrals to facilitate their choice.

Right to Fair and Equitable Access

  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. is committed to providing its clients fair and equitable access to service.
  • If a service is available only to a population subgroup, the eligibility criteria will be clearly defined and the admission process will be fair.
  • Except for emergency situations, access to service is on a first come, first serve basis.

Right to Respectful and Safe Service

  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. values diverse identities, experiences, and perspectives of all people, so expects its staff to respect the personal background, beliefs and values of their clients inclusive of their heritage, culture, language, age, gender identity and expression, LGBTQ2SI identity, ability, physical and mental health, religion, education, socio-economic backgrounds, family, and immigration status.
  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. recognizes, respects, and responds to the needs of clients and provides service that is appropriate to the client.
  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. implements practices within the agency to ensure programs and services are accessible, supportive, respectful and safe by reflecting the cultures, languages and traditions of the people served.

Right to Confidentiality and Privacy Protection

S.U.C.C.E.S.S. treats all client information as confidential and will not release client information inside or outside the organization without the client’s written consent except under conditions required by law.

Right to Make a Complaint

  • Clients or their parents/guardians have the right to file a complaint if they have a concern about S.U.C.C.E.S.S. service, staff, volunteers or members.
  • Once a complaint has been filed, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. will respond to the client’s complaints fairly and promptly.

Client Responsibilities

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.’ clients are expected to respect other clients as well as S.U.C.C.E.S.S. staff and volunteers, along with observing program schedules and rules.

Respecting Others

  • Clients are expected to respect the rights, dignity and privacy of other persons they meet at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Any behaviour or action which threatens the safety or violates the human rights of another client, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. staff or volunteer, may result in service termination.

Observe Program Schedule and Rules

  • Clients are responsible for following and respecting S.U.C.C.E.S.S. program schedules and rules.

Feedback to S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

  • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. welcomes clients’ feedback about its service and suggestions for improvement.

Filing Complaints

At times clients may feel they have a legitimate complaint about the service, treatment, or experience they receive at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. In that event, S.U.C.C.E.S.S. offers a clear process to acknowledge and resolve the situation.

  • The first step is for clients to discuss the issue and seek resolution with the staff providing the service.
  • If the issue is not addressed satisfactorily, the client may file a complaint in person, by telephone or in writing to the Program Director* – describing the nature and causes of the concerns and a proposed solution. The Program Director will gather input from the staff involved and collect facts of the situation, assess the validity of the concerns and discuss it with everyone involved. The Program Director provides a response to the client outlining their conclusions and actions taken.
  • If the complaint is not resolved satisfactorily, the client may present the complaint to the Director of Integrated Services for Newcomers* who will investigate the situation further to determine the next steps. They will provide a written response outlining their conclusions.

* Contact information for Program Directors and the Director of Integrated Services for Newcomers can be found by emailing [email protected].

Revised June 2020