The YW Kitchener-Waterloo is committed to developing a diverse organization that is reflective of and responsive to the diversity of Kitchener-Waterloo, in which all women, men, girls, boys and non-binary people, in all their diversities, are respected and valued.

We hold human rights, social justice, collaboration, learning and inclusion as core values driving our mission and focus on gender justice and women’s rights. We recognize that we must align and embody these core values in all our activities and operations.

We are a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization where all clients, employees, volunteers, and Board members whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, education or disability, feel valued and respected. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages and ensure that all voices are valued and heard.

The YW is committed to developing an inclusive environment which is able to attract, retain and accommodate a range of diverse people who will feel valued and confident within the organization.

We recognize we will better reach our overall goals if we are successful in systematically identifying and removing barriers to full participation in all aspects of our work.

YW Kitchener-Waterloo promotes diversity and inclusion in our organization by:

• Creating welcoming and accessible physical spaces for all clients who use our services, and adapting our services to meet our clients’ individual needs;
• Communicating flexibly, so that our clients can understand and be understood, regardless of language or literacy, or limitations of sight or hearing;
• Including a commitment to diversity in the selection process and criteria for all staff and volunteer positions; and
• Reaching out to and engaging diversity groups to help us to improve our inclusivity practice.