DEI COMMITMENT STATEMENTS

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather, learn, work, and play is situated on the traditional territories governed by the Lake Simcoe-Nottawasaga Treaty No. 18, the Williams Treaties, the Ajetance Treaty No. 19 (1818), Treaty No. 13 (1805), and Treaty 13A. These treaties were established on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Anishinabewaki, Haudenosaunee, Mississauga, Wendake-Nionwentsïo, Attiwonderonk, and Petun peoples. These lands remain sacred homelands to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewas of Georgina Island.

We recognize the enduring rights of Indigenous communities to these lands and their stewardship that predates settler presence. Indigenous knowledge reminds us that land is not a commodity to be owned, but a shared responsibility—deeply tied to identity, culture, spirituality, and collective care. We commit to integrating this understanding into our relationships with staff, families, volunteers, and young people, acknowledging our shared role as stewards of this land.

We also recognize that acknowledging the land does not erase the trauma, injustice, and ongoing impact of colonialism on Indigenous communities. However, we see this acknowledgment as a starting point—to expose and honour the truths behind land ownership, and to encourage our staff, volunteers, and families to recognize our collective responsibility to the land and to the Indigenous peoples who have walked it before us and continue to do so today.

With intention, we commit to beginning our journey toward reconciliation through our 2025 Calls to Action.

Every action must contribute to creating safe, supportive, and empowering spaces for youth.

Respect for Knowledge

Access to and celebration of culture, language, and tradition are integral to healthy youth development and will be honoured in our work.

Equity & Access

Indigenous children and youth deserve equitable access to opportunities and resources that nurture their full potential.

Shared Learning

Reconciliation is a mutual journey. Mentors, Mentees, families, and staff will all engage in ongoing learning.

Commitments and Actions

1. Culturally Grounded Mentoring

Deliver mentoring programs that recognize the unique needs of Indigenous youth, co-designed with Indigenous partners (Call to Action 7, 12).

Provide Mentors with training on Indigenous histories, cultural safety, and the ongoing effects of colonization (Call to Action 57).

Create opportunities for all youth to connect with Elders and Knowledge Keepers (Call to Action 66).

 

2. Education & Awareness for Youth, Volunteers, Families, and Staff

Offer workshops, storytelling sessions, and land-based learning experiences that strengthen cultural awareness (Call to Action 62).

Incorporate Indigenous perspectives into youth development and volunteer training (Call to Action 24).

Ensure Indigenous youth have access to mentorship opportunities that affirm their identities (Call to Action 7).

 

3. Building Relationships & Partnerships

Partner with Indigenous-led organizations, schools, and community groups to co-create mentoring initiatives (Calls to Action 12, 63).

Build formal agreements with local Indigenous Friendship Centres, school boards, and youth-serving organizations to reach more Indigenous youth (Call to Action 66).

Celebrate and participate in events such as Orange Shirt Day, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and National Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Indigenous partners (Calls to Action 80–83).

 

4. Supporting Indigenous Youth Well-Being

Train Mentors and Staff to recognize intergenerational trauma and support resilience through strengths-based approaches (Calls to Action 19, 59).

Deliver programming that reflects holistic well-being – mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual (Calls to Action 22, 23, 60).

Conclusion

Reconciliation is not symbolic, it is action. For BBBSPY, that action begins with our mission: empowering all young people to realize their full potential. By centering Indigenous youth voices, building culturally grounded mentoring programs, and working in partnership with Indigenous communities, we commit to advancing reconciliation in meaningful and lasting ways.

2SLGBTQIA+ STATEMENT

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel | York, we recognize the power of language and its impact on inclusivity and representation. We acknowledge that our organizational name reflects the gender binary and does not fully encompass the experiences of trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals. Despite this, BBBSPY is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and affirming environment where all identities are valued and reflected in the work we do. We proudly welcome 2SLGBTQIA+ mentors, mentees, and staff, and we are dedicated to the continued development of PRISM—a service created by and for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

We recognize the longstanding history of oppression and discrimination faced by the 2SLGBTQIA+ community—both in the past and continuing today. The celebration of queer culture, history, art, literature, and identity began with resistance—most notably at the Stonewall Inn, where Pride was born out of a riot led by queer folks. Without their courage and advocacy, we would not have many of the rights and freedoms we celebrate today.

We offer our gratitude to those trailblazing elders and commit to honoring their legacy by continuing the fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights—especially in access to healthcare, education, safer spaces, and inclusive social services.

At BBBSPY, we are committed to building, nurturing, and protecting spaces for youth, volunteers, staff, and families that affirm and include all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions.

ANTI-RACISM POLICY

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel | York, we acknowledge that racism has long existed—and continues to exist—against Black, Indigenous, and other racialized communities. These systems ofoppression are designed to uphold privilege and maintain power imbalances.

We recognize that individuals hold multiple, intersecting identities, which can compound the barriers, discrimination, and hardships experienced by racialized communities.

We are firmly committed to dismantling structures and policies that perpetuate racism. This includes actively promoting anti-racism within our programs and making it a clear expectation for everyone who joins our organization. Our staff receive training to understand what anti-racism is, how to recognize it, and how we can work collectively to eliminate it. We also acknowledge that racism can be implicit and unconscious, and we are committed to ongoing reflection and learning to inform equitable decision-making.

We are dedicated to fostering an anti-racist environment where any form of discrimination—whether from staff, volunteers, families, or stakeholders—will not be tolerated and will result in appropriate action or dismissal.

Finally, we are committed to amplifying the voices of Black and Indigenous communities by working in genuine consultation and collaboration with them.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peel | York is committed to upholding the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s principles on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination.

We are dedicated to fostering an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment—where all individuals are respected, heard, provided with equal opportunities, and empowered to contribute their experiences and ideas to our organization.

BBBSPY does not permit any employee, board member, consultant, donor, family, or volunteer to harass or discriminate against another member of the organization or the public.

All volunteers and families engaging with BBBSPY are expected to uphold and contribute to an inclusive, anti-discriminatory, and anti-harassment environment where differences are respected. Any actions or statements that go against these principles may result in appropriate measures to protect against discrimination.

Employees and members of the public will not face scrutiny or retaliation for reporting concerns of
discrimination or harassment involving the agency or its members. All complaints will be managed with the highest level of confidentiality to protect the privacy and well-being of the individual making the report.

We believe that diversity strengthens our agency by bringing forward a range of perspectives and innovations. We value and celebrate the unique differences of our volunteers, families, and staff.

We are committed to creating a workplace where every individual is respected, supported, and valued for their distinct attributes, skills, and experiences—regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnic origin, marital status, sexual orientation, ability, family status, citizenship, colour, or age.