Unconditional Acceptance and Respect

Heartsupport’s programs are a no shame, no stigma environment, and Heartsupport volunteers will never engage in public shame or stigmatizing of others. They will not discriminate and welcome all, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Harassment, abuse and hate speech towards community members, other volunteers or staff members is prohibited.
Heartsupport volunteers will demonstrate empathy, understanding, and compassion for the user(s) they are connected with. They will learn and practice unconditional positive regards through any interaction they will have with community members.
Heartsupport volunteers will also offer support to community members from a place of humility. They will recognize and welcome everyone’s individuality and sense of agency. If relevant and welcomed, advice would be offered in light of personal experiences, not expertise.

Relational

Heartsupport volunteers will treat all community members, other volunteers and staff members with equal respect and courtesy.
Volunteers will not use the programs they are involved in as means to look for or attempt to form romantic relationships.

Support

The Heartsupport team is devoted to enhancing the volunteer experience for each program by regularly evaluating and addressing needs in volunteer recruitment, onboarding, recognition and joy in serving others.

In every Heartsupport program, volunteers will be connected to lead volunteers who maintain direct and consistent communication with Heartsupport staff. In instances of conflict, disagreement, misconduct, or emotional distress with the users they engage with, volunteers will be encouraged to seek support from their designated lead volunteer for debriefing and to explore potential courses of action.

The personal well-being of volunteers will always be a high priority. In their initial training, monthly training sessions as well as through their weekly communication with lead volunteers, Heartsupport volunteers will be encouraged to practice self-awareness and identify their personal boundaries regularly.
In all programs, volunteers will also have access to shared spaces to connect with other volunteers, lead volunteers and Heartsupport’s staff directly. These spaces will be used to connect, seek information or feedback, share about challenging experiences in their volunteering or reflecting on their personal growth.

Collaboration

Feedback may be provided to Heartsupport volunteers by the organization’s Staff and lead volunteers (platform Moderators, Match Experience Ambassadors, SWAT Facilitators) if the quality of support provided does not align with the program’s expectations. These communications will be made in a gracious manner, to support the volunteer's personal growth and clarify the objectives for which they are contributing.
Volunteers will be encouraged to welcome ongoing feedback and guidance offered from both lead volunteers and staff, fostering a culture of receptiveness to learning and growing in their practice.

Commitment

By joining a program, Heartsupport volunteers commit to contribute to the program they applied and for the duration /frequency specified in their initial application.
Depending on the program they are involved in, volunteers will communicate absences, scheduling conflict or a need to take a pause from volunteering to Heartsupport’s staff as well as the community users they are connected with.
In case a volunteer needs to withdraw their involvement in a program, Heartsupport’s staff will listen and support them as well as provide resources as necessary. They will take appropriate measures to make this transition as easy as possible both for the volunteer involved and the people they served.

Training and Continuous Learning

Heartsupport's staff strives to cultivate an environment where ongoing learning is fundamental for all volunteers. In pursuit of this goal, they will offer comprehensive training for new volunteer applicants, conduct monthly training sessions, and collaborate closely with lead volunteers.
They will also ensure that lead volunteers meet together on a monthly basis to reflect on their practice, the situations they encounter and their relational growth with the volunteers they are connected with.

Compliance

Before joining a program, Heartsupport volunteers will be asked to complete an online training and/or complete a criminal background check for certain roles. Failure to complete these requirements may disqualify a volunteer from serving in a particular role. If appropriate based on the circumstances, volunteers who are disqualified may have the option to explore other volunteer opportunities within the organization.

Volunteers will be encouraged to utilize the online platforms and services essential for each program's operations. They are expected to respect the terms of services of these platforms and the community guidelines available to all users. Failure to comply with these rules will be subject to receiving appropriate warnings and feedback. If a volunteer repeatedly violates these rules, Heartsupport's staff may review and reassess the volunteer's involvement in the program.

Legal

All volunteers at Heartsupport must read and respect the organization’s sexual abuse policy. This policy is also made available on the Discord servers used for our peer-to-peer programs and our anonymous forum.

Heartsupport programs are peer-to-peer based and do not aim to replace professional or crisis support. Volunteers will be encouraged to refer and defer as necessary to professional services and crisis hotlines when the situation requires it.
Heartsupport volunteers will not seek to offer medical or legal advice to the users they serve. They will not diagnose or disagree with the professional advice a user has received.
At all times, volunteers will encourage community users to choose living. Any advice suggesting someone should harm themselves will result in immediate and permanent removal from the programs.

Escalation

Heartsupport’s staff is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for everyone. They will evaluate each situation reported individually, in a spirit of support and accountability.
Volunteers who do not comply with the Code of Conduct may face disciplinary measures, which could include, but are not limited to, disqualification or removal from their role.