Perfilado de sección

    • section 3

      Boundaries & Privacy

      For everyone's protection. Boundaries keep you and the guests from relationships that can go wrong. Privacy protects guests' safety and their rights.

      3.1 · professional boundaries

      Caring safely means relying on community.

      No rides, no guests in your home, no personal contact info, no money or gifts, and no posts. These rules keep you safe, keep guests from depending on one person, and keep the program fair for everyone.

      3.2 · confidentiality & guest privacy

      What a guest shares stays with staff.

      Some guests are hiding from someone who hurt them. Confirming that a guest is here, even by accident, can put her in danger. No photos, no names, and no details outside the shift.

      3.1 · the five boundaries

      What this looks like on a shift

      Rides
      Volunteers may not drive guests anywhere. Staff coordinate transportation (Section 4).
      Your home
      Never bring a guest to your home or offer a place to stay, even for one night.
      Contact info
      Don't share your phone number, address, workplace, or last name. Point guests to staff instead.
      Gifts & money
      Don't give, lend, or accept money or personal gifts. If you want to donate, go through staff.
      Social media
      Don't post about guests, the site, or your shift, and don't connect with guests online.
       
      3.2 · in the moment

      Kind, short, and the same every time

      You don't need to explain or apologize for everything. Provide consistency.

      situation
      Someone calls or comes to the door asking if a woman is staying here.
      what you say →
      "I can't share who is or isn't here. I can pass a message to staff."
      situation
      A guest tells you something worrying about her safety or health.
      what you say →
      "Thank you for telling me. I'm going to let staff know so they can help." Then tell staff, and no one else.
      situation
      A guest asks for your phone number so she can stay in touch.
      what you say →
      "I can't give out my number, but I'm glad you asked. Staff can help you stay connected."

      No photos, ever, of guests or inside the site, even if a guest says it's fine.

      Policies and agreements: the warming center has formal policies and a volunteer agreement that cover these topics. Staff will give you the current versions to review and sign before your first shift.

    • 🪞 BOundaries Reflection

      Get curious
      • Which of the five boundaries will be hardest for you to hold when someone you care about asks? Why that one?
      • Think about what's on your phone and social accounts. Is there anything a guest could find that you'd want to keep private?
      • Who in your life would you trust to keep your story to themselves? What do they do that earns that trust?