Approved: March 2026
Purpose
Youth Central is committed to transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement. This Complaints Policy provides a clear process for receiving, responding to, and resolving complaints related to Youth Central’s services, programs, staff, volunteers, or operations.
Scope and Application
This policy applies to all complaints received by Youth Central from any individual, including participants, families, community members, volunteers, donors, partners, or the general public.
Guiding Principles
It is in the interest of all parties that complaints are dealt with promptly and resolved fairly. Youth Central’s complaints process is transparent, impartial and respectful to all parties. Complainants are advised of their options to escalate their complaint to a more senior staff person if they are dissatisfied with either the process or outcome, and are provided clear and understandable reasons for final decisions relating to complaints. Individuals who raise complaints in good faith are protected from retaliation. All complaints are recorded and tracked to assist Youth Central in improving services, policies and procedures as part of a continuous quality improvement process.
Types of Complaints
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with service, actions, or lack of action by Youth Central as an organization, or a staff member or volunteer acting on behalf of Youth Central. Examples include but are not limited to:
- Perceived failure to do something agreed upon;
- Failure to observe policy or procedures;
- Error made by a staff member or volunteer; or
- Discourteous actions or statements by staff member or volunteer;
Anyone personally affected can complain and their complaint will be reviewed in accordance with this procedure. Complaints should be submitted as soon as is practical after the incident. Youth Central will accept complaints filed within one year of the date of the incident. Complaints submitted after this period may be considered at the organization’s discretion if there are compelling reasons for the delay.
Complaint Receipt and Handling
A complaint may be received verbally (by phone or in person) or in writing (by mail, email). An employee who receives a complaint should first determine the proper person to handle it. This will generally be the person who has the primary relationship with the complainant or has the specific knowledge that is needed to resolve the problem. It is the responsibility of the person who receives the complaint to either resolve it or transfer it to another person who can resolve it. If the complaint is transferred, the recipient must acknowledge to the transferor that he/she has received it and will act on it.
The person who initially receives the complaint should acknowledge to the complainant that the complaint has been received and will be acted on either by him/herself or another employee. If a timeframe for action can be determined, that should be included in the acknowledgement. Basic contact information including name, phone number and email address should immediately be recorded.
Resolving the Complaint
Every effort should be made to resolve complaints received in a timely fashion. When receiving a verbal complaint, staff should listen and seek to understand the complaint, and may attempt to resolve it immediately. Complaints received in writing shall be acknowledged within two business days, and staff shall attempt to resolve the matter within ten business days.
Where a complaint cannot be easily resolved, it shall be escalated to the relevant Program Lead or Supervisor. If the Supervisor cannot resolve the complaint, it will be escalated to the Executive Director. If the complaint is about the Executive Director, it shall be handled by the Board Chair. Complainants should be kept informed of the status of their complaint. Every attempt should be made to resolve an escalated complaint within an additional ten business days, such that the complaint is resolved within a month of having been received.
When resolving an escalated complaint:
- All parties will be given an opportunity to present information
- A fair and impartial review will be conducted.
- A written or verbal response will be provided, outlining findings, actions taken, and any further recourse available.
A summary of the complaints received including number, type, and any unresolved complaints will be reported to Youth Central’s Board of Directors annually.
Non-Retaliation
Youth Central will take concerns seriously and will not tolerate retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, seeks advice, reports a concern, or participates in an investigation.
Unreasonable or Abusive Conduct
Youth Central is committed to respectful communication. If a complainant engages in abusive, threatening, or persistently unreasonable behaviour, Youth Central may limit or end communication. This decision will be made by the Executive Director (or their designate).
Review
This plan is to be reviewed at least every 5 years by the Governance Committee of the Board.
