Mission, Vision and Shared Values

Mission, Vision and Shared Values

 

MISSION
AIDS Saskatoon is a community-based, harm reduction organization, dedicated to providing support, prevention, and education services for people living with, affected by, and vulnerable to Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and Hepatitis C (HCV).
We are committed to a holistic, collaborative and inclusive approach in the work that we do with individuals, organizations, and communities.
VISION
Until there’s a cure for, and effective vaccine against, HIV, our vision is that all people living with, affected by, and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS:

  • Get the care and support they need in a comfortable, accessible, and respectful setting.
  • Are not discriminated against;
  • Are able to make informed choices;
  • Should have access to personal and community resources to prevent new HIV infections.

It is also our vision that individuals, groups, and organizations work together in holistic, collaborative, respectful, and inclusive ways to address the impacts of HIV/AIDS in our communities.

OUR GUIDING VALUES
We meet people where they’re at because we value:
 
Safety
 
  • All people have the right to participate in a community of mutual respect, compassion and dignity.
  • We understand individual and community safety as encompassing a dynamic blend of physical, emotional and spiritual security.
  • Our commitment to physical safety extends to the environment in which we work.
  • We believe in the right to confidentiality around all written and verbal information about services people access.
  • We believe all people have the right to receive considerate, dignified and respectful services from AIDS Saskatoon, its employees and volunteers.

Harm Reduction

  • We accept, for better and for worse, that chaos is a part of our world and choose to work to minimize its harmful effects rather than simply ignore or condemn them.
  • We establish quality of individual and community life and well being – not necessarily minimizing or eliminating chaos – as the criteria for successful programs, approaches and policies.
  • We believe in the non-judgmental, non-coercive provision of services and resources to people who access our services, and the communities in which they live, in order to assist them in reducing harm.

Diversity

  • We believe all people have worth.
  • We celebrate and embrace the richness of unique and diverse life experiences.
  • We value the principles of accessibility and equity and will actively seek to create an environment where people are treated justly and fairly.
  • We recognize that the compounded realities of poverty, classism, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based discrimination, and other social inequalities affect both people’s vulnerability and capacity to deal with HIV/AIDS and other life challenges.
  • Inclusivity and equity are key components of building resiliency in individuals, the organization and the community. We work to ensure that
  • people who access our services routinely have a real voice in the creation of programs and policies designed to serve them.
  • We are committed to working with individuals and communities to challenge the individual and systemic discrimination and oppression of people who are marginalized.

Self Determination

  • We believe that individuals and communities are the primary agents of their own destiny.
  • We believe everyone has the power and right to determine the nature of the services they access at AIDS Saskatoon.
  • We believe in the right to quality services without discrimination.
  • We seek to create conditions which empower people who access our services to share information and support each other in identifying strategies which meet their actual conditions of living.
  • We believe in the right to access our services and terminate services at any time.

Relationships

  • We are dedicated to building and sustaining meaningful and mutually beneficial connections with staff, volunteers, people who access services, board members, donors and community partners.
  • We are open to ongoing learning, growth and change. We value capacity building at all levels for all stakeholders.
  • We actively and conscientiously strive to create a culture which honours and respects both human and natural resources.
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