As a Network we agree to fulfill to the best of our ability and judgement the following:

PLACE

  • We take into consideration how our work is informed by the histories (indigenous and otherwise) and present of the place we are in, which together creates its future.
  • We take into consideration the effects of our work on the social, emotional, spiritual, and physical landscape.
  • We work to contribute to the health and resiliency of the place through our work.

PEOPLE

  • We seek to communicate the need for initiatory practices, acting as bridge builders/advocates, and active participants in our communities.
  • We take into consideration the YPW Cross Cultural Protocols and engage in ongoing reflection on how they apply to our work, especially through awareness of other cultures and beliefs.
  • We work to heal and transform conflict into healthy dialogue and collaboration as well as examining how they are tied to larger systemic injustice.

PRACTICE

  • We allow the initiatory process to evolve to fit changing needs.
  • We practice and model the changing nature of the mentor/mentee relationships, allowing it to evolve and change.
  • In gathering or meeting we take into consideration how our actions would or would not change if the youth we are dedicated to serving were present.
  • We keep at the heart of our practice the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being of the youth and by extension their communities.
  • We work mindfully with the psycho-social norms of our respective communities and the regions and nations within which we work, respecting the many different yet kindred fields of practice.

We as part of the YPW network will actively seek to be informed by our shared ethics, a local and network wide perspective, and aid in making healthy initiatory practices widespread and commonly accessible to all, regardless of the context or circumstance of those seeking or facilitating them.
*This is a living document which will be regularly updated.  Please submit feedback, comments, and stories about how this document is being used to: info@youthpassageways.org.