Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility Strategy & Action Plan

Systemic inequality and discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality, disability, income, and immigration status are some of the key determinants of well-being, livelihood, and overall positive social and economic outcomes for communities in Canada.

The practice of IDEA within and beyond the workplace is rooted in an effort to eliminate systemic racism and barriers to opportunity, and to address inequity – whether historical, ongoing, or both – in order to improve the well-being and livelihood of equity-deserving communities in a way that is culturally appropriate, and accessible.

At Kids Help Phone, we know the significance of identity as a determinant of mental health and well-being. Many of Kids Help Phone’s most distressed callers and texters, for example, are young people that have experienced racism, second only to those who fear being harmed in their own homes.

A young person wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt printed with text that reads Every Child Matters

We have a role to play in effecting social change and advancing equity; and this is why the practice of IDEA is critical to us.

At Kids Help Phone, we have a long history of advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) through our tailored programs, services, policies, initiatives and task forces — with contributions and leadership from teams across the organization. We will not waver on these commitments and will continue leading the way in making our workplace, and the world that young people live in more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.

As a culmination of past and ongoing advocacy, effort, compassion and momentum from each and every one of our colleagues and partners, we’re proud to introduce our IDEA 2023–2027 Strategy and Action Plan.

Two friends playing football, one of them has a leg prosthesis and is kicking a penalty. Kids playing sports together.

The five-year Plan builds on our momentum, while also defining our goals for the future. We’ll continue to advance IDEA and elevate collaboration inside and outside of KHP to help build a more just and equity-based workplace and society coast to coast to coast.

The Plan is based on collective accountability and includes everyone at KHP. It empowers teams and leaders with IDEA-specific strategic priorities, objectives and actions we can implement, that help us continue to build toward an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible workplace.

Mutual trust and empowerment are critical to this journey.

Our Guiding Principles

  1. We will begin with and maintain empathy and humility
  2. We will acknowledge and address individual and institutional bias
  3. We will actively re-centre the lived experiences of equity-deserving groups
  4. We will commit to reconciliation, anti-racism and anti-oppressive practice 
  5. We will maintain transparency and ensure accountability 

The Objectives of the Strategy and Action Plan

  1. KHP’s Leaders are Knowledgeable of, Committed to and Accountable to IDEA Principles and Practices
  2. KHP’s Workplace Culture is Based on Mutual Trust, Empowerment and Collective Accountability to IDEA
  3. KHP’s Talent Attraction, Retention and Development Practices Advance Equity Deserving Groups within Kids Help Phone and the Broader Labour Market in Canada
  4. KHP Has a Culture of Ongoing and Collective Learning that Embeds the Principles of IDEA Within the Organization 
  5. KHP Communications are Clear, Consistent, and Apply an IDEA Lens Where Appropriate
  6. KHP Creates Pathways that Strengthen Service Access for Black, Indigenous, Racialized, 2SLGBTQ+, Newcomer and Other Groups Exposed to Additional Harm Across Intersections of Identity
  7. KHP Integrates IDEA principles into Service and Operational Design, User Experience and Impact Measurement
  8. KHP Demonstrates Commitment to IDEA in the Vendor and Supplier Market
  9. KHP Shapes and Enables Policy Advocacy and Thought Leadership in IDEA and e-Mental Health
  10. KHP Continues to Establish Strategic Funding Partnerships and Donor Relations that Advance Internal- and External-Facing IDEA Initiatives
  11. KHP Enables Advocacy for IDEA and Related Social Issues
  12. KHP’s Brand Reflects and Represents Equity-Deserving Groups
  13. KHP is Committed to Re-Centring Lived Experiences by Increasing and Strengthening Engagement with Diverse Communities and Partners
READ KHP’s IDEA STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN