Access, Equity, & Anti-Racism
East Metro Youth Services recognizes that East Toronto is made up of people from diverse communities and equity-seeking groups including, among others, people with disabilities, ethno-cultural and racial minorities, immigrants and refugees, the socio-economically disadvantaged, Aboriginal peoples, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people. One of our goals is to reduce barriers to access for all residents of East Toronto and to encourage them to participate fully and benefit from our services.

EMYS is committed to a policy of access, equity and anti-racism that recognizes the dignity, worth and rights of every individual. We strive to foster a climate within the agency that promotes mutual respect. We believe that every person has the right to live, work and be served in an environment free of harassment and discrimination.

EMYS is committed to integrating access, equity and anti-racism principles throughout its operations including:

Access to Services
We examine and alter every facet of EMYS services to promote the goals of access, equity and anti-racism. This includes our outreach and communications programs, as well as our procedures for intake, referral, and needs assessment. Program planning, monitoring and evaluation are also subject to review.

Access to Choice
Our clients are encouraged to participate in making decisions about the services they receive.

Access to Information and Communications
We speak your language. EMYS employs people who speak Cantonese, Mandarin, Sichuan , Hebrew, French, Greek, Macedonian, Gujrati, Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, Urdu, Bangali, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Zulu.

Access to Governance
Our Board of Directors is an inclusive body that is always mindful of the varied backgrounds of the people they serve and represent. This breadth of representation informs all of their governing and budgeting decisions.

Access to Employment
We strive to hire from a broad spectrum of qualified individuals so that EMYS staff are representative of our diverse community and responsive to its changing needs.

Access to Training and Education
We provide education and training to board members, staff, and volunteers who are involved in the delivery of services, to improve their interpersonal skills and increase their understanding of diverse communities.