The Code of Ethics
The Youth Futures Code of Ethics was composed during the year 5771, by means of a process that integrated the staff across all levels of the organization – Mentors, regional coordinators, city directors and the head office staff. The Code of Ethics binds all the staff of the program, serving them as a framework of values for all planning and activities.
The Code of Ethics Values
The following primary values were established for achieving the Youth Futures vision:
Respect for every individual as a human being. Respect for the inner value of a person as an intellectual, rational and unique being – and maintaining a sense of humility in the face of all of these. A respectful attitude to the fundamental rights of the individual within human society. Respect and tolerance for the other and those who are different with regard to all their traits. Relating to each child as a complete, unique individual with their own aspirations.
Internal enthusiasm and adherence to our goals that result from consent and identification with the aims of the program and a feeling of close affiliation with the program. A positive base assumption filled with staff members’ hopes and aspirations for themselves, the childrem and their families, which includes awareness of the ability to effect personal change and change in the environs.
Executing this responsibility with goal-oriented, focused consideration; implementing constant study; and utilizing a wide scope of knowledge and external complementary resources, while exercising flexibility and adapting to dynamic, changing conditions. Maintaining true curiosity for the acquisition of new knowledge, familiarity with the relevant field of operations, using clear thinking, employing fundamental and serious actions, and utilizing intelligent decision-making that is well thought out and not arbitrary.
Conduct based on the understanding that the actions and behavior of the program staff best convey and embody the vision, aims and values of the program. The awareness that all program staff members represent role models for the children, families and communities.
A feeling of deep, long-term commitment to the children, families, communities, activity partners and the program. Commitment that includes: Care for one’s self, for the other, and for one’s environment with the aim of effecting social change. Commitment to advance and enable autonomy and involvement, and to protect the emotional and physical interests of the child.
Cooperation with various bodies that combines: Knowledge, experience and capabilities in order to achieve the sum of skills required to effect change. Cooperation that arises from humility and expresses respect and appreciation toward the knowledge, experience and capabilities of others. Sharing the responsibility for the child, which enables all the partners to reveal, utilize and fortify their personal and communal strengths and nurture growth. Cooperation between the program staff and the children and their families, and between the staff and the communities and their institutions.
An act of deep attention to one’s fellow that enables the staff accompanying and supporting the program participants to acquire information by means of all their abilities. Acquisition of information from that which is stated explicitly and also conveyed implicitly, from sensitivity to body language and gestures; and from the awareness of social and cultural aspects of human behavior. An activity that is executed from a position of empathy, inclusiveness, warmth and love, based on the appreciation of one’s fellow as worthy of the base dignity afforded every human being.
Guiding principles:
Therefore, the entire staff of Youth Futures operate in accordance with the following principles:
- The program staff shall operate with the acknowledgement that every child and adult possesses the capability to execute change in their lives. In order to realize the potential for change, staff members shall act with professionalism, while utilizing awareness, creativity, clear judgment and flexibility. Staff members shall not hesitate to express their opinion and shall use all the tools available to them to determine effective and leveled decisions that will advance the children and their families.
- The program staff’s activities shall be executed based on a feeling of fulfilling a mission arising from faith in the children and their abilities. The staff shall display tolerance, openness, and compassion to the children and their families. The staff must be capable of accepting those who are different, of seeing them as equals among equals, of respecting them and developing empathy toward them.
- As a basis for support for children and families, the staff shall be attentive to the emotional, cognitive and social needs of the children. The staff members shall gather information from the children and their environments, while engaging in cooperation with the program’s staff and the relevant communal parties – the children’s families, schools, the welfare system and other communal frameworks. The staff members shall treat information about the children and families with discretion, respect and humility.
- The staff of Youth Futures shall be involved in the lives of the children and their families, while simultaneously maintaining their independence, respect and privacy. The staff members shall be available and accessible to the children while maintaining boundaries and separating between their own lives and the work arena. The staff members shall act to empower the children and families while encouraging the development of independence, based on identifying and acknowledging the strengths they possess, simultaneously maintaining transparency and equality, and working for the good of the children and their families.
- The program staff shall act in cooperation with the parties involved in the children’s life in order to advance their goals by aiding in the recognition of the children’s needs and pooling resources. To this end, the staff will act to implement well-organized workplans, take initiative and act consistently with these parties, while maintaining a mode of teamwork based on trust and respect. The staff members shall represent Youth Futures to the children and the parties involved in a professional manner, while maintaining the program’s aims and values.