Printable Membership and Volunteer Form

A London, grass-roots, non-profit charitable organization started by sole-support mothers surviving on Family Benefits to share information and resources to help low-income people become self-sufficient.

LIFE*SPIN is an organization dedicated to providing information and support for individuals surviving on low incomes.  LIFE*SPIN strives to support the empowerment and self-development of these individuals in their efforts to attain self-sufficiency.

CCME's mission is to start a broad range of community-based businesses that benefit all of London's people, our environment and our economy.  As members of the low-income community, we are working together to create healthy, profitable businesses.  These profits will be re-invested into other businesses and community-based programs.

LIFE*SPIN's Board of Directors is made up of at least 60% low income folk  We could not exist without our dedicated Board and the more than one hundred volunteers who make it possible to achieve what we do.

Membership of LIFE*SPIN is open to any low-income individual who resides in the London area that agrees with the rights and responsibilities of the organization, as outlined in the Accountability Contract, and supports the general programs and priorities.  General membership meetings are held monthly and all members are welcome.  CCME reports to the board every second month.  The Board of Directors is elected at the annual general meeting.

As well, in the course of our work, we may have access to employee files, board meeting nottes and reports, intellectual property and mailings.  These must also be kept confidential.

In view of this information, I hereby pledge that I shall respect the privacy of the above information at all times.  It is further understood by me that, should I negelct to abide by this regulation, I may be suspended or my volunteer work may be terminated with LIFE*SPIN

1. LIFE*SPIN recognizes that poverty is a result of systemic injustice in our society.
   In recognizing this, we work towards the elimination of this injustice by providing individuals with the tools necessary to access information and services in regard to their rights and responsibilities
2. Service delivery must extend beyond traditional concepts to include advocacy and systemic change as it pertains to low-income survival.  In particular, we call on all levels of government and society as a whole to take responsibility for the inequities in the system that result in people living in poverty and work towards a more fair and equitable structure.
3. LIFE*SPIN recognizes effective development strategy includes the obligation of the community to care for all its people.  Mutual responsibility considers the interlocking strands of community and seeks to deal with them simultaneously, and allow the marginalized parts to, rather than neutralize improvements, actually reinforce progressive change.
4. Services to individuals/fammilies/groups must work within a coordinated framework.
5. The needs of the individual/family/group are paramount over the needs of service providers or the state.
6. Client confidentiality must be strictly respected by volunteers, employees, and board members.
7. LIFE*SPIN volunteers, board members, and employees will treat all clients with respect and dignity at all times.
8. Services must be universally accessible and will respond sensitively and appropriate to the needs of:
   * diverse multicultural/multilingual communities
   * First Nations people
   * lesbians and gay men
   * persons with mental illness
   * persons with physical challenges
   * persons with developmental challenges
   * older persons
   * persons with HIV positive
   * persons with low literacy and numeracy skills
   * low-income individuals and/or families
   * women
   * sole support parents
   * rural and low-density populations
   * youth
9. LIFE*SPIN is dedicated to working for full equality in society.  Consequently, we will confront and challenge sexism/racism and/or and of the above at all levels of LIFE*SPIN and its service delivery.
10. Partner agencies must be responsible for critically reflecting on how their organizations' hierarchical structures, and the service provides' related positions of power, may negatively impact the desired mutuality of the working relationship with the client.
11. Individuals' choices and expertise related to their own situation must be respected.  At the same time, service workers have the ersponsibility to create conditions where individuals/families/groups are given an opportunity to make informed choices.
12. LIFE*SPIN demands that those who work or volunteer at, on behalf of, ot in parternship with, the Agency must be committed to and accept the standards od personal accountability implied in this ducument.
13. LIFE*SPIN will monitor and evaluate all aspects of program development and delivery to ensure compliance with the standards of accountability described herin.