Mission
Kind Space is committed to providing Ottawa – located on unceded Algonquin territory, accessible resources, events, social, and educational programming to celebrate and support people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
Who we are
We give people a physical place where they can just be. That’s all. Just be. No pressure. No expectations. No demands, obligations, responsibilities. Whoever they are – even if they don’t fully understand who they are.
We give people personal and peer support to understand and inhabit their particular identities with confidence and courage, whatever kind of identity it is. We often do so when these people experience emotional crises and are most vulnerable physically and mentally.
We give people a range of information and resources they can use to help themselves or others appreciate and be who they truly are.
We support not only people who are right next to us, but also those who are far away. We bridge this distance digitally, engaging people through social media, comforting and encouraging them through online forums, and empowering them through a web presence that changes to mirror how they identify themselves.
What’s with the asterisk?
An asterisk is a symbol that writers use after a word or phrase to refer readers to an annotation for additional information. This omitted information—usually found down at the bottom of the page in question—gives readers a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the matter being presented. At Kind, we like to think every person’s name should come with an asterisk. After all, each of us is more than appears in a single word. Each of us is more than a name, more than a pronoun, more than a look, more than a person others choose to define us as. Each of us is special in our own unique way.
Our asterisk not only represents but also celebrates those differences, those things that make us special in our own way-whatever they may be. Our asterisk expresses our belief that each of us is more than what appears in a single word or name or pronoun, more than what is visible in a look, more than meets the eye. For each of us, there is much more to the story.
Our Values & Commitments
As part of our commitment to our communities, partners, and ourselves we have been reflecting, discussing, and examining what our values are, and how we live them in our work.
Within each of our values live 4 core commitments to accessibility, accountability, community participation, and self-determination. We don’t just want to have a list of nice sounding words that sit on a page. These are active, tangible agreements we make about current and future programming and partnerships.
Values
Communities of Care
Kind Space believes that taking care of each other is a skill that can be learned and re-learned with practice, attention, and support.
Sustainable Growth
Kind Space knows we all have the capacity to learn and evolve at a pace which is thoughtful, intentional, and realistic.
Creativity
Kind Space believes in our communities – their knowledge, innovation, and understanding of their needs and how they can and should be met. Our job is to listen, support, and act.
Transparency
Kind Space is committed to openness and honesty in our governance model, programming, organizational goals, policies, and procedures.
Commitments
Accessibility
Kind Space strives to be as barrier-free as possible so that as many can find connections through our services and events. And to be as honest, open, and up-to-date about our current limitations.
Accountability
Kind Space chooses to be proactive in our actions, to create space for ongoing feedback and call on our courage and take responsibility when we, as an organization, make mistakes or cause harm.
Community Participation
Kind Space wants all members of our communities actively included in the programs and events that currently exist. And more than that, we want you involved in how programs and the organization shifts and changes.
Self-determination
Kind Space believes that each individual persons gets to decide what makes sense and is good for them. How you choose to engage with us is up to you. Our job is to make it as simple and straightforward as possible.