Girl Ambassador Program

For Participant

You are representing yourselves, your family and community. We expect you will represent us well, and display mature and responsible behavior expected of respectable young women in society.

1. All participants are expected to demonstrate common courtesy and respect at all times. Inappropriate language/behavior will not be tolerated.
2. Participants should be modestly dressed. Writing on clothing should be respectful and positive.
3. The possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverage and/or possession/use of any illegal drug by an individual is not permitted.
4. Smoking is not permitted.
5. Weapons and/or drug paraphernalia are not allowed.
6. Prescription drugs need to be given to a staff member for storage and distribution.
7. No Eating, chewing gum or liquids are allowed in the training spaces.
8. The Girl Ambassador Program has a strict policy regarding the possession and usage of electronic devices during instructional time.
9. Participants are required to attend all scheduled Girl Ambassador meetings and training.
10. Girl Ambassador participants are allowed no more than three (3) excused or no unexcused absences during the training period. It is the participant's responsibility to notify Girls For A Change that she will be absent, by calling and emailing us.
    
    Absences may be excused for the following reasons, with appropriate documentation:
    • Doctor appointment
    • Death in the family (2 per session)
    • Religious commitment
    • Illness
    • Family Emergency IE: Car accident, hospital emergencies (1 per session)
    • Testing ( 3 per session )
    • School visit ( college tour)
    Generally, our partner will provide its employees with a handbook or workplace policies to set forth expected behavior and procedures within the workplace. All participants are expected to abide by their rules and regulations for their employees.

*Violation of these rules may lead to counseling, parental conference, or unfortunately, dismissal from the program.

For Parent/Guardian

All participants are expected to dismiss on time. A late fee of $5/minute will be assessed beginning at 5:05 p.m. If a child remains at the location beyond 30 minutes, without any form of communication to Girls For A Change staff members, we will reach out to your ER contacts listed. If an emergency arises that will delay pick up, we must be notified immediately and another person authorized to pick up your child up must come.

1. A call to the parent’s workplace and/or home.
2. A call to those authorized to pick up the child.
3. A call to the emergency contact.
4. A call to the local police department and Child Protective Services.

PICK UP BY AN INTOXICATED PARENT OR AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

CAMP DIVA will not permit parents or authorized representatives who are intoxicated to pick children up from our camp location. We do not wish to expose the location to any legal action for the improper release of children, but more importantly, we do not wish to expose the children enrolled in our programs to any danger resulting from their parents’ or authorized adult’s impaired faculties. Therefore, we will expect our staff to be alert to the possibility of parental intoxication, and if there is evidence of such intoxication by means of speech, gait, or manner, that staff member will call a second staff member to corroborate. If both staff members agree that the parent is intoxicated, the staff will not permit transportation by that person, and the Richmond Police Department will be called to assist the program staff in determining the course of action to be taken. If the parent insists on removing a child in spite of these actions, a conference will be held that week between the parent and the Director that could result in termination of the child’s participation in the program.

NON-CUSTODIAL PARENT POLICY

A parent of a child enrolled in the program who is not the child’s custodial parent will be permitted unlimited access to the camp location and be afforded the same rights as the custodial parent unless there is court documentation limiting access and contact by the non-custodial parent. This documentation must be on file in our office. Upon entering the camp location, the non-custodial parent must report to the director or designee in the child care office.

GRIEVANCE POLICY FOR PARENTS

It is the intent of the Girls For A Change programs to provide all parents and guardians with an avenue for discussing and resolving any concerns they may have with regard to the care being provided by the center. When a concern has been identified, the parent should first discuss the issue with the program staff members. It is suggested that in order to facilitate the conversation, an appointment should be scheduled and the individual requesting the appointment should prepare a written list of pertinent discussion points prior to the appointment. Notes of what was discussed and agreed to during the meeting are also encouraged. Once the staff member(s) has/have addressed the issue, based on the response, the parent or guardian should consider the issue resolved. If the staff member was unable to address the issue because of its administrative nature, or if the parent or guardian is dissatisfied with the response or outcome, he/she should then discuss the issue with the Director. At that meeting, the parent or guardian should be prepared to discuss what has transpired to-date. The Director will research the issue and respond to the parent in a follow-up meeting, or at the initial meeting if no research is needed.