HK believes in creating environments that align with shared community values defined here: https://www.heartlandkinbaku.com/our-values

HK policies are available here: https://www.heartlandkinbaku.org

HK is committed to holding itself, its staff members, and its students accountable to our values and to the polices we've adopted. If a community member experienced harm as a result of an HK instructor or student's actions or decisions and wants to seek accountability or repair, this form can initiate an internal accountability process.
 
We will do our best to respect how the person who reports to us wants the matter to be handled. We will do our best to work with those who report in a way they feel most comfortable.
 
We plan to use reports to help us make sure the environments we create and the people who participate in HK align with our values. Ideally we use the feedback and experiences shared with us here to improve our personal behavior, evolve our organizational policies or teaching methods, pursue repair work, and continue the ongoing work to aspire to the values and standards we've set as an organization work.

However, if we receive information here that leads us to lose confidence that an individual, group and/or venue can align with our values, or believe that they pose a danger to HK's community, we plan to act on that information and potentially remove individual/s from our spaces or not work with a venue.

If you are not ready for action to be taken regarding a person\s who you have caused you harm, we've pulled together resources that might help you here (link forthcoming shortly!).

Our Process

1. This form goes directly to Zach.

2. On a case by case basis, depending on the severity of the misconduct and the time urgency of the situation, staff members may be temporarily relieved of responsibility for specific aspects of teaching or space management, or of all of their responsibilities as a steering staff member, until the process can be completed and a final decision arrived at regarding the best path forward.

3. Zach may discuss the situation with advisory board members, with Kanna-sensei, or other members of senior HK leadership, provided they were not the subject of the report.


4. If the reporter indicated on the form that they want or are open to discuss the issue further, Zach will reach out to schedule a meeting. Additional advisory board members or senior leadership members may also attend the meeting.


5. All reports made will result in an investigation, unless the reporter specifically requests there not be an investigation due to a threat to their safety or well being.
 
6. During the investigation process, HK  may choose to interview any and all parties involved in or who witnessed the incident. These interviews may require multiple interactions and follow up conversations.
 
7. Zach and senior leadership will decide if further action needs to be taken if it believes an individual, group, or venue doesn’t align with its values, or if it feels the situation poses a threat to community safety.
 
8. HK will notify the people involved of its decisions with as much information as it can share, based on the committee's and reporter’s physical and legal safety needs.


If an individual, group, or venue has been removed from involvement with HK, HK will be open to discussions after 6 months if the individual(s) demonstrates they've gone through an accountability process, have changed their behavior, and feel they can align with HK values.