The supportive community at the center provides a safe space for both the beneficiaries of the activities and the proponents of these activities. The centers’ focus on ethical and moral value offers a solid foundation for future success and personal fulfillment of the students and helps professionals navigate complex decisions with integrity. II.Definition of Terms A.Foundation UCFI is a SEC registered, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education and development of the Filipino youth. B.Project Centers Project Centers are physical spaces that have classrooms, libraries, study rooms, conference rooms, multi-purpose rooms and chapels, allowing these Project Centers to offer training activities for students and professionals such as lessons in leadership, management, philosophy, personal development, and Catholic doctrine among others. The importance of study and work is highlighted as an indispensable preparation for serving the society and the Church. Project Centers are managed by Project Volunteers. They organize, classes, seminars, workshops and spiritual retreats. One-on-one mentoring with an experienced professional and personal spiritual direction with a priest is considered the paramount means of formation available in Project Centers. C.Project Beneficiaries Project Center beneficiaries are male students and young professionals who attend the activities of the Project Centers and benefit from them. D.Project Volunteers Project Volunteers are male professionals, either lay or priests, who organize and carry out the activities of the Project Centers. They are also the mentors for the personal development and spiritual formation of the beneficiaries. E.Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act 11313) Safe Spaces Act or Republic Act 11313 covers all forms of gender-based sexual harassment (GBSH) committed in public spaces, educational or training institutions, workplace, as well as online space. GBSH in street and public spaces is defined as acts which are committed through any unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person regardless of the motive for committing such action or remarks. Harassment as defined by Space Spaces Act includes any acts based on sex, gender stereotyping, sexual orientation, or gender identity, in forms such as: •Catcalling or unwanted remarks, commonly done in the form of wolf-whistling, sexist slurs; •Persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person’s appearance; •Relentless requests for personal details; •Statements of sexual comments and suggestions; •Public or flashing of private parts, groping, making offensive body gestures at someone, and other similar lewd sexual actions; •Any advances, whether verbal or physical, that is unwanted and has threatened one’s sense of personal space and physical safety. This may include cursing, leering and intrusive gazing and taunting; •Persistent telling of sexual jokes, use of sexual names; and •Stalking or conduct directed at a person involving the repeated visual or physical proximity, non-consensual communication, or a combination thereof that cause or will likely cause a person to fear for one’s own safety or the safety of others, or to suffer emotional distress. F.Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults A minor person is a person under the age of 18. A vulnerable adult is a person in a state of infirmity or deficiency, physical or psychological, and/or lacks personal freedom, which limits even occasionally his capacity to understand and to will, or in any case, to resist the offense. Safeguarding is a term used to describe how to protect adults, children and young people from abuse or neglect. It is an important shared priority of many public facing services. Safeguarding is about protecting certain people who may be in vulnerable circumstances. Protection of vulnerable adults ensures that all vulnerable adults are protected from gender-based abuses. Examples of vulnerable adults are older people, people with disabilities, people with mental health conditions, people receiving care and support, homeless people, people subjected to domestic abuse, people who have experienced sexual abuse, and people who are subjected to trafficking and exploitation. G.Committee on Decorum and Investigation The Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) is a standing committee of the UCFI, tasked with overseeing all violations of its established policy on decorum and investigation. The CODI shall be composed of a Chairman, a Co-Chairman, and at least one additional member. These positions will be identified and ratified by the UCFI Board of Trustees during a regular meeting. Members shall serve a term of three years, renewable thereafter. The CODI has the following functions: To receive complaints of sexual harassment or other related sexual offenses; To investigate complaints of sexual harassment or related sexual offenses; To submit a report of its findings with the corresponding recommendation for decision; and To lead in the conduct of discussion about sexual harassment and other sexual offenses. H.Reporting party, offended person, accused person Reporting Party is the individual that brings forward a complaint or report about an incident of misconduct, harassment or violence. Offended person is the individual who has experienced the alleged harm, misconduct, or violation within the safe space. Accused person is the individual against whom the complaint or report has been made and is the one who allegedly committed the misconduct or violation that led to the reporting. III.Provision of the Policy A.Activities in the Project Center UCFI and its Project Centers are committed to observe the Safe Spaces Act. The Project Centers with their established respectful and inclusive environment prioritize safety and dignity of all participants. The center shall implement clear policies and programs that emphasize zero tolerance for any form of harassment or discrimination. These shall include protocols for reporting and addressing inappropriate behavior and ensuring that interactions are guided by mutual respect and professional integrity. It is always the goal of the Project Centers to foster an atmosphere where everyone feels secure and valued and where everyone can focus on their professional and spiritual growth without fear of unwanted advances or discriminatory practices. The Project Centers shall integrate aspects of the Safe Spaces Act into its activities. This involves incorporating educational sessions on personal boundaries, consent and respectful communication into their professional development and spiritual formation offerings, among others. The Project Centers’ commitment to these principles not only aligns with legal requirements but also supports a culture of inclusivity and mutual respect. By creating a safe and supportive environment, the Project Centers enhance their ability to attract and retain individuals who are committed to personal and professional excellence that values their well-being and dignity. B.Reporting an Incident To facilitate anyone wishing to raise or report a concern, the Project Centers and UCFI have appointed a committee for this. It is called the Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI). This ensures maximum coordination among the parties involved. The CODI shall oversee all the incident reports. A designated email address is made available and known to people going to the Project Centers. This is managed and accessed by the CODI. B.1. The process of reporting an incident is as follows: •The reporting party will send information and report the incident to CODI; •CODI receives information from the reporting party through the designated email address; •CODI acknowledges the receipt of the incident report from the reporting party; •CODI gathers whatever data are necessary towards the identification of the accused person as well as the alleged acts; •CODI orients the offended person as regards procedural matters; •CODI assists or helps the offended person by documenting the reported allegations and having the report signed by the alleged offended person; •CODI transmits to the Project Center and UCFI officials the signed document of the offended person and ensures the date and time of the report were transmitted; •CODI informs the accused person of the reported incident involving him; •CODI gives the accused person two weeks to respond in writing to the allegations; •CODI, the Project Center and UCFI strictly keep the norms of silence of office and confidentiality; •CODI facilitates the interviews of the offended person and the accused person, and other resources person if any, separately; •CODI provides possible pastoral care to both the offended person and the accused person; •CODI prepares a summary of his assessment of the case and a set of proposals of the possible measures of accompaniment and pastoral and psychological help for the accused person and the alleged offended person; •CODI shall not keep documentation and information received after he has fulfilled his function. The Project Center and UCFI will safekeep the documents received; and •During investigation, the Project Center and UCFI shall apply the civil norms in force, and canonical norms, if necessary. B.2. Some guidelines that pertain to the offended person: •His privacy must be protected at all times; •He must be protected and helped to find support and reconciliation; •He must be offered spiritual and psychological assistance; •He should be listened to and treated with respect; and •He must not communicate. B.3. Some guidelines that pertain to the accused person: •His privacy must be protected at all times and anything that can harm his fundamental right to self-defense must be avoided; •He shall be informed immediately not later than 48 hours, of the opening of the investigation and be provided with a copy of the complaint; •He shall be advised that, if he desires, he may be represented and accompanied by his lawyer in all stages of the investigation; •He is reminded of the presumption of innocence, that he is considered innocent until proven guilty; and •He must not communicate in any way with the offended person during the course of the investigation. C.Conclusion of Investigation C.1. Some guidelines in relation to the offended person: The Chairman of CODI shall meet the offended person and his parents/guardians if the offended person is a minor, and his legal counsel, if any and shall inform them of the results of the investigation. C.2. Some guidelines in relation to the accused person: The Chairman of CODI shall meet the accused person and his parents/guardian if the accused person is a minor, and his legal counsel if any, and shall inform them the results of the investigation. If the accusations were unfounded at the end of the investigation, the Project Center and/or UCFI shall take the necessary means to restore the good name of the accused person, which can be a public declaration that the person has been found innocent, and offering him the spiritual and psychological help to recover from the inevitable trauma, among others. He shall be dealt with respect and compassion and shall be offered the help that is deemed necessary and reasonable. D.Information It is the duty of every Project Volunteer of the Project Center to report cases of sexual harassment and other sexual offenses as soon as possible through the designated email address of the CODI. The CODI shall have custody of all records of all cases. All data, information, communication, and records generated by a report, complaint or case shall be subject to the standards of privacy and secured custody. The UCFI Policy on Safe Spaces and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults shall be publicly displayed in a common or public area in the Project Center in whatever way the Project Center wants, i.e. printed, digital, etc.