Habitat Association is committed to protecting and improving the well-being of the individuals it works with and serves, creating safe spaces for them; it expects all its employees, partners, stakeholders, and volunteers to realize this commitment. It has a zero-tolerance policy for behaviors incompatible with its objectives and principles in the policy document, especially sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, misconduct, and discrimination.
1. Purpose
The purpose of this Policy is to protect people, especially children, at-risk adults, and aid beneficiaries, from any harm resulting from their contact with Habitat Association. These damages are as follows;
- The behavior of staff or staff associated with Habitat
- Design and implementation of Habitat programs and activities
The Policy sets out Habitat’s commitments and informs staff and relevant personnel[1] of their responsibilities concerning the safeguarding policy.
This Policy does not cover the following issues:
- Sexual harassment in the workplace – this is addressed under the Habitat Association HR Policy.
- Safeguarding concerns in the broader community that are not being addressed by Habitat or relevant staff.
2. What is Safeguarding?
Safeguarding means protecting people’s health, well-being and human rights and ensuring they live free from harm, abuse, and neglect.
In our sector, we seek to protect people, including children and at-risk adults, from harm from contact with our staff or programs. Further definitions of safeguarding are provided in the list of terms below.
3. Scope
- All contracted personnel within Habitat
- Personnel associated with Habitat while performing business or visits, including but not limited to consultants; volunteers; contractors (business partners); all visitors of the program, including journalists, influencers, celebrities, and politicians.
4. Policy Statement
- All contracted personnel within Habitat
- Personnel associated with Habitat while performing business or visits, including but not limited to: consultants; volunteers; contractors (business partners); all visitors of the program, including journalists, influencers, celebrities, and politicians.
Phone: +09 212 265 33 14
E-mail: etik@habitatdernegi.org
Habitat commits to a three-tier protection: prevention, reporting and response.
5. Prevention
5.1. Habitat's Responsibilities
Habitat;
- Ensures that its staff are familiar with and know their responsibilities under this Policy.
- Strives to design and undertake all its programs and activities in a way that protects people from any risk of harm that may result from their contact with Habitat.
- Adheres to strict safeguarding procedures when hiring, managing, and deploying staff and related personnel.
- Ensures that staff receive training on safeguarding at a level commensurate with their role in the organization.
- Ensures that reports received in line with the Safeguarding Policy are followed up promptly and according to due process.
5.2. Employee Responsibilities
5.2.1. Safety of Children
Habitat employees and affiliated personnel;
- Cannot marry individuals under the age of 18
- Cannot exploit or abuse children
- Cannot inflict physical, emotional, or psychological violence on children
- Cannot employ child labor or engage in activities where children may be commercially exploited
5.2.2. Adult Safety
Habitat employees and affiliated personnel;
- Cannot abuse and exploit adults
- Cannot commit physical, emotional, psychological violence against adults
5.2.3. Protection Against Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Habitat employees and affiliated personnel;
- Cannot exchange money, employment, goods or services in exchange for sexual intercourse
- Cannot use their power over the individuals Habitat provides assistance to engage in sexual intercourse
In addition, Habitat employees and affiliated personnel;
- Contribute to creating and maintaining an environment that prevents violations of the Safeguard Policy and enables the implementation of the Safeguard Policy,
- Are obliged to report any concerns or suspicions of a violation of the Safeguard Policy by a Habitat staff member or related personnel to the appropriate personnel.
6. Reporting
6.1. How to report a security breach
Personnel with a security concern or complaint must immediately report this to their direct safety manager. If the personnel do not want to report the complaint to their safety manager (e.g. if they do not think the manager will take it seriously), they can report this to any other member of the staff, e.g. another senior manager or human resources.
7. Feedback
Habitat will follow up on the protection of reports and concerns according to policy, procedure, and legal obligations and apply appropriate disciplinary measures to personnel who violate policy.
Habitat will provide support to survivors of harm caused by staff or related personnel, regardless of whether a formal internal response (such as an internal investigation) is undertaken. The survivor will lead decisions regarding the support.
8. Confidentiality
It is crucial that confidentiality is preserved at all stages of the process when dealing with protection concerns. Information about the concern and subsequent case management should be shared as needed and kept secure at all times.
8.1. Related Texts
- Code of Conduct
- HR Policy
- Complaints Policy
- Reporting and response procedures
- Safeguarding procedures in personnel recruitment
Other appropriate policies
9. List of Terms
9.1. Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries are those who are receiving goods or services directly from Habitat. Note that abuse of power can also apply to the broader community that the NGO serves, and it can also include exploitation by giving the perception of being in a position of power.
9.2. Child
Under 18 years of age.
9.3. Damage
Any violation of psychological, physical, or personal rights.
9.4. Psychological Harm
Emotional or psychological abuse, including (but not limited to) brutalizing and degrading treatment such as name-calling, constant criticism, belittling, permanent shame, solitary confinement, and isolation.
9.5. Protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA)
It is the term used by the humanitarian and development community to refer to the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of affected populations by staff or related personnel. The term derives from the United Nations Secretary-General’s Bulletin on Special Measures for the Protection Against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. (ST/SGB/2003/13)
9.6. Protection
The term protection means safeguarding human health, well-being, and rights, ensuring that people live free from harm, abuse, and neglect.
In our sector, it means protecting individuals, including children and at-risk adults, from harm resulting from contact with our personnel or programs. The donor definition is as follows:
Protection means taking all reasonable steps to prevent harm, especially sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment, from occurring, to protect people, especially vulnerable adults and children, from that harm, and to respond appropriately when harm occurs. This definition shapes our values, principles, and culture. This protection places particular emphasis on preventing harm to individuals and responding to any potential or actual harm, particularly sexual assaults.
The protection is applied consistently and without exception across our programs, partners, and personnel.
This protection requires proactively identifying and preventing all risks of harm, exploitation and abuse and having mature, accountable, and transparent systems in place for the response, reporting and learning when risks occur. These systems should take a rescue approach and, at the same time, protect the accused until proven guilty.
Protection puts the beneficiaries of these programs and the people affected by them at the center of everything.
9.7. Sexual Abuse
The term “sexual abuse” refers to physical assault of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions, against an actual and threatened person.
9.8. Sexual Exploitation
The term “sexual exploitation” means the exploitation or attempted exploitation of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, monetary, social, or political benefit from the sexual exploitation of others. This definition includes human trafficking and modern slavery.
9.9. Survivor
The term identifies a person who is exploited or abused. The term “survivor” is often used when describing “victim” because it implies strength, resilience and capacity to survive, but it is the individual’s choice how they wish to identify themselves.
9.10. At-Risk Adult
A person who is or may be in need of care because of mental or other disability, age, or illness and, due to these conditions, is unable to care for themselves or protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation.
Human Resources
Habitat Association (Habitat) continues its activities in three areas: digital transformation, inclusive and sustainable growth and entrepreneurship to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Under these programs, it implements projects in Turkey, neighboring countries and the European region through multi-stakeholder partnerships, facilitates information flow and interaction by following global processes, contributes to policy documents and spreads the culture of volunteerism.
HUMAN RESOURCES AND RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Our Human Resources Approach
Since its establishment, Habitat aims to make a difference in its field thanks to its dynamic and young structure with new methods, innovative working models and environments.
PURPOSE
Establishing the necessary, qualified and desired number of human resources of Habitat Association and establishing the system of necessary and continuous training of the personnel.
SCOPE
This procedure covers requesting, selecting, recruiting, orientation, necessary trainings, performance evaluation, resignation, administrative works and activities for Human Resources Management.
In addition, this procedure also includes developing practices that protect the rights of the employee and Habitat according to the law, providing personnel and working environment in accordance with the mission, vision and values of the association, and ensuring that the people who are suitable for Habitat’s work are placed in the right position at the right time and, if necessary, changes are made.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Human Resources team is responsible for the execution and follow-up of this procedure.
APPLICATION
Determination of Personnel Needs
Increased workload,
Newly developed projects, partnerships
Job departures
Workspace changes
Retirement, Death, Disability
Job application and Selection
The personnel need arising is submitted to the HR department by the relevant project coordinator by creating a Personnel Request Form, and if the HR department finds it appropriate, it is submitted to the board of directors.
The Executive Board evaluates the form and the recruitment process is initiated with its approval.
Personnel suitable for the need are searched with the following methods:
First of all, applications previously received from ik@habitatdernegi.org, if any, are evaluated.
Applications are received from https://www.habitatdernegi.org/ik with the job application form prepared in accordance with the need.
Suitable candidates are searched in the databases through the relevant HR websites, and those found suitable are evaluated.
Provided that it does not contradict the principles of confidentiality, the characteristics of the personnel sought are notified to the immediate environment.
Personnel Selection and Interview
The applications received are screened by the relevant Project Coordinator and the eligible candidates are evaluated together with the Habitat HR team and the list of final candidates is drawn up and the candidates are called for an interview.
As a result of the interview, the Candidate Evaluation Form is filled out and reference checks are made for the candidates who pass the screening.
The information and list of the selected candidate(s) is submitted to the Executive Board. Following the approval of the Executive Board, the recruitment process of the relevant candidates is initiated.
Recruitment Procedures
The candidate who is decided to be hired is notified by the Habitat HR team that he/she has been accepted for the job, the start date and the required documents. The candidate is obliged to prepare these documents completely and deliver them to the Habitat HR team before starting work.
The candidate who prepares his/her documents and submits them to the Habitat HR team completes the legal employment procedures and starts to work. On the same day, his/her personal file is created.
Orientation Training
Orientation training is given as soon as possible for the new employee to adapt to the workplace and his/her duty in a short time.
In the orientation program, a brief introduction of Habitat Association, organizational structure, rules and working principles that employees must comply with, and issues related to the employee’s duty are conveyed.
Trainings are organized on the subjects to be determined by the Habitat HR team and it is the responsibility of the Habitat HR team to ensure that the designated personnel receive these trainings.
Personnel File
Application Form
Resume
Health Report
Residence
Employment contract
Declaration of employment
Monthly time sheet (Filled in monthly for the duration of employment.)
Personnel Request Form
No travel barriers
Completed military service or postponed for at least 3 years.
Preferably fluent in English
Preferably having experience in Civil Society Organization work
Open to learning
Self-confident
Teamwork compatible
Employee Profile
Compatible in teamwork
Acting with a sense of justice
Self-confident
Peaceful, respectful of different thoughts and beliefs,
Does not discriminate gender, race, religion, language in human relations
Innovative, dynamic, sensitive to social problems, idealistic,
Education status
It varies according to the task the staff will work on.
Performance Evaluation System
Performance evaluation is based on the principle of setting measurable and concrete goals at a high level that can carry both the Habitat employees and the staff himself/herself forward and evaluating them objectively in periods and reporting them to the relevant unit.
Working Hours
Our work is between 10:00-18:00 on weekdays unless otherwise agreed. Limited to a total of 8 hours per day.
Weekends are out of working hours. However, for reasons such as project work, meetings, etc., staff working on weekends can take a day off on the following weekdays with notice.
The number of days absent from work of the personnel who request leave without a report more than 5 times during the year is deducted from the annual leave.
Wage Policy & Wage system
Habitat’s wage policy is determined by the Executive Board with a good planning to ensure that every penny to be spent in accordance with the project documents developed and as a requirement of being a Non-Governmental Organization is used correctly and in accordance with its purpose.
Wages are evaluated in accordance with the task-based and performance evaluation system instead of individuals, as well as current market comparisons for similar positions.
The performance evaluation system in place also supports this objective by ensuring that high and low performing employees are identified according to objective criteria and by means of rewarding systems.
Compensation Policy
Severance and notice pay, as regulated in the relevant articles of the Labor Law No. 4857, are paid to persons whose employment with Habitat is terminated for reasons stipulated by the law to be compensated. In the calculation of indemnities, criteria such as seniority, wages and other rights of the person, legal compensation limits are taken into consideration, again as regulated in the law.
