Nicole,
WOW!!!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. I encourage everyone to look at pages 6 and 7 for an example of a confidentiality agreement (go to:
http://www.womenscenterofjax.org/pdf/volunteer_app.pdf )
I am curious what others think about this example? Also, does anyone else on this listserv have a confidentiality policy that she/he can share with us? If not, do you think that it is important to have one?
Daphne


>>> nicwhite at comcast.net 01/18/06 9:58 AM >>>

Daphne,
I am attaching a link to the Women's Center of Jacksonville's volunteer application packet.  On pages 6 and 7 of the packet, you will find our confidentiality agreement that all volunteers are required to sign (as well as all staff of course).  Hope this helps....

http://www.womenscenterofjax.org/pdf/volunteer_app.pdf

Also, the more I thought about this topic and the story you shared, the more I realized how confidentiality is so much more than an agreement on a piece of paper (though the document is necessary and important in itself).  It's about a spirit of respect, and acknowledgment of a person's right to privacy and private conversation (in the case of the story you shared).  The environment that we have here at the Women's Center lends itself very well to upholding that spirit.  Though the actual confidentiality document is vital, the respect and trust between any client/student and service provider/tutor/teacher comes first (in my opinion).  

Nicole  

--
Nicole White
Program Coordinator
Expanded Horizons Literacy Program
Women's Center of Jacksonville
(904)722-3000 ext: 233
www.womenscenterofjax.org
www.promotetruth.org

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Daphne Greenberg" <alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu>

> Nicole,

> Can you share with us an example of a confidentiality agreement?

> Daphne

> 

> >>> nicwhite at comcast.net 01/12/06 12:05 PM >>>

> Daphne and other readers of this post...  This story saddens me for so many 

> reasons.  The thing that keeps popping up in my head after reading it is 

> confidentiality.  I run an adult literacy program for women in Jacksonville, 

> Florida and our center also provides counseling services, as well as advocacy 

> for women who have been victims of sexual assault on site.  Given the wide-range 

> of social services we provide here at the Women's Center, confidentiality is not 

> only necessary, but practically understood around here.  Each department has 

> confidentiality agreements and our students are aware that we take those 

> policies very seriously.  While our center in particular has this understanding 

> and policies set in place, I can't help but think that the location where this 

> scenario took place does not have that, and therefore whoever walked through the 

> hall at the time that conversation took place was able to hear it.  Therefore 

> the student's right to confidentiality was not respected

>  .  Sometimes it's as easy as closing a door to an office, so that the student 

> knows what he/she says does not go any further than that room.  Confidentiality 

> is so important, and something that I am constantly learning to respect more and 

> more.

> 

> Nicole    

> 

> --

> Nicole White

> Program Coordinator

> Expanded Horizons Literacy Program

> Women's Center of Jacksonville

> (904)722-3000 ext: 233

> www.womenscenterofjax.org

> www.promotetruth.org

> 

>  -------------- Original message ----------------------

> From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG at langate.gsu.edu>

> > In response to a few postings that have been shared on this listserv, someone 

> > shared with me a story that she wanted me to post on her behalf. The names and 

> > some of the details have been changed to protect the identity of the 

> people/site 

> > involved.

> > A 17 year old, named Daniella F. showed up in the teacher's GED class. She had 

> > only sporadically attended classes at her highschool and once she could 

> legally 

> > drop out did. One day she overheard people in a public library talking about a 

> > GED class and she decided to registar. She went to the office of the GED 

> > program, registered, got tested and then was placed in an appropriate class 

> for 

> > someone at her level. She attended every day. After a few weeks of class, the 

> > teacher noticed a discrepancy in the names of the students that the office had 

> > sent her and the names of the students who showed up in class. Specifically, 

> her 

> > roster showed a Daniel F. and not a Daniella F. So one day, she asked the 

> class 

> > if anyone knew a Daniel F. Noone raised their hand. She then, asked Daniella 

> if 

> > by any chance Daniel was her brother. She said no. Then she asked Daniella if 

> > she had enrolled in the program, because she noticed that she did not have a 

> > Daniella F. on her roster. Daniella replied th

> >  at she did. At the end of class, Daniella went up to the teacher and admitted 

> > that she was Daniel. Apparently, because her official name is Daniel, she 

> > enrolled as Daniel, but she likes to be called Daniella. When she enrolled as 

> > Daniel, she dressed like a male, but once she attended class she dressed the 

> way 

> > she feels comfortable, which is as a female. Unfortunately, both the teacher 

> and 

> > Daniella did not know that there were some students in the hallway who heard 

> > Daniella share her information. When Daniella left program that day, they 

> > followed her as she walked away and in an empty and deserted lot they beat her 

> > up. They were a group of 3 teenage males who found her offensive. Daniella did 

> > not return to the program. The teacher was able to keep in touch with her for 

> a 

> > few weeks and even tutored her for awhile, but then Daniella left town without 

> > leaving any contact information.

> > Any thoughts or reactions to the above? 

> > Daphne

> > 

> > Daphne Greenberg

> > Assistant Professor

> > Educational Psych. & Special Ed.

> > Georgia State University

> > P.O. Box 3979

> > Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3979

> > phone: 404-651-0127

> > fax:404-651-4901

> > dgreenberg at gsu.edu

> > 

> > Daphne Greenberg

> > Associate Director

> > Center for the Study of Adult Literacy

> > Georgia State University

> > P.O. Box 3977

> > Atlanta, Georgia 30302-3977

> > phone: 404-651-0127

> > fax:404-651-4901

> > dgreenberg at gsu.edu

> > 

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> 

> 

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