Your Rights
In accessing this organisation, you have the right to:
- Have your individual human worth and dignity respected.
- Confidentiality and privacy.
- Be treated with respect and courtesy.
- Have choices over, and to make decisions about, the services you receive here.
- Be referred to other Services as appropriate.
- Pursue any complaint about service provision without your counselling being affected.
- An advocate of your choice.
You can assist with your counselling, support, and advocacy by:
- Respecting the human dignity and worth of the service providers and other consumers. 2. Being aware that there are demands and limitations on staff of service providers.
- Helping the staff of service providers by communicating your needs with courtesy.
- Providing appropriate information relevant to your counselling.
- Taking responsibility for the decisions you make and their results, and
- Ensuring your complaints follow appropriate grievance procedures.
Human Rights
Human rights ensure that people have their basic needs met. Everyone has access to:
- Medicine
- Clothing
- Shelter
- Food & Water
Human rights protect vulnerable groups from abuse. Everyone has protection including:
- Those with disabilities
- The LGBTQIA+ Community
Human rights allow people to stand up to societal corruption. Everyone is allowed to speak against social abuse.
Human rights encourage freedom of speech & expression. Everyone can speak freely, without fear.
Human rights give people the freedom to practice their religion, or not. Everyone’s religion and spiritual beliefs are acknowledged, and they can practice in peace. Human rights allow people to love who they choose. Everyone can decide what their romantic life looks like.
Human rights ensure that work opportunities are equal. Everyone is treated fairly, and equality encouraged.
Human rights give people access to education. Everyone can get access, not just the elite.
Human rights protect the environment. Everyone is impacted by what happens to our world.
Human rights provide universal standards for government. Everyone can hold governments accountable for their actions.
If your human rights have been breached, you can report it:
Online: www.humanrights.gov.au/complaints/make-complaint
Post: Level 3, 175 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 or GPO Box 5218 Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: General enquiries 1300 369 711 between 9:00 am — 5:00 pm AEST.
Phoenix House is committed to providing a high-quality service.
If you find that your rights are not being respected, or you have any other form of complaint regarding the Service, or a worker at the Service, you are encouraged to make a formal complaint about the matter.
This can be achieved by taking the following steps:
- If the complaint is regarding a staff member, you should ask to discuss the matter with the Chief Executive Officer.
- If the complaint is regarding the Chief Executive Officer, you should ask to discuss the matter with a member of the Management Committee.
- If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the initial meeting a further meeting will be arranged for you to talk with the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Management Committee.
- If following this meeting you do not achieve satisfaction, you can be referred to the most appropriate agency with whom to take up your complaint.
This might be the Ombudsman, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission or our Funding bodies:
- the Commonwealth Department of Social Services
- the Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General
- the Queensland Department of Children, Youth Justice, and Multicultural Affairs
- You are encouraged to bring a support person, if required, when making a complaint.
- Making a complaint will not affect your rights as a Client of the Service in any way.