Canopy’s Statement of Rights

What are your rights? 

Everyone has basic rights and you have the same rights as everyone else. Your rights are protected by laws, and every person must follow the same rules. 

Here are some definitions and examples of your rights: 

Safety: You have the right to be safe at home, at work and in the community. Canopy Support Services will do everything we can to try and make sure you have all of the information you need to keep safe. 

Relationships: You have the right to choose the relationships you have in your life. 

Privacy: Any information about you is your own business. This means you don’t have to tell other people about your information. Noone can share any information about you without asking you if they can share it. This is called consent. You can consent to someone sharing all of your information, or you can consent to someone sharing only some of your information. 

Dignity: Dignity and respect mean that you are a valuable person and deserve to be treated as a valued person by everyone else. No one has the right to treat you badly. No one should yell at you or hurt you. 

Equality: You have the right to be treated the same as everyone else. You shouldn’t be treated badly just because you are different than someone else. It doesn’t matter what you look like, where you live, where you come from, or any other way you are different. 

Making Decisions: You have the right to decide all of the important things that will happen in your life. 

Having Choices: You have the right to make choices. You have the right to say “no” to anything you don’t want to do. You can make choices about where you want to live, who you are friends with, how you spend your money, and what supports you would like from Canopy Support Services and other agencies. 

Self-Advocacy: You have the right to stand up for yourself and your rights, and the rights of others if you think you are being treated unfairly. 

Respectful Support: You have the right to be respected for who you are and what you want. 

Responsibilities: Having rights means you also have to remember that everyone else has the same rights as you! You can’t take away someone else’s rights, or hurt them. Even though you have the right to make all of your own decisions, you need to make sure you have all of the information that you can get so you make the best decisions for yourself.