Geographical Areas

SUGGESTED STIGMA-FREE ZONE CRITERIA

1. Canadian based federal, provincial, and municipal areas are eligible to become a Stigma-Free Zone based on a long-term demonstrated commitment by the Stigma-Free Community Champion(s) who lead the designation of a Stigma-Free Zone designation in their geographical area.
2. The Stigma-Free Community Champion is ideally a Member of Parliament (MP) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), mayor or another community leader as supported by these individuals.
3. Community Champion(s) host a Stigma-Free event such as a community presentation and have one of the Society’s speakers share their personal journey about facing great obstacles in the face of stigma, whilst promoting a stigma-free culture. The Stigma-Free Community Champion(s) invites leaders in their area such as school district/school staff, politicians from all levels of government, business owners, non-profits, government and the general public. These people are invited by the Community Champion(s) to an event to learn about the Community Champion’(s) commitment to having their geographical area become a Stigma-Free Zone in future.
4. The community event offers the opportunity to have all participants take the stigma-free pledge and stigma-free tool online to demonstrate their commitment and they also share this valuable information with their staff and chosen organizations.
5. The community event offers a platform for the Stigma-Free Community Champion(s) to announce and receive the honor of being given a Stigma-Free Zone plaque at the event that highlights that the riding is in progress and undergoing activities to have the geographical area designated as a Stigma-Free Zone in future. The MP, MLA and/or mayor then displays their chosen amount of stigma-free zone materials such as plaques, poster(s) and/or window decals to display at their offices, which promotes the stigma-free zone culture.
6. The Stigma-Free Community Champion(s) partner with the Stigma-Free Task Force and distribute the monthly or quarterly “Stigma-Free Check-ins” to their mailing list to working towards having the geographical space designated as a stigma-free zone. Organizations are expected to distribute the Society’s selected and brief stigma-free media content for these check-ins at a minimum of four times per year to progress toward the stigma-free zone designation. These various media pieces that will come in a simple format such as a blog, brief video clip, article, among additional mediums that promote a stigma-free culture in their geographical area.
7. Upon receiving the stigma-free zone materials, the Community Champions commits to working with the Stigma-Free Zone Task Force upon receiving the honor of undertaking activities that are meaningful, thoughtful and tailored to their respective communities. The Community Champion(s) make a strong commitment to undertake defined activities in the riding in a long-term plan and agree to report back on their progress on an annual basis at a community event in their riding.

We are open to hearing from you about your thoughts and ideas for designating stigma-free zones as this movement is in its developing stages. We support and encourage you in maintaining a stigma-free zone that promotes awareness, understanding and acceptance. Please feel free to Contact Us and we look forward to your innovative and creative ideas!