Anti-Racism Policy

We are Life By Design – Our Commitment to Anti-Racism

At Life By Design, we have zero tolerance for racism and are committed and willing to stand up to fight for justice and highlight wrongdoing. We are a family, and as the Bible declares, “no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family” (Ephesians 2:19). We are sisters and brothers who belong and grow together, to see the kingdom expand. No one is excluded and everyone, no matter what they look like or their background, has the opportunity to take their place in God’s family and make a valuable contribution to Life By Design.

We value the richness that comes with racial and ethnic diversity and desire to create a true sense of belonging for our church family and anyone touched by our mission to go from one to many. All people are made in the image of God, and in the Bible, God proclaims that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) The Bible also tells us that God shows no partiality: “Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism” (Acts 10:34)

Therefore, we believe in justice and equality for all, in line with what the Bible teaches on these matters. As Christians, we stand for love and justice. It is not enough for us to say that racism is bad; our faith compels us to speak up and take action against oppression and injustice. Life By Design takes on the responsibility of being anti-racist, intertwining this with the outworking of our mission, values and vision.

Life By Design is active in our local communities and wants to commit to being part of the solution and a role-model organization in reflecting the diversity of these communities and giving opportunity to anyone, regardless of the colour of their skin.


2. What personal data we collect and why we collect it

With your consent, we may collect the following information from a variety of sources, including filling in an online form on the website (our website cannot collect this information without your knowledge and consent), providing your details over the phone or in an email to any of the staff team, by filling in a paper contact card at church, by registering your child for one of our programs check-in, by signing up to an event, through face to face meetings with one of our team, making an online donation or a purchase from our online shop:

  • Your name
  • Your date of birth
  • Contact information including email address
  • Your child/children’s name(s), date of birth and contact information
  • Financial information
  • Anonymous requests


We require this information to understand your needs, provide you with a better service and in particular for the following reasons:

  • Internal record keeping
  • We may use the information to improve our products and services
  • Financial services, including the administering of Gift Aid


We may periodically send promotional emails about events or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided. Life By Design may collect and store special category data such as health information and religious information relating to pastoral support activities or attend courses, which fulfill the legitimate interests of Life By Design as a religious organization. We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so.

Scope

This policy applies to all staff team members, volunteers, partners, regular attenders and anyone who is reached by the work of Life By Design.

Taking Action

Life By Design is committed to taking positive action to increase the diversity, inclusion and representation of all people across the Church and urges individuals to personally commit to antiracism in their own lives and spheres of influence.

Being racist or anti-racist is not about who we are; it is about what we do. Anti-racism results from conscious decisions to make consistent, equitable choices daily. These choices require ongoing self-awareness and self-reflection as we move through life.

The continued efforts of each of us individually can add up to a lasting change in our society. Since racism operates at individual, societal, and institutional levels, anti-racist choices must be taken in each of these levels to eradicate racism from the structures and fabric of our society.

What can you do about it?
  • Get into Prayer about it
  • Be Aware: Read up and learn. Read books and watch videos that will help you to understand this issue more deeply.
  • Be intentional about developing meaningful relationships with people who are not the same colour/background/culture as you
  • Act: Speak out when you see injustice and racism taking place – raise an official concern, blow the whistle
  • Have more conversations about race, skin colour and personal experiences. Be a good listener. Be more comfortable with being uncomfortable.
What will Life By Design do?
  • Commitment to thoughtful and conscious diversity
  • Financial support for relevant community organisations
  • Regular training in the form of collaboration and/or diversity & inclusion and/or unconscious bias training
  • Address, equip and engage our church family on the theology of equality and justice and share testimonies and stories to this end

Support & Well Being

Life By design has a Listening Service for people who need a safe space to talk.

The Life By Design leadership staff is available for more complex needs.For more information on how we can be of help, email lifebydesignwc@yahoo.com or call us at (416) 946.1426.