POIETO builds technology shaped through relationship, not extraction. That is not a tagline — it is an operating principle. The people who come to our programs have often been shaped by institutions that extracted from them: their data, their stories, their trust, their safety. We exist to do something different. That requires us to hold ourselves to a standard that is unambiguous, enforced without exception, and grounded in genuine care rather than liability management.
POIETO INC has a zero tolerance policy for sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct perpetrated against participants, children, or any other vulnerable persons in our care or under our supervision. This policy applies without exception to all POIETO staff, teaching artists, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers, and any person acting on behalf of POIETO INC in any capacity.
Zero tolerance means there are no circumstances under which sexual abuse, exploitation, or misconduct is acceptable, excusable, or subject to discretion. It means:
This policy protects all persons who participate in POIETO programs, including:
California law requires mandatory reporting of known or suspected child abuse to the appropriate law enforcement agency or child protective services. Certain POIETO personnel are designated mandated reporters under California Penal Code §11165 et seq. This legal obligation exists independently of and in addition to this policy. Mandated reporters must report — they may not defer to organizational leadership or wait for an internal investigation to conclude before reporting.
No internal process delays a mandated report. If you are a mandated reporter and you have reasonable suspicion of abuse, you report. You notify POIETO leadership as well, but the report to authorities comes first.
This Zero Tolerance Statement was adopted by POIETO INC and is effective June 2026. It is reviewed annually and distributed to all personnel at hire and at each annual policy review.
POIETO INC recognizes that a warm, humanizing program environment is central to our work. Healing-centered practice involves genuine care. This policy does not prohibit warmth — it defines what warmth looks like within safe, appropriate boundaries.
All physical contact between POIETO personnel and participants must be:
Participants may initiate contact that falls outside the "appropriate" list above (for example, a full hug). Staff may use judgment in brief, public moments while redirecting warmly toward less physical forms of connection. Staff are never required to physically rebuff a participant — but should not reciprocate contact that exceeds these guidelines.
POIETO serves participants from diverse cultural backgrounds where norms around physical greeting and expression vary. This policy sets a floor for safety, not a ceiling for warmth. When in doubt, staff should follow the participant's lead while remaining within these guidelines.
When it feels wrong, it probably is. If a physical interaction makes you uncomfortable — as the staff person — you are permitted to redirect immediately and without explanation. Trust your instincts. Report anything that concerns you.
Violations of this policy are treated as serious professional misconduct. Depending on severity, violations may result in corrective action, suspension, or immediate termination. Any violation involving sexual contact or exploitation triggers the Zero Tolerance Statement (§1) and mandatory reporting obligations.
POIETO personnel may not engage in personal relationships with program participants outside the program setting. This boundary protects both participants and staff. It is not a judgment on participants or their circumstances — it is a professional boundary that all staff are required to maintain regardless of participant age.
POIETO serves participants aged 18 and over. For many participants \u2014 particularly those who are unhoused or have unstable contact information \u2014 social media including direct messaging is a primary and sometimes only reliable form of communication. POIETO's policy reflects that reality while maintaining clear standards for appropriate conduct.
If a POIETO staff member encounters a participant outside the program setting (in a store, on the street, at a community event), the staff member should:
POIETO personnel may not transport participants in personal vehicles. If a participant needs transportation assistance, staff should connect them with partner site resources or refer to Christine Meinders. No exceptions without written authorization from Christine Meinders.
Romantic or sexual relationships between POIETO personnel and current program participants are prohibited without exception. This prohibition applies regardless of participant age (participants in this program are adults), because the power differential inherent in the staff-participant relationship makes meaningful consent impossible within that context. A relationship of this nature discovered during or after the program period is grounds for immediate termination.
When a participant discloses a personal crisis: You are not their therapist or emergency contact. Listen, express care, and connect them to partner site resources or Samuel-Joey Alleyne. Do not attempt to manage the situation alone or outside the program setting.
POIETO personnel are never to be alone with a lone participant. This is a hard rule. It protects participants from potential abuse, and it protects staff from false allegations. There are no exceptions.
At all times during POIETO program activities, at least two adults who are not participants must be present, OR program activities must occur in a space that is:
For the partner site program: The art room door remains open at all times. partner site staff are present in the building during all sessions. This combination satisfies the standard.
If another participant, staff member, or site person is not present, move the conversation to a hallway, common area, or any space visible to others. Do this naturally, without making the participant feel they have done something wrong.
If you cannot relocate, open the door fully. Position yourself so others can see you. Do not close any door when alone with a participant.
If a situation occurs where you were unexpectedly alone with a participant — even briefly, even if nothing inappropriate happened — text or call Christine Meinders () the same day and describe what happened. This protects you as much as it protects the participant.
You are "alone" with a participant when:
You are not "alone" when:
One-on-one digital communication with a participant (text, DM, email) should be treated as a version of "alone." Whenever possible, include another POIETO staff in the communication chain, or use a group channel. Private one-on-one written communication with participants should be documented and reported to Christine if it involves anything sensitive.
If all other participants have left and one participant remains at the close of a session, the teaching artist should:
This section is written for participants. It is distributed to all program participants and posted in program spaces. Plain language is intentional.
POIETO's work is grounded in consent — real consent, not a signature on a form. That means you have the right to name when something has gone wrong. It means we listen. It means nothing happens to your participation in this program because you spoke up. Speaking up is how we stay accountable, and accountability is how this works.
If someone in this program — a teaching artist, a staff person, or anyone associated with POIETO — has done something that made you feel unsafe, violated, or disrespected, you have the right to report it. You will be believed. You will not be punished for reporting. You will not lose your spot in the program for speaking up. Your voice here is part of how this program governs itself.
You can report in any of these ways. You do not have to use your name if you don't want to.
You do not have to go through POIETO. You can contact any of these directly at any time:
POIETO staff are mandatory reporters under California law. This means that if a staff member learns of abuse, they are legally required to report it to authorities — even if you ask them not to. This is not a choice staff can make. We tell you this so you know what to expect — not to discourage you from speaking up. Speaking up is always the right move.
Confidentiality: POIETO will keep your report as confidential as the law allows. We will not share your name with anyone outside the investigation unless you consent or the law requires it.
This procedure applies whenever POIETO receives an allegation, disclosure, or report of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or inappropriate behavior by POIETO personnel against a participant or other person. It applies regardless of how the allegation is received — in person, in writing, via a third party, or anonymously.
The person named in the allegation is removed from all participant contact immediately — before any finding is made, before any investigation is complete. This is not a determination of guilt. It is a protective measure. Ginny Song (COO) makes this call; if Ginny is the subject of the allegation, Christine Meinders makes this call.
The person who made the report or disclosed the abuse is offered immediate support. They are not questioned at length. They are told what will happen next. They are connected to support resources if they want them.
Ginny Song (COO) or Christine Meinders assesses whether the allegation triggers a mandatory report to DCFS (800-540-4000) or law enforcement. If there is any doubt, the report is made. Mandated reporters do not wait for internal investigation to complete. The report is made within the legally required timeframe (immediately or within 36 hours depending on nature of the allegation).
Per Contract the applicable contract, all health and safety concerns must be reported to the applicable program funder contact immediately. Christine Meinders provides written notification within 24 hours of receiving the allegation.
POIETO's Sexual Misconduct Liability carrier (The Hartford or applicable carrier) is notified of the allegation within 24 hours per policy terms.
A written record is created: date and time the allegation was received, by whom, the nature of the allegation (summarized — do not transcribe verbatim disclosures), steps taken, notifications made, and names of all people involved in the response. This record is stored securely.
POIETO will conduct an internal investigation in parallel with any law enforcement or DCFS investigation. The internal investigation does not impede or precede official investigations — it runs alongside them. Key principles:
Retaliation against any person who reported an allegation — whether the report was substantiated or not — is prohibited and is itself grounds for termination. This applies to retaliation by any POIETO personnel, including the accused.
All records related to an allegation and the response to it are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years, regardless of outcome, in a secure file accessible only to POIETO leadership and counsel.
By signing below, I confirm that I have received, read, and understood all six sections of POIETO INC's Safe Interaction and Abuse Prevention Policy Package. I understand my obligations under these policies and my mandatory reporting obligations under California law.
Acknowledged and adopted on behalf of POIETO INC: