The Seven Principles of Community Action

• Opening Doors and Leading the Way

We provide access to the opportunities people need to improve their lives, to help themselves and each other.

• Turning Hope Into Reality

We identify the needs of the entire community, collaborate with others in the community, and take action to improve life for everyone in the community.

• Empathizing

Our staff and volunteers are from the community in which they serve.

• Treating People with Respect

We treat people the way we want to be treated.

• Saying "Yes"

If we do not provide the needed service, we will link you to those who do.

• Giving a Voice to the Poor

Through our advocacy, we seek to make society more flexible and responsive to the needs of the poor.

• Mirroring the Diversity of our Communities

Our local boards include low-income representatives, local public officials, business and community groups.

The Community Action Code of Ethics

We, as community action professionals, dedicate ourselves to eliminating poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation by opening the opportunity for education and training; the opportunity for work; and the opportunity to live in decency and dignity; and with respect for cultural diversity, commit ourselves to:

• Recognize that the chief function of the community action movement at all times is to serve the best interests of the poor, thereby serving the best interests of all people.
• Accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to conduct ourselves with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
• Respect the structure and responsibilities of the board of directors, provide them with facts and advice as a basis for making their policy decisions, and uphold and implement policies adopted by the board of directors.
• Keep the community informed about issues affecting the poor; facilitate communication by the poor with locally elected public officials and the private sector.
• Conduct our organizational and operational duties with positive leadership exemplified by open communication, creativity, dedication, and compassion.
• Exercise whatever discretionary authority we have under the law to promote the interests of the poor.
• Lead the community action movement with respect, concern, courtesy, and responsiveness, recognizing that service to the poor is beyond service to oneself.
• Demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty, and fortitude in all our community action activities in order to inspire confidence and trust in the community action movement.
• Service in such a way that we do not realize undue personal gain from the performance of our professional duties.
• Avoid any interest or activity that is in conflict with the conduct of official duties.
• Respect and protect privileged information to which we have access in the course of official duties.
• Strive for professional excellence and encourage the professional development of our associates, including those seeking to become certified community action professional.