Community Guidelines
To maintain a safe, welcoming, and psychologically secure environment for everyone, all members and volunteers must adhere to these foundational principles.
1. Radical Respect & Non-Judgment
We meet people where they are. Do not offer unsolicited medical advice, moral judgments, or attempt to "fix" someone's feelings. Validate their experience.
2. Strict Confidentiality
What is shared in a 1-on-1 session or a group circle stays there. Do not screenshot, record, or share personal stories of other members outside the community.
3. Trigger Warnings (TW)
When discussing sensitive topics (e.g., self-harm, assault, eating disorders) in group settings, please preface your message with a clear Trigger Warning so others can protect their own peace.
4. No Promotional Content
YANA is a sanctuary. Spam, self-promotion, or selling services/products within peer groups is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate removal.
Mandatory Escalation Pathways
YANA provides peer emotional support, not clinical emergency care. We have a moral and ethical obligation to protect human life.
The "What If" Scenario
If a community member explicitly expresses an active intent to harm themselves or others, or describes an ongoing emergency situation where life is at immediate risk, our peer volunteers are mandated to:
- Pause the standard peer-listening protocol.
- Warmly and firmly guide the member to professional crisis resources.
- Involve YANA lead facilitators to ensure a safe handoff to national helplines (e.g., 1926 or 1333).
Please note: This is the only exception to our strict confidentiality rule. We will break confidentiality only to save a life.