The basic house rules are:

No Hate.
No Violence.
No Drugs.
RESPECT. (Yourself, Others and The Hub).

Everyone who comes inside The Bristol Hub signs a promise that says

The Hub Staff promise to make The Hub a safe place to hang out in, and to make it better and better all the time. To do that they made this agreement that helps me understand what the rules are at The Hub.

To come to The Hub I have to make a promise to help keep it a safe and comfortable place.

By signing this paper, I promise that I will:

Always respect the building and the people and things in it;

I will never threaten or cause violence to anyone and will never purposefully hurt someone else’s feelings;

I will never throw anything inside the building;

I will never use hate speech (the N-word, “fag,” and words like them);

I will never steal anything from anybody or The Hub;

I will never damage The Hub or Recreation Field or act like I might damage it;

I will clean up after myself;

I will always get permission and sign-out the Hub things that I want to borrow and will return them or have to replace them;

I will never smoke cigarettes, vape, do drugs or have alcohol on the Recreation Field property, which I know is everything inside the fence, including The Hub, the skatepark, Big Red, the skating rink, dugouts, and ball fields;

I will ALWAYS listen to the Hub’s staff the first time they say or ask anything and understand that whatever they say is the rule because they run it;

I understand that if I break any part of this promise I will lose the privilege of coming into the Hub or onto the Recreation Field, including the skatepark, Big Red, and the skating rink. I understand that the Hub Staff will not let me in the building if break this promise.

Policies

Below is a list of The Hub’s policies and procedures. For us, maintaining clear and fair rules – and upholding those rules – is paramount for maintaining a safe and respectful environment. Though our policies below will be followed in every instance, we also recognize that each case is unique and we are always willing to have the teens defend themselves before we make any punitive motions. Though we value rules and the reasons they are created, there is nothing more important to us than communicating compassionately and productively with our teens and community.

 

Ages:

The Hub serves youth and teens age 12-19. The Hub serves as a community center, making its resources, (including the bathroom) available to visitors and to groups for meetings.

Language and general conduct:

Teens on the skatepark and inside The Hub are expected to behave respectfully of each other and the public, including our neighbors. The staff interacts with teens at The Hub, modeling behavior and coaching kids through errors in judgement relating to behavior and language. We recognize that teens sometimes swear, however we have conversations about when and where it is appropriate to use harsh language, and what kind of language is NEVER appropriate. We want teens to understand the consequences of their actions and utilize the Hub as a space to practice self-censoring skills so they are able to navigate the world adhering to the widely accepted social contracts that bind us all. 

Drugs and Alcohol Policy 

The Bristol Hub is a drug free center that believes in and advocates for prevention, cessation, and harm reduction. We work closely with The Turning Point Center of Addison County and try to have a recovery coach at the Hub at least one day a week for teens to connect with, build relationships, and be available for the hard conversations as they come up. The Hub is also a member of the Addison County Substance Use and Prevention Coalition. 

That being said, use or possession of tobacco, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, illegal substances or drug paraphernalia are prohibited. Failure to observe this prohibition may result in suspension or expulsion from the Hub. We strive to work with teens that are struggling with substance use to offer recovery and cessation resources and support as they navigate addiction and seek alternative coping mechanisms.