Taraloka Concerns and Complaints Policy and Procedure
Taraloka Buddhist Retreat Centre aims to act ethically and with integrity. It seeks to put into practice the key Buddhist ethical principles of kindness, generosity, contentment, truthfulness and awareness.
We recognise that it is vital to the wellbeing of the Charity and to all who come to the Retreat Centre that we recognise and respond to concerns and complaints. We therefore take them seriously and endeavour to handle them in a sensitive, prompt and fair manner. We also welcome and recognise the value of feedback, and see concerns and complaints in this light, as opportunities to improve what we offer, taking any actions required to prevent further problems from reoccurring.
Every effort will be taken to treat all those involved fairly and respectfully.
The process will be conducted by Taraloka in a timely way, moving forward with reasonable speed. Complainants will also be required to take part in the process in a timely way, for example, by responding promptly to requests for further communication.
What’s the difference between a concern and a complaint?
From time-to-time people may have a concern which may not be a complaint.
A concern may be defined as ‘an expression of worry or doubt over an issue considered to be important for which reassurances are sought’.
A complaint may be defined as ‘an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about actions taken or a lack of action’.
This policy is designed to address concerns and complaints.
Conflicts
Conflicts between people are probably inevitable. They can take the form of a disagreement or a misunderstanding. They are generally interpersonal arising from a difference in style, opinion or approach. They can contribute to an ongoing difficult relationship or relate to an isolated dispute.
Conflicts can be creative and fruitful. They can also be disruptive and undermining, causing ongoing distress to an individual, a group of people and even the Buddhist Centre as a whole.
Though you are welcome to approach a member of the team for help with a conflict, the concerns/complaints procedure may not be applicable. In this case, there may be other methods to resolve difficulties such as mediation.
Discretion
Experience has shown that it is extremely important to share information only with those who need to know. Much disquiet and harm may result if information circulates before the complaint is explored / investigated and the facts are independently established. We therefore will request that everybody involved in the process maintains confidentiality in this regard.
However, we do not want to leave the complainant or the person(s) against whom the complaint has been made (respondent) isolated and unsupported because of the need for confidentiality. So an appropriate person or group of people can be appointed to support the complainant and they can share as fully as they like with this person/group of people. The respondent will also be given the opportunity to identify a member of the sangha to support them and act as an advocate on their behalf throughout the exploration / investigation of the complaint. None of the individuals involved in supporting a complainant or respondent can be a trustee of the Taraloka because the trustees’ role is to make a decision on the case, or at least be available to do so.
Raising a concern
Most concerns at Taraloka can be resolved directly in discussion with the person leading the activity or event. The first step of our concerns and complaints procedure is for an individual to attempt to resolve the problem in dialogue. In some cases, it won’t be clear who to speak to. In this case, you can contact the Chair, Maitridevi and she will suggest the person to address the issue you have raised.
Contact details
You can either phone the Retreat Centre on 01948 710646 and ask to speak to Maitridevi, or email her at dh.maitridevi@gmail.com
If you can’t resolve the issue directly, please get in touch with Maitridevi. She can help you to take the next step, to move to the informal complaints procedure.
Informal complaints procedure
If you would like to enter the informal complaints procedure, contact the Chair (currently Maitridevi) or, if the complaint relates to the Chair, Saddhanandi (one of our external trustees). Saddhanandi can be contacted by email at saddhanandi@adhisthana.org
The first step will be to assess whether Taraloka can take responsibility for the complaint. It may be possible for Taraloka to help but without feeling accountable nonetheless. In some cases, there might be a more appropriate person or group where the complaint should be taken and if that is the case, the complainant will be re-directed to them.
Once that assessment has been done and Taraloka feels it can respond, the Chair will find a member of the team who is most acquainted with the area of work that the matter relates to. They become the complaint co-ordinator.
All efforts will be made to assist a complainant in resolving the complaint informally, prior to initiation of the formal Complaints Procedure. A complaint may be made verbally or in writing.
If, after discussing it with the complaint co-ordinator, the complainant feels satisfied, the complaint need go no further, although a record of the complaint will be made for future reference in a secure filing system which is only accessible to the people managing the complaint.
Formal Complaints Policy and Procedure
If the complaint has not been satisfactorily addressed at the informal level, or it is deemed too serious to be dealt with at that level, the formal complaints procedure can be used. The complaint should be put in writing to the Chair and this will be acknowledged, in writing, upon receipt.
It’s helpful if the complainant gives as much detail as possible, including the dates, who was involved and all the circumstances leading up to their complaint being made. Please also attach copies of any previous correspondence sent and/or responses received that are relevant to the complaint being made.
The complaint co-ordinator will interview the complainant, the person about whom the complaint has been made, and any other relevant witnesses, face-to-face or by phone, and will record all interviews in writing. The records should be signed by the interviewee wherever this is possible.
An advocate or supporter may accompany the complainant to any meeting about the issue. This individual must not be a trustee of Taraloka.
The next part of the process will involve the Chair and two trustees coming to a decision based on the work of the complaints co-ordinator. The Chair will write to the complainant explaining the findings and this communication will include details of the appeals procedure. The person who has been complained about (if specific to a person) will also receive feedback in writing.
The person(s) against whom the complaint has been made will be given the opportunity to identify a member of the sangha to support them and act as an advocate on their behalf throughout the exploration / investigation of the complaint. This individual must not be a trustee of Taraloka.
Where a complaint is found to be valid, the person(s) against whom the complaint was made will be expected and encouraged to address their ethical behaviour within their Chapter, with their preceptors and/or with the regional Order convenor (if they are an
Order member), with those who have direct responsibility for their ordination process (if they are a Mitra seeking ordination), or with the appropriate Mitra convenor (if they are a friend or Mitra not seeking ordination).
In some instances, the Trustees may decide to form an ethics panel which could impose sanctions such as a suspension or expulsion from Taraloka. This will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and will require a decision by the Council (all trustees) of Taraloka.
Note that if the Chair or any other Trustee is implicated in the complaint, they will be absented from the process / discussion.
Appeal process
If the above measures do not satisfactorily resolve the complaint from the complainant’s point of view, the complainant can write to the Chair requesting an appeal.
The Chair will initiate a meeting of three trustees not so far involved in the process to form an appeal panel. They will review the documentation of the case so far.
The complainant will then be invited to make written or oral submissions to the appeal panel. The complainant should be fully informed about the members of the appeal panel and aware of their right to be accompanied by another person when meeting with the panel.
The decision of the appeal panel is final.
Agreed by Taraloka Buddhist Retreat Centre Trustees 13th March 2026