The old saying “two heads are better than one.” references the concept that two people are more likely to solve a problem or think of an idea than one person working alone. This same thought applies to the work of abuse prevention.  Not only does the phrase apply to solving problems and thinking of new ideas, but it also captures the concept of accountability, which is critical to achieving a high standard of protection. 

Literature on volunteer management strongly recommends annual performance evaluations for volunteers. Plan to Protect® recommends that volunteers be provided an opportunity on an annual basis to give feedback and receive review of their unique contribution to the organization. A review is one component of a strong screening process. Our recommendation is that the Supervisor do Volunteer Reviews annually, over a cup of coffee, tea or better still demonstrate your appreciation with a meal. Celebrate!

Katherine is a 72-year-old, dearly loved volunteer at Rapid City Community Centre. She has hardly missed a week of volunteering in forty years. She is the first face that children and parents see when they come to the Centre for Saturday morning play. She serves as registrar and snack coordinator. 

On “bad weather days,” she is one of the first people to arrive at the Centre greeting families. It is on these days that Katherine makes hot chocolate and homemade oatmeal cookies for the families. It is often said, “If you don’t get along with Katherine, it is your fault.” 

Reality television shows have become the rage in the past ten years. One that has intrigued me is “Undercover Boss.” Each episode features a high-ranking executive or the Owner of a corporation, going undercover as an entry-level employee in their firm to investigate how the company really works and to identify how it can be improved; as well, to reward the hard working staff. The executive alters his/her appearance and assumes an alias and fictional back-story. The fictitious explanation given for the accompanying camera crew is that the executive is being filmed as part of a documentary about entry-level workers in a particular industry. The “new employee” spends approximately one-week undercover, working in various areas of the company’s operations with a different job and, in most cases, a different location each day. The employee is exposed to a series of predicaments with amusing results and invariably spends time getting to know the people who work in the company, learning about their professional and personal challenges.

It was one of the hottest days of summer, when a group of young people piled into three cars and headed to Cedar Point, Ohio …. The Rollercoaster Capital of the World®.  It was the first week of June, the temperature was close to 90 farenheit degrees, and the students had just finished their exams eager to celebrate that school was out for the summer.  The event organizers were made up of church sponsors of a community youth group located approximately four hours outside of Sandusky.  Their intention was to spend two days at the Park and camp overnight at a local campground.

We heard about the outing the following week when we received a phone call from one of our clients asking for input on an incident that had happened at the park. 

One of the greatest challenges I face in my role, is helping our clients view Plan to Protect® as an initiative to help accomplish the objectives or goals of their charity or corporation.  Every corporation and charity has identified object clauses that describe the kind of work the corporation or charity will do. A corporation can then carry out activities described in their object(s).

According to the National Post, the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association this week sent coaches an email noting restrictions on when men can be in dressing rooms, a ban on social media interactions, and strict rules regarding email communication. 

Though I can appreciate restrictions being put in place, knowing they will reduce the risk of abuse, I wonder if some restrictions have not gone too far.  The Toronto girls hockey league also told coaches they cannot touch players on the bench — not even on their helmets. 

I can remember participating on a panel of experts representing different professional positions discussing the topic of abuse prevention among the vulnerable sector.  The question was asked “There have been many changes and additions to the standard of protection over the course of the last fifteen years…. When will it come to an end! Have we seen the last of the additional requirements that will be placed on us? What else could be missing?"

When we work and volunteer in organizations that serve the vulnerable sector (children, youth, and vulnerable adults), it is inevitable that we are participating in activities with heightened risks.  When deciding on the activities that are higher risk activities, whose responsibility is it to decide?

When Plan to Protect® was first written, in 1996, our focus was on the protection of children.  In 2000, we recognized that not only did children require protection when placed in the position of care of others, but youth also needed that same standard of protection. Over the course of the last five years we have increasingly seen the need to provide that same standard of protection to vulnerable adults and the elderly.  As North American's age, we are reading of a great number of individuals that are being exploited during the last years of their life.