APOLOGY: On behalf of Plan to Protect®, we want to apologize that if during Covid your phone messages have not been returned. Like many of you, during the past eight months most of our team has been working from home. Unfortunately, we have recently discovered that some of your messages were not being recorded. We sincerely apologize, please call again, we have missed you!
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Risk increases to the vulnerable sector when there is an imbalance of power, authority, influence and control. We teach this principle as a means of reducing the risk of injury, harm and abuse.
According to Dr. Ben Benjamin there are natural power differentials in many (but not all) relationships, including those between parent and child, teacher and student, employer and employee, and, of course, health care practitioner and clients. Parents, teachers, employers, clergy and health care practitioners have the more powerful positions. They are the authority figures whose actions, by virtue of their roles, directly affect the well-being of the other. The child, student, employee, congregant and client are in the more vulnerable position. In theory and ethical practice, the power differential exists for the purpose of bringing benefit to these more vulnerable individuals; that is, the child's well-being should be enhanced by a parent's care, the employee should benefit from the employer's management, and so on.
During the month of November, we will be raising awareness of power differentials, in our social media posts, blogs, podcasts and training. Will you join us as we learn how to avoid this land mine which could, if not avoided, end us in court.
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Ten Ways to Land in Court over Sexual Harassment |
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Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, Al Franken—and the list goes on. High-profile sexual harassment allegations have shaken up Hollywood, the media, and politics. But don’t think that this trend is confined to celebrities. They are not the only ones who can, and do, abuse power. Sexual harassment by employees, if not dealt with swiftly, can create a toxic work environment as well as land even small organizations in hot water. In light of this timely topic, here are ten easy ways to end up in court over sexual harassment. Topics in this “what not to do” list are examples taken from actual cases.
Before diving into this list, it is important to remember when organizations can be held legally liable for sexual harassment that happens to their employees. A key defense exists to sexual harassment liability for organizations, called the Faragher/Ellerth defense. In order to take advantage of this defense, an organization must prove “(a) that the employer exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any sexually harassing behavior, and (b) that the plaintiff employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of any preventative or corrective opportunities provided by the employer or to avoid harm otherwise.” 1 With that in mind, let’s dive into the list, as many of these easy ways to fail are ways to lose this defense.
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Submissions Wanted! Safety Writing Contest |
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Do you know a young person that loves to write?
We are holding a writing contest for children. Authors must be under 18 years of age, and a student in Elementary or High School. We are seeking children’s books on a topic that relates to safety and protection.
Extended Deadline: Submit entries by December 15, 2020 by 9:00 pm ET to [email protected]
When submitting use SUBJECT LINE: Safety Writing Contest
Include your story, suggested illustrations, name, age of author, name of sponsoring adult, contact information (name, phone number and email address) of sponsoring adult.
Winners will be announced in our January 2021 newsletter.
Entries for the Competition are by reading age:
· Picture Book,
· Chapter Book,
· Middle Grade or
· Young Adult
Maximum length of an entry is 1,500 words.
Three top prizes will be awarded:
1) Scholarship of $500 to the #1 Winning Recipient
2) Scholarship of $250 to the #2 Winning Recipient
3) $100 Amazon Gift card to the #3 runner up
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Free for Members
Click on a training title to register
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Special Interest: Sexual Harassment and Power Differentials |
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The existence of sexual harassment and misconduct in even the most trusted of organizations is a bitter pill to swallow.
This webinar is designed for employers, staff, clergy, and Board Members, etc. Melodie Bissell, President and CEO of Plan to Protect®, will share best practices and recommended policies and protocols that will address power differentials. Having policies in place will protect those who are vulnerable to an imbalance of power in the workplace, and among your clients, patients, volunteers and staff. Let’s raise the bar on protection!
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Avoid Holiday Cybercrime: A Scam & Fraud Prevention Seminar for Seniors and their Families |
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This holiday season, Plan to Protect® brings you the knowledge to protect yourself and your family against identity theft, fraud and online scams. With the vast majority of shopping taking place online this pandemic year, this information is more important than ever. And who better to learn from than the author of the Canadian Cyberfraud Handbook, an official book from respected publisher Thomson Reuters. Join us for this free seminar presented by certified cybersecurity and privacy expert Claudiu Popa and:
- Learn about the top 5 Holiday Scams so you can avoid them
- Get 10 expert tips for surviving fraud attempts by phone and email
- Find free tools that help secure your data and keep you safe
This holiday season, don't be a victim. Join Plan to Protect® and Claudiu Popa from the KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation for a light and informative workshop designed to keep your holidays festive!
This is a complimentary webinar.
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Did you know? You are not a member! |
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But if you were, you could...register free of charge for monthly Special Interest Webinars, as well as get access to past editions in the Member Section of the website at any time. All this and more when you become a member. Our Member Section also offers exclusive access to training, support, policy updates, resources, and more.
A membership with Plan to Protect® can make all the difference. And in November, you can purchase the Implementation Membership with one month free PLUS double on-line training registrations! See November Special at the end of this newsletter for more information.
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Plan to Protect® Welcomes New Staff: |
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Marlene Hawley joined Plan to Protect® in October 2020 as Director of Member Care and Recruitment and is committed to helping people and organizations.
She has gained experience in different roles throughout her career with Private and Non-Profit organizations. She knows she is truly blessed to be able to serve alongside committed colleagues at Plan to Protect® that serve and protect the most vulnerable with care and compassion by providing services towards building up people and communities.
Outside of the office Marlene loves family life, quiet mornings reading with a warm cup of coffee as well as learning. Marlene attained a degree in Labour Studies and Sociology from York University, yet the greatest education and transformation of her life took place in 2012 which has provided her with eternal hope, peace and purpose.
Marlene welcomes the opportunity to learn more about you and your organization and the people in your care.
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Charlie Smith-Brake joined Plan to Protect® in October 2020, as Director of Policy, Consulting and Communications.
Charlie joins our team upon returning from close to a decade overseas where he worked with Chab Dai Coalition, an anti-trafficking in persons organization in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, as Operations Senior Manager. He spent two years in the Solomon Islands as a trailing spouse and stay-at-home dad. He merges his passion for protecting the vulnerable with a clear understanding of the pre-employment screening sector from his earlier work at BackCheck Canada.
Charlie studied International Development at Canadian Mennonite University. He has two daughters, who he loves and protects fiercely, and is committed to winning the “best sense of humor” award at Plan to Protect®… even if he has to resort to puns.
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FAQ: What does power differential or imbalance of power mean? |
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Answer: When we refer to an imbalance of power or power differential, we are referring to the inherently greater power and influence that helping professionals have, as compared to the people they help. Or, it can also include the differential of power that a Pastor or Priest has over congregation members, a Teacher has over their students, a Doctor over their patients, a Parent over their children, an Employer over their employees. Often licensing bodies provide written codes for ethical behavior which are based on the strong positive and negative impacts of this power differential. One of the principles of reducing the risk of injury, harm and abuse, is recognizing and addressing the imbalance of power, and establishing policies, procedures, and codes of conduct, to address this differential. When there is an abuse of power it could result in harassment and bullying to occur. During 2020 we have witnessed the devastating impact of an imbalance of power when law enforcement uses their power to cause undue force on individuals.
Leaders can reduce the risk of this from occurring by having clear definitions, policies (i.e., whistleblower), procedures, screening, and training in place. Leaders should also identify the power differentials currently present within their organization. This may require us to survey our constituents in a safe and unthreatening way and take time to listen and discern how prevalent this is. Alternatively, you could bring in qualified consultants to identify if indeed there is an abuse of power present.
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Purchase an IMPLEMENTATION MEMBERSHIP during November and receive one month free PLUS double the on-line training (a $350 value).
Is your organization just getting started or in the early steps of Plan to Protect® implementation? Are you unsure where to start or how to implement Plan to Protect®? Do you need help writing, customizing or updating your policies? Do you need help training your volunteers and staff? We can help! This package will provide you with everything you need to comply with insurance standards.
Plan to Protect® Implementation Package Benefits:
- Professional, customized policies written by our Plan to Protect® team
- 40+ pages of forms and documents to get your team started
- 1 Registration for our Administrator/Leader Certification
- 1 Registration for our Train the Trainer Certification
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10 On-line Orientation/Refresher Training registrations (or 10 PlanToProtect Apps)
- Basic Membership benefits, including a copy of the Plan to Protect® Manual
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// CONNECT WITH US //
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