July Newsletter

Whose responsibility is it? (Plan to Protect® Administrators)

We are often asked the question, whose responsibility is it? In our newsletters over the next few months, we are offering a series on “Whose responsibility is it?”

Hats off to Plan to Protect Administrators! You really deserve the summer off, but unfortunately you know as well as I do that September is coming and you must gear up for the on slot of a new team of volunteers and staff that need to be screened.

Check out our Blogs for the first two segments in the series:

During the month of July, we are honouring Plan to Protect Administrators that carry this

heavy burden.

I recently conducted a policy audit for one of our members, and he shared, “One of the main challenges I face in implementing Plan to Protect® is the administration involved in managing our volunteers, particularly concerning police record checks. Since many of our dedicated volunteers reside outside of the city, they are required to obtain a check from a police jurisdiction that is only open during business hours and during their work hours. They must drive a long distance to get them. Unfortunately, some volunteers have had difficulty finding the time or navigating the process, which has resulted in a loss of valuable team members and contributes to another challenge in gaining enough support and volunteers for our programs and activities. Often, we have to wait 6-8 weeks to get the checks back. It is very discouraging."

We were able to introduce him to our Alpha platform for screening. He was blown away hearing that processing the checks online and having them returned within hours would resolve his greatest challenges as a Plan to Protect®Administrator. He signed up that day!

If you are not yet registered for the Alpha Screening platform, or to request more information CLICK HERE

Conducting a risk assessment
Preparing for and establishing your plan: professional development and policy/procedure writing
Implementing the plan by screening and training your volunteers
Maintaining your plan and your documentation
Leveraging your experience and raising the bar of protection even higher

Step #3 in the five-step process is the most challenging. This is when the Plan to Protect® Administrator/Committee faces push back and obstacles. It involves the difficult task of identifying who needs to be screened and trained, and organizing volunteer files. I understand the struggle as I've been through it myself. If you're a solo Plan to Protect® Administrator, the entire burden rests on you. As an Administrator/Leader, you're responsible for administering, implementing, and maintaining a robust abuse prevention program.

Your Roles and Responsibilities: An Overview

Uphold the standard of protection and abuse prevention recommended by Plan to Protect® and the insurance company.
Demonstrate the value and importance of abuse prevention and vulnerable sector protection to volunteers and staff.
Understand and ensure compliance with legal requirements for reporting and responding to abuse of children, youth, and vulnerable adults.
Assist and support volunteers and staff in reporting abuse incidents.
Develop and maintain the organization's Plan to Protect policy, seeking approval from the Board for any amendments.

Establish a robust recruitment and screening process for volunteers and staff in accordance with policies and procedures. Implement a 6-month waiting period for newcomers.
Coordinate application, interview, reference checks, police record checks, and orientation training for personnel.
Ensure that all necessary data for documentation management is captured in the Information Management System.
Maintain up-to-date personnel files and tracked compliance with training and police record checks.

The listed roles and responsibilities are only a portion of what is expected, as the complete list is extensive. It's important to note that this role or project is not a one-time task but requires ongoing maintenance. To account for the learning curve, we suggest a three-year term of office. In all honesty, we recommend forming a committee to share the responsibilities of the Plan to Protect® Administrator. If you are a Board Member or Senior Leader, we encourage you to collaborate with the Administrator to recruit and mobilize a committee, thereby distributing the workload. More information about the committee will be provided in an upcoming newsletter.

July Specials

Save an additional $3 off every criminal record check completed on our Plan to Protect ALPHA Screening Platform during the month of July. This is a tremendous value, and the savings will add up.

As a thank you, we are providing 25% off our Plan to Protect® Administrator/Leader certification course (Level One and Two) during the month of July. SRP $449, Special during the month of July $336.75*

Terms: No additional discounts apply. Registration and payment must be complete by July 31, 2023. Taxes and shipping of the text are extra.

Each gift package includes:

A $25 Starbuck Gift Card

A spiritual devotional “Staying the course: A Self-Care for Child Safety Workers” by Philip e. Morrison

Be the first of ten Plan to Protect® Administrator to submit an entry by sending us a note and tell us about your role as a Plan to Protect® Administrator. CLICK HERE

Upcoming Training... We are taking a well-earned break during the month of July. No LIVE public trainings will be offered. We encourage you to purchase or redeem a bundle of training and have your volunteers and staff take Plan to Protect® self-paced online training during July. We will be back on schedule in August.

Check out our August schedule by CLICKING HERE