Consultation Services
YouthSafe Outdoors offers individualized consulting services to help you develop or enhance your risk management system. Together, we seek solutions to reduce the gaps between your current system and where you want it to be in the future.
Consultation may relate to:
- Policy development
- Governance procedures system reviews
- Risk management program development
- Outdoor education/recreation technical advice
- Safety/risk management program audits and reviews
- Accident/incident investigation
- Expert Witness Services
Policy Development
While highly committed to doing a good job, board members and senior administrators often have minimal training in risk management and little time to research all the options. The issue areas are many and complex; e.g., field trips, transportation, use of volunteers, health and safety, emergency management and incident reporting. One way some save a great deal of time and energy is to secure the assistance of a qualified individual to walk through the policy development process relevant to this area and discuss the pros and cons of alternative policy directions.
YouthSafe Outdoors does not determine or dictate board policy. The board retains the right and responsibility to set direction for it's people. YouthSafe Outdoors staff facilitate this process by posing questions, providing information regarding a range of alternatives, and securing data as needed or requested to support decision making.
In general, the goal of the Board is to provide appropriate direction and support to staff and volunteers, while minimizing the legal liability of the Board to that which it appropriately holds and no more.
Governance Procedures Development
Administrators are responsible for developing the processes and forms to help the organization bridge policy and practice and to ensure the board is meeting its duty to direct and support its staff and volunteers. Developing these procedures can be very time consuming and frustrating. YouthSafe Outdoors staff can sit down with you and help you identify and implement appropriate forms, trip and teacher/leader qualification review processes and other elements of your risk management system to help maximize the economy of effort and peace of mind of your administrative and field leadership teams. Ensure you have procedures and forms that are congruent with your board’s policies and that help operationalize the transference of risk (e.g., to participants, parents/guardians, drivers, service providers) where and how this is appropriate.
Risk Management Program Development
YouthSafe Outdoors staff can help you tailor your policy, procedures and field practices to ensure very high quality and internal integrity. We can help you establish a strong internal team and process to help ensure people across your organization have the information and tools they need to assess and manage risks within their role functions in a manner consistent with board policy, governance procedures and common practice.
Outdoor Pursuits Technical Advice
Licensed users of YouthSafe Outdoors resources have access to support and technical data directly related to the content of the resources. If you need clarification regarding the content or implications of a safety guideline, more explanation of a trip planning or leadership procedure or wish to discuss an instructional process described in the YouthSafe Outdoors package, we’d be pleased to help, at no charge.
If you desire more advanced technical input or advice or want your trip plan package to be reviewed and commented on by one of our staff, this service is available at fair market cost.
Program Reviews and Audits
Program reviews or audits may be conducted as part of ongoing internal preventative activities. Reviews include document analysis, interviews and other data collection and are structured to provide quantitative and qualitative information related to the elements of the program (e.g., policy, procedures, leadership, equipment, environments, activities, participants and group process). Recommendations may relate to any unique element listed above, but often reflect the interactions between these factors.
Incident/Accident Reviews
Reviews may also be conducted in the wake of an unfortunate serious incident or accident. Here, an independent expert analysis of the program involves extensive data collection and interviewing within and external to the program to help secure an accurate picture of not only the obvious elements, but the subtle nuances and assumptions that can impact the outcomes.
Recommendations presented can help the board, staff and families understand and appreciate the strengths of a program and the public to recognize that the board has taken the situation seriously. They can also help the district involved to learn and move forward. This opportunity for broader application of the learnings from an accident help those impacted directly by the incident to find meaning in what has transpired, to heal and come to some sense of closure.
Expert Witness Services
Over the years, Dr. Hanna has served as an expert witness in numerous legal cases. In each of these cases, the outcome (judgement or settlement) has hinged largely on her articulation of the community and industry custom (which informs the standard of care) and assessment of the defendants’ actions in this light. Glenda’s extensive research in risk management, tort and contract law and accident mediation combined with her vast practical and academic experience in the field of education, recreation, guiding, sport, event management, and travel allow her to provide assessments that are accurate, ethical and sensitive to all concerned.
Contact Youth Safe Outdoors at info@youthsafeoutdoors.ca to learn more about our service