Posted By Jean
Dear All

I have been given the task of providing a presentation on 'Integrating Risk Management into a charity'. Risk Management I am very comfortable with as a subject. However, are there any specifics that I should be aware of relating to charities?

Jean

Posted By Rob T
Hi Jean,

This is one of the biggest bugbears in my life. I'm not sure what type of charity you are talking about and apologies if it's not where I'm just about to comment on.

I spend a lot of my time in war zones and other extremely dangerous environments (for BBC, Oil & gas now etc.). One of the things that I find incredible and downright evil, is some of the NGO/Charity workers who are sent in to do good works are given no training, information, PPE (body armour etc), no knowledge of mines, rebel recognition, the list is endless. I have sat on chartered planes to places where no-one else will fly with drunken pilots, seats that aren't attached to the plane, etc and talked to the charity workers. I have tried to explain what they are likely to expect and they have been incredulous as to the lack of info that they have been given before travelling.

When I have broached this problem at a higher level in one or two organisations I have on a few occasions been told that "we are a charity and as such we cannot use more than x% in funds for our own people" therefore the subject shouldn't arise. This is of course nonsense.

I once sat on a plane into Afghanistan and a couple of charity workers were on their way up to Bamiyan. I tried to give them the prevailing conditions in the area and told them that they needed professional help in assessing the securitythere but they said their charity couldn't afford it! Neither of those people survived!!

There are one or two organisations that do spend what is required but unfortunately they are in the minority. Some of their business people rely on the fact that as they are a charity, they will not be sued by families as the money would come out of donations. I think it is necessary for at least one of them to be hit for millions and even shut down if it can help save some of those lives.

That all said, see if you can get proper buy in from the top. Ask them if they are prepared to spend where required and if the answer is fudged in charityspeak, walk away!

I'm sorry if you are just talking about the charity shops etc. but the thought process is the same in many cases.

Kind regards
Rob Todd CFIOSH
IOSH International Specialist Group Committee Champion for Hostile Environments.

Posted By Bob Thompson CMIOSH
HSE produce a very good video and training pack for about £30 called health and safety in the charity and volunteer sector. The national audit commission also produce guidance on risk management for such sectors. I have developed and run my own training courses around this material.

Regards Bob

Posted By Richard Beevers
Jean,
Don't know about what to suggest for your presentation, but I am currently trying to do just that. I work for a large national charity - have done for 9 months, and starting to get things done. Things I'd concentrate on are:

Mentality of "We're a Charity, XYZ law doesn't apply"

Total lack of monitoring.

Committee approach to make changes - endless discussion of whether or not to give people gloves.

Assumption that volunteers can be treated differently to paid employees.

If the charity has charity shops - very poor bulding and repair.

Overly keen staff over extending their competence or putting themselves at added risk in wanting to help - lone working, close contact with violent clients etc.

As I'm still getting to grips with some issues in the Charity world (Construction is so much simpler!) I'm happy to discuss off forum for other details.

Al.