Summary of Operational and Legal Risk Management Issues
A. Introduction and Limitations
The purpose of this section is to provide a brief summary of operational and legal risk management issues that should be considered when establishing and running a girls’ program. This summary is intended for general information purposes only and the issues discussed are current only as of the date of the summary and therefore do not reflect subsequent changes in the law. This summary is provided with the understanding that it does not constitute legal advice and under no circumstances can the content be relied upon for legal decision-making. It is therefore strongly recommended that a qualified lawyer and other professionals as necessary in your province or territory advise you on the steps to take and polices to adopt to protect your organization.
The information contained in this summary was gathered from various sources that are referenced at the end of this summary, including Imagine Canada’s resource tools and materials on risk management for charities and non-profit organizations. While care has been taken in gathering the information to prepare this summary no responsibility is accepted by Girls Action, its directors, officers or any of its partners or advisers for reliance placed upon this summary or for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies contained in it.
B. Some Issues to Consider
As you develop the girls’ program in your local community, it is important to consider the various legal liability issues that may arise from implementing such programs within your organization. All operational aspects of your program delivery, such as hiring and supervision of staff, your program and activities, your target population, program location and environment, and non-compliance with various applicable legislation can potentially cause liability for your organization, its directors and officers. As with all organizations, whether for profit or not, it is impossible to operate without some degree of risk. The level of risk with which you choose to operate will depend on the steps and approach that your organization has taken to manage those risks. Risk management is a good way of ensuring the minimization of problems, liabilities and losses. It is an ongoing process and it involves identifying and prioritising risks, responding with an action plan, monitoring the success of the plan and modifying the plan when necessary.
This summary discusses some of the issues that should be considered during the risk identification process. However, a discussion of all of the stages in the entire legal risk management process is not within the scope of this summary. It is impossible to comment on all aspects of the issues that could be faced by your organization. Highlighted below are some of the more important issues, although not in any order or priority that should be considered when establishing and operating a girls’ program.
