It was one of the hottest days of summer, when a group of young people piled into three cars and headed to Cedar Point, Ohio …. The Rollercoaster Capital of the World®.  It was the first week of June, the temperature was close to 90 farenheit degrees, and the students had just finished their exams eager to celebrate that school was out for the summer.  The event organizers were made up of church sponsors of a community youth group located approximately four hours outside of Sandusky.  Their intention was to spend two days at the Park and camp overnight at a local campground.

We heard about the outing the following week when we received a phone call from one of our clients asking for input on an incident that had happened at the park. 

One of the greatest challenges I face in my role, is helping our clients view Plan to Protect® as an initiative to help accomplish the objectives or goals of their charity or corporation.  Every corporation and charity has identified object clauses that describe the kind of work the corporation or charity will do. A corporation can then carry out activities described in their object(s).

According to the National Post, the Toronto Leaside Girls Hockey Association this week sent coaches an email noting restrictions on when men can be in dressing rooms, a ban on social media interactions, and strict rules regarding email communication. 

Though I can appreciate restrictions being put in place, knowing they will reduce the risk of abuse, I wonder if some restrictions have not gone too far.  The Toronto girls hockey league also told coaches they cannot touch players on the bench — not even on their helmets. 

I can remember participating on a panel of experts representing different professional positions discussing the topic of abuse prevention among the vulnerable sector.  The question was asked “There have been many changes and additions to the standard of protection over the course of the last fifteen years…. When will it come to an end! Have we seen the last of the additional requirements that will be placed on us? What else could be missing?"

When we work and volunteer in organizations that serve the vulnerable sector (children, youth, and vulnerable adults), it is inevitable that we are participating in activities with heightened risks.  When deciding on the activities that are higher risk activities, whose responsibility is it to decide?

When Plan to Protect® was first written, in 1996, our focus was on the protection of children.  In 2000, we recognized that not only did children require protection when placed in the position of care of others, but youth also needed that same standard of protection. Over the course of the last five years we have increasingly seen the need to provide that same standard of protection to vulnerable adults and the elderly.  As North American's age, we are reading of a great number of individuals that are being exploited during the last years of their life.

Excitement is building in the office as we put the final finishing pieces to our new website. We are quite excited as this is not only a new website for us, but it is also a new name, a new logo, and an expanded sector to whom we are focusing.  We are expanding the protection and prevention of children and youth to include also vulnerable adults.