Risk and Liability

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Paperbacks from Volunteering Risk Management Expert Now Available – While They Last!

Submitted by Tristan Dahn
on Tue, 04/24/2012 - 21:34

The Energize Bookstore is pleased to announce that we have back in stock print copies of four of Linda Graff’s books!  A long-term friend of Energize, she is president of Linda Graff and Associates, Inc., based in Ontario, Canada and is internationally acknowledged as the volunteer field's leading expert in risk management issues.   Her books have remained consistent best sellers from our store in e-book format, and there’s a good reason.

Are You Putting Volunteers in Harm’s Way?

Submitted by Susan J Ellis
on Fri, 01/06/2012 - 21:58

The U.S. Peace Corps announced in late December that they would be suspending volunteer efforts in Honduras and other countries because of increased security concerns.  It’s not uncommon to hear reports from organizations such as the Peace Corps that they must place the safety of their volunteers above program service goals.  

January 30, 2011: International News From the Field

Submitted by Susan J Ellis
on Sun, 01/30/2011 - 20:50

30 January: As we’ve said before, volunteers are always the silver lining in the cloud of disaster.  The extraordinary flooding in several areas of Australia in the last few weeks, particularly in Queensland, re-emphasizes how a true emergency compels citizens to volunteer. You can read many stories about the flood response, but one personal blog captures the spirit really well. In “My thoughts on the Mud Army,” the female blogger (no name provided) shares her experiences on the front lines and also in instigating a t-shirt campaign that went viral. 

It being Australia – where they seem to be willing to talk openly about philosophy and principles – the volunteer effort also elicited some reflection, A report aired last week by the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) opened with these words:

They are known as the "mud army". The volunteers that turned out to help clean-up the flood affected areas of Queensland have been widely lauded for their generosity of spirit.

But the demands

Ask-an-Author: Risk Management and Volunteer Drivers

Submitted by Lindsay Liprando
on Wed, 11/11/2009 - 00:00

Here’s the third  in a series of questions submitted by our readers and answered by volunteerism and risk management expert Linda Graff (read previous posts, on Risk Management and the Swine Flu and policies on reference checks).

The Question: I presently have a volunteer driver who has just come back from leave for medical conditions (stroke).  She still has her license and is eager to drive for us again.

 

My supervisor received an irate call from her son stating that his call was confidential and he did not want his mother driving due to her health condition.  He also implied that her health condition had deteriorated due to her busy schedule with us.  He made it VERY clear we are not to tell her he called.

 

The volunteer’s husband has passed and she enjoys her volunteer work.  The volunteer called wondering why she is not getting drives.

The son should speak directly with the mother, but won’t.

Ask-an-Author: Policies on Reference Checks

Submitted by Lindsay Liprando
on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 00:00

Here’s the second in a series of questions submitted by our readers and answered by volunteerism and risk management expert Linda Graff (read the first post, on Risk Management and the Swine Flu, here).

The Question:
I am continually updating our volunteer policies. I have been researching the pros and cons of doing written reference checks for volunteers. At a workshop I attended a few years ago, a lawyer recommended the written check over a telephone check for some types of volunteer work. I cannot find any documents to support this view. What is your opinion on this matter?

Linda’s Answer:

I favour telephone based reference checks. I detail the reasons in my book, Beyond Police Checks, but briefly, here, my sense is the referees will be incline to be more candid and spontaneous, and divulge more pertinent information verbally by telephone than they would in writing. Take good notes, date and sign them, and keep them on file.

Ask-an-Author – Volunteers, Risk Management and the Swine Flu

Submitted by Lindsay Liprando
on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 00:00

As promised, here is the first in a series of questions submitted by our readers and answered by volunteerism and risk management expert Linda Graff. Thanks to everyone who submitted a question; come back soon for the next installment of Linda’s good advice.

The Question:
With the anticipated increase in problems with swine flu expected over the winter, most hospitals in Scotland are considering how they can involve more volunteers to free up medical staff and to allow people to help others in a time of potential crisis. With the experience of SARS in Canada, what would you advise to help manage the risk for front line and other volunteers?

Linda’s Answer:
This is a really interesting question that probably has wide applicability as so many communities and organizations brace for the potentially disruptive effects of the H1N1 virus world wide.

There are two aspects of this question I’ll pick up on.

The first has to do with the division of labour between paid and unpaid staff.

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