Better Safe: Risk Management in
Volunteer Programs & Community Service
By Linda Graff; 200 pages; published by Linda
Graff and Associates Inc.
Busy volunteer managers might be overwhelmed by the idea of implementing
a risk management process in addition to managing the unpaid workforce that
serves their organization and its clients. However, as Linda Graff points
out in the opening pages of Better Safe, "good volunteer management
is almost always synonymous with risk management. Thus, risk management is
not an add on...it is an approach to doing all of the functions you are already
doing." Keeping this in mind, volunteer managers shouldn't feel that risk
management is such a daunting task, though it is a very important element
of volunteer management that shouldn't be overlooked.
Graff clearly outlines the process of risk management, first making a case for why it is necessary, then explaining the ins and outs of it, and finally guiding organizations through the steps of putting risk management into action. She shares plenty of stories and examples throughout to help illustrate why risk management is so important and addresses such fundamental questions as: do volunteers pose a greater threat than paid staff, and will this scare off much-needed volunteers? She also stresses the fact that risk management is not a one-shot deal, but rather a process that is ongoing. She encourages nonprofits to build a risk management team and create a risk management culture within their organizations.
While most of this book can be referred to for specific guidance on the risk
management process as it is needed, chapter five warrants closer attention.
It is really the core of the book and offers practical, step-by-step instructions
on how to identify, evaluate, and control potential risks. Lots of ready to
use tools, such as worksheets and checklists, help to keep organizations on
track as they create their own risk management model. This chapter alone makes
Better Safe an essential addition to any volunteer manager's reference
shelf. It is highly readable, well organized, and really makes you want to
sharpen your pencil and get down to the business of risk management.
Buy the book:
To purchase a copy of this book, visit: www.lindagraff.ca/books.html#BetterSafe.
