Charlie Peters of Daxko shares how to start a conversation about building a culture of facility safety.
Creating a safe and welcoming facility is a top priority for nonprofit community centers that serve members of all ages. However, starting a conversation about improving safety can sometimes be difficult. How do you broach such a large topic, and how do you make sure the conversation is constructive?
Clarify Your Goal
Starting with a goal in mind is key to a clear and productive conversation. Identify the specific aspects of your facility safety that need to be discussed. Do your childcare check in and out procedures need to be updated? Are there new regulations you need to follow to remain compliant? What about your policies for new members? Once you have a goal in mind, confirm everyone participating in the conversation has a clear understanding of that goal.
Factor in Different Perspectives
Your facility’s safety practices don’t only affect your members. Your staff is part of your community as well. Because they’re familiar with the ins and outs of your facility and have relationships with your members, they can provide valuable insight.
Along with your staff, consider other stakeholders. What guidance could your board of directors and community leaders provide? How do your members feel about your current practices? What would they change?
Be Proactively Curious
Get the conversation started by asking questions about your current practices. Be open-minded about what works, what doesn’t and why:
- How are you protecting the mental and physical safety of the children in your care? Do your practices meet compliance regulations?
- How do you screen members, staff and volunteers? How often do you run screenings? Who can interact with children and what additional screening measures do you have in place for them? Where is there room for error?
- What anti-theft measures do you have in place? How do you secure the areas where your members and staff store their personal belongings? What about the data security of your technology systems?
- How do you manage external access? Who has access to your facility and do you control which doors they can use? How do you verify someone’s identity once they enter your facility?
- How do you control internal flow? Are there any areas that are staff-only or age-restricted? How are you maintaining those boundaries?
- How are you communicating safety procedures to your stakeholders? How are you sharing information with them? Are there any practices they aren’t aware of?
Asking questions about your current safety systems is an important part of this conversation. Consider how your practices relate to your goal, and decide what needs to change to help you gain even more peace of mind.
Create a Plan
Having a conversation like this is an important step toward building a culture of facility safety. You can show your commitment to safety by following through with an actionable plan that reflects your conversation and demonstrates you listened to the most important needs of your community.
