In episode 39, Jim Paro, the founder and CEO of Operate Fit, described how community recreation organizations are navigating the Praesidium child protection certification requirements. Although certification demands significant effort and formalizes expectations, Paro said organizations generally aren’t starting from scratch, as child protection is already embedded in their practices. The challenge is organizing and documenting that work in a more structured, consistent way. He recommended forming a cross-organizational committee rather than placing responsibility on one person, learning from peers who completed accreditation, and he noted a shift toward scheduled audits, systematic tracking and using data to identify and close gaps.
Operate Fit supports this work by combining risk and facility management in one platform, helping centers assign ownership, track audits, and connect safety concerns with facility issues and their resolution. Paro said the company’s community recreation background and sector-specific, easy-to-implement software distinguish it from other entities. The integrated records can help organizations clearly show insurers that incidents were addressed and issues closed.
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