- Created
- November 2018
Last Updated - April 20, 2022
1. Introduction
The purpose of this Risk Management Plan is to:
Foresee risks to the division, staff and participants;
Estimate impacts;
Outline risk response; and
• Report results of risk response
2. IDENTIFICATION OF RISKS
A risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative effect.
Risks are factors, events or circumstances that may prevent or detract from the achievement of PTCB’s objectives, including a failure to maximize opportunities. Risk is inherent with any program or service and risks need to be continually identified, analyzed, monitored and managed.
The division identifies risks under the following categories:
Financial Risks relating to monetary resources or liabilities, such as risks regarding investments, cash flows, internal controls etc.
Operational risks relating to everyday operations including Human Resources, program and service delivery, Information Technology and security
Reputational risks relating to the PTCB brand and its sub-brand of Blind People in Charge; and the perception of stakeholders and the public.
3. ANALYSIS OF RISKS
This risk management plan analyzes the likelihood of risks to occur and the impact if they were to occur.
3.1. Code Used to Analyze Risk
Likelihood (of occurrence if procedures not put in place)
low, moderate, high
Impact (negative Consequence if does occur)
Low, moderate, high
Risk Ranking
Acceptable (green), moderate (orange), serious (red)
(A Risk Response is put in place for risks with an moderate or series ranking)
4. RISKS
4.1. FINANCIAL RISKS
A. Inability to continue to operate due to inability to acquire long term (core) funding
- Originally Identified
- November 2017
Likelihood (November 2021) - High
Impact (November 2021) - High
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - Red (serious)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - Although the Executive Director and Grant Writer have been successful in obtaining many grants, the ever increasing demands on the Blind People in Charge program has increased the amount of funding it requires. Increased program demands have raised the risk ranking this year to serious.
Risk Response Going Forward - PTCB continues to investigate alternate sources of funding. PTCB’s Executive Director, with the help of a grant writer, to focus most of her efforts on fundraising, applying for many grants a year while exploring other funding sources. Work on this will be ongoing over the next year. Government ministries will be approached about providing core funding.
B. Liability
- Originally Identified
- November 2017
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - high
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - orange (moderate)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - A review to ensure adequate insurance coverage was conducted. Continued due diligence, of reviewing and updating policies and best practices was carried out. The risk that a student, staff/contractor or member of the general public may attempt to sue the PTCB remains and the impact does remain high, but the likelihood is still low, and the risk ranking remains orange (moderate).
Risk Response Going Forward - Annual review to ensure adequate insurance coverage. Continued due diligence, reviewing and updating policies and best practices as per CARF accreditation requirements.
4.2. OPERATIONAL RISKS
A. Unable to meet program needs in current facility
- Originally Identified
- November 2017
Likelihood (November 2021) - high
Impact (November 2021) - high
Risk ranking (November 2021) - red (serious)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - PTCB began investigating renting a larger space for when the COVID-19 pandemic lets up. Work on the capital project is also underway. Due to continued program growth, the likelihood and impact were adjusted to high and the risk ranking was increased to red (serious).
Risk Response - Continue to investigate and acquire temporary training space while continueing to work on the capital project.
B. Inability to secure quality contractors
- Originally Identified
- November 2019
Likelihood (November 2021) - low/moderate
Impact (November 2021) - low/moderate
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - Orange (moderate)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - A Seniors Affairs Coordinator was hired. Current staff have had their hours increased to better utilize existing staff to meet program needs while additional staff are saught to meet the needs of program groath.
Risk Response - Provide in-house training/mentoring and promote staff development through external workshops. Continue looking out for potential staff through networking. Post jobs for upcoming positions (e.g. cooking instructor, home management instructor, and admin assistant [due to pending retirement]). Additional staff will be needed, especially as part of our expansion plans.
C. Student sustaining an injury during cooking class
- Originally Identified
- November 2019
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - low/moderate
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - Green (acceptable)
Results of risk Response (November 2021) - There were no incidents in the past year as was the case for the previous four years.
Risk Response - Review and update policies and best practices at least every six months and if an incident occurs.
D. Student sustaining an injury during travel training
- Originally Identified
- November 2019
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - High
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - Orange (moderate)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - There were no incidents in the past four years. The risk response is to continue as outline below for the next year.
Risk Response - Continue to make students aware of the risks and frequently remind them that they are in charge of training decisions. Staff are not to “push” students if they are not comfortable or ready to attempt a task. Review and update policies and best practices at least every six months and if an incident occurs. Develop Individual Service Plans for each student which identify risks specific to that particular student. Continue to log incidents and put a plan in place to further minimize the risk in the future.
E. Risks associated with the capital project
- Originally Identified
- November 2020
Notes - Originally identified as “Risks associated with the capital project and leaving Victoria” but was split in 2.
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - moderate
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Risk response (November 2021) - PTCB has dedicated staff time and resources into the capital project’s success.
Risk Response - Continue to dedicate resources to the capital project’s success.
F. Risks associated with students/staff contracting COvID-19
- Originally Identified
- March 2020
Likelihood (November 2021) - High
Impact (November 2021) - High
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - Red (Serious)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - Introduce a pandemic policy (March 2020) and a vaccination policy (October 2021). Move all instruction to a virtual setting, only offering in-person classes one-on-one and with strict safety measures when virtual instruction is not working for a student, public health orders permitting.
Risk Response - Continue to review pandemic and vaccination policies and keep most instruction to a virtual setting until September 2022, only offering in-person classes one-on-one and with strict safety measures when virtual instruction is not working for a student, public health orders permitting.
G. Risk of Failure of the merger with the Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind as a Division
- Originally Identified
- March 2021
Likelihood (November 2021) - Low
Impact (November 2021) - High
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Results of Risk response (November 2021) - Dialog with stakeholders ahead of the mergers completion.
Risk response - Continue to dialog with stakeholders ahead of the mergers completion. Hire a transition consultant to help finalize the merger.
4.3. REPUTATIONAL RISKS
A. Lack of recognition and reputation as a credible blindness rehabilitation provider
- Originally Identified
- November 2019
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - low
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Results of Risk Response (November 2021) - CARF accreditation was received in January 2019. Work to maintain accreditation has been underway since then. Mechanisms for gathering stakeholder feedback were developed. Improvement plans are developed based in part on this feedback. We dialoged with NBPCB about instructor certification.
Risk Response - PTCB to apply for and be surveyed by CARF for reaccreditation. Work to maintain accreditation to continue. Mechanisms for gathering stakeholder feedback to be refined. Improvement plans to be developed based in part on this feedback. Also, continue to dialog with NBPCB about instructor certification.
B. Risks associated with leaving Victoria
- Originally Identified
- November 2020
Notes - Originally identified as “Risks associated with the capital project and leaving Victoria” but was split in 2.
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - moderate
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Results of Risk response (November 2021) - PTCB has a low risk of issues associated with the capital project because they are not the lead organization. While a transition program proved to be unfeasible, students in Victoria are being extended every accomodation possible to ease this transition. The transition itself will take place September 2022.
Risk response - PTCB has a low risk of issues associated with the capital project because they are not the lead organization. Accomodaitons for students transitioning to the campus-style training will continue to be provided, as will as much training as possible to students unable to make the September 2022 transition.
C. Misunderstandings Around the Association with the Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB)
- Originally Identified
- November 2021
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - Low
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Results of Risk response (November 2021) - N/A
Risk Response - Clarify misunderstanding as they arise and generally use marketing to convey that PTCB is not beholden to CFB.
D. Risk of Name Change and Joining the Canadian Organization of the Blind and DeafBlind as a Division
- Originally Identified
- March 2021
Likelihood (November 2021) - low
Impact (November 2021) - Low
Risk Ranking (November 2021) - green (acceptable)
Results of Risk response (November 2021) - Educate the public of the changes ahead of the mergers completion.
Risk response - Continue to educate the public of the changes ahead of the mergers completion.
5. Review
This Risk Management plan will be reviewed and updated as needed and at least annually.
