Youth Protection Policy
We put your safety into priority!

Purpose

Sets out how violations of the Adult and Youth Code of Conduct are to be handled.

Our Commitment

We will act promptly, fairly, and firmly if the acts of any member violate the applicable Code of Conduct or put others at risk.

Our Policy

1. As a member of SPE Youth Club, you will be disciplined if your actions breach the applicable Code of Conduct.

2. You will be suspended if:

• • You are the subject of an investigation of a:

    • Criminal offence

    • Child protection report

    • Other statutory offence

    • You fail to comply with government statutes or regulations, putting our members, employees, third-party contractors, and other parties it has contractual relationships with at risk of harm

  • Your presence at ASA SPE Youth Club events is believed to pose a risk to others

  • You commit a serious, or repeated, breach of the Youth Club Code of Conduct

1. Following a review of your actions, your membership will either be reinstated or terminated.

2. Your membership will be terminated if you are:

• • Charged with, or convicted of a criminal offense

  • Determined to have repeatedly violated, or made a serious breach of, the applicable Code of Conduct

  • Breached our Youth Protection Policy

  • If your membership is terminated, you may apply to have your membership termination reviewed.

Purpose

Since our World Pacer program consists of adventure, which always carries some element of risk, this policy outlines how we plan for safety and manage risk, especially for our World Pacer Program.

Our Commitment

Safety is top of mind in all we do. We plan, do, and review our programs so all members have adventures where nobody gets hurt.

We care deeply about the safety of all members.

Our Policy

1. We empower our members to be safety leaders, for themselves and for others.

2. We ensure members — youth and adults — focus on identifying and managing risk as an essential part of their activities.

3. We use the plan-do-review process[1] as a tool to identify and manage risks.

4. We believe all incidents are preventable; therefore, we do drills and analysis, we plan prevention, and we learn from incidents, so we can prevent them from happening again.

5. Since we care about each other, we discuss safety performance in terms of the impact on people, not simply metrics.

6. We provide resources and training to all of our members to help plan safe, fun adventures and activities

7. ​​

Introduction

ASA SPE Youth Club is committed to a safe environment. Every adventure requires an emergency response plan, which will include first aid and emergency medical care coverage. 

We believe that everyone involved in our program should be prepared to provide emergency aid. Our goal should be for every youth to be appropriately competent in emergency aid to others. Youth should be prepared to respond to emergencies. This is part of our goal to prepare them for success in life.

Our Standards

1. The supervisors' team including the supervisor, award leader, and coach approves all first aid requirements and reviews risk management plans for all camping and outdoor adventures.

2. All participants shall attend First aid training and obtain their certificates. First aiders must provide a copy of their certificate or have their current certification recorded in their profile in the membership database. Names of the individuals designated as first aiders will be listed in the emergency response plan.

3. There shall be 4-7 members for each group with a minimum of two qualified first aiders (Standard First Aid) at every activity, including the normal meeting place, where there are fewer than 25 participants. We recommend (but do not mandate) two first aiders in the event the first aider becomes the injured party.

4. In all activities or meetings where there are 25-50 participants, there shall be at least two qualified first aiders and one additional qualified first aider for every additional 50 participants.

5. The supervisors' group shall ensure that all activities and meetings shall have first aid equipment appropriate for the activity.

6. For all activities, there must be a method and plan for emergency communications at all times. For any trips of more than three hours traveling time, a medical care plan needs to be set up with consideration of a medical facility that can take be accessed within 30 minutes for treatment and ambulance plan, and first aid training shall be arranged before the road trip and assign at least one designated first aider holding a current wilderness first aid certification.

7. For all activities, the risk management plan must be discussed and approved by the supervisor.

• First Aid requirements are approved by the supervisor as part of the Camping and Outdoor Adventures Applications procedure.

• The supervisor may require additional First Aid and/or Wilderness First Aiders commensurate with the activity risk.

• First Aid kits shall be equipped with each team for any road trips.

• ASA SPE Youth Foundation recognizes standard First Aid training or equivalent that is recognized by provincial health and safety authorities.

• ASA SPE Youth Foundation recognizes that some professions, by the nature of the job, will have a first aid element, for example; Nurses, Midwives, Police Officers, Medical Practitioners, Members of the Armed Forces, Ambulance Care, etc. These professions may be exempt from undergoing more first aid training – subject to approval by the supervisor.

• ASA SPE Youth Foundation recognizes the following agencies as authorities in first aid:

• Canadian Red Cross

Background

The actions taken in the immediate stages of an emergency are critical. Whether it is a large-scale event that potentially impacts our properties, meeting locations, or camps that require a warning to members to evacuate or shelter: for example; in the recent wildfires in BC; or the tornadoes in Saskatchewan or Ottawa. It can also be on a more local scale: for example: a strike taking place on the street, an indoor meeting activity, an outdoor event or a short-term camp where there is a need to call for help to public emergency services. 

SPE Youth Club's activities, youth, volunteers, and employees are trained to administer first aid or perform CPR which can be lifesaving. However, emergencies are not limited to personal injury requiring emergency first aid – they can also impact our assets, properties, environment, and/or reputation.

The most important step in Emergency Preparedness is planning. To develop an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) the first step is to conduct a risk assessment to identify potential emergency scenarios – things that may realistically happen. This enables us to determine resource requirements and to develop plans and procedures to prepare our Groups, Sections, or Councils. At the very least, every facility (meeting location, camp, SPE youth club property) should develop and implement an ERP for protecting youth, volunteers, employees, visitors, contractors, and anyone else at the facility. This part includes building evacuation (“fire drills”) or sheltering from severe weather such as tornadoes or wildfires.

The Emergency Management Standards ensure our members can properly manage emergency situations that could impact our:

• youth, volunteers, parents, staff and other people

• environment

• assets (e.g. buildings, camps, machinery, vehicles, properties)

• financial condition

• reputation

Our Standards

1. These Standards apply to all departments, functions, councils, staff, volunteers, and those acting in support of our activities. It provides guidance for consistent, coordinated, and effective management of emergencies.

2. Emergency Management: A formal process is in place for documenting, reviewing, assessing, and implementing an appropriate Emergency Response Plan (ERP) for all departments, functions, staff, volunteers, and those acting in support of our activities.

3. These Standards ensure:

• • Emergency Response Plans (ERPs) are written (documented), in place, appropriate, risk-based, and tested.

  • Adequate resources (people, facilities, and equipment) are in place to implement those plans. Training for those plans is completed (as appropriate).

  • Assessment and maintenance of emergency preparedness are regularly conducted.

  • Mandatory actions:

• • Emergency Preparedness.

    • Scouts Canada Properties, Camps, Councils and Events will create, publish and maintain an ERP that addresses all credible and significant risk as appropriate.

    • Each Group and Section (e.g. Colony, Pack, Troop, Company and Crew) must create an ERP for their local meeting place(s) and for each Category 2 and 3 adventure activity (as part of the Adventure Approval Process). [Note – Category 2 and 3 activities are defined in the: Adventure Standards]

• Emergency Response Plans (ERPs):

  • All ERPs will be supported by a current (annual) risk and impact assessment.

  • All Event ERPs will be formally documented and shared with the Event Approval Team.

  • All section-specific ERPs will be formally documented and shared with the Group Commissioner.

  • All ERPs will be implemented and tested, at a minimum annually, with appropriate routine training, exercises, and/or drills.

  • All Event ERPs must run a trial drill before the Event happens. All Medium-Risk and High-Risk Events must run a tabletop exercise at the minimum. Leaving enough time to re-evaluate and review changes.

• All ERPs will include:

  • How to assess an emergency situation – specific to the prevailing risks,

  • Plans to mobilize response personnel and agencies,

  • How to establish communication among everyone involved.

• All ERPs will be:

  • Documented in appropriate detail commensurate with risk,

  • Integrated with business continuity and crisis-management plans as appropriate and relevant,

  • Readily available to appropriate personnel,

    • Communicated to employees, volunteers, youth and parents as appropriate,

    • Reviewed and revised when needed, especially after an emergency.

• Emergency Response

  • If an incident is determined to be an emergency, we declare an emergency and use our ERP.