National Risk Management Policy ( August 2005  )

1.1 Introduction

The purpose of this document (the "Policy") is to describe the risk management policies, practices and procedures of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Young Canadians Challenge (the "Award").

The Policy outlines the programme operated by the Award, the activities for which the Award is responsible and the practices and procedures by which the Award identifies and manages risk associated with those activities.

1.2  General Background

 The Award is a recognition, award-granting programme open to participants who range in age from 14 to 25 years. To earn a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award, participants must satisfy criteria for each award level set out in a Record Book. The participant, in consultation with one or more adult mentors, generally establishes the specific activities in which he or she will engage to achieve the criteria. The mentors or assessors verify the achievement of those criteria. In this Policy, the mentors and the assessors for a participant are collectively called the “Assessor”.

In the vast majority of cases, participants enrolled in the Award programme belong to other groups (“Other Community Group”), such as Scouts, Guides, Cadets, etc. and earn their Bronze, Silver or Gold Award through participation in a programme organized by the Other Community Group (“Other Community Activities”). The leaders or adults who represent the Other Community Group may also be the Assessor(s) for the Award participant.

Some participants (“Independent Participants”) are enrolled in the Award Programme independent of an Other Community Group. These Independent Participants select a person or persons of their choosing to be their Assessor(s) to help the Independent Participant to establish a program of activities, including adventurous journeys (“Independent Activities”), to satisfy the Award’s criterion The Award does not select or recommend Assessors of participants in Other Community Groups or for Independent Participants.

The Award has a small group of employees and, in some cases, a limited number of volunteers or individuals with whom it has contracted (the employees, volunteers and contracted individuals are collectively called “Award Staff”) who administer the Award Programme. In some instances the Award may sponsor or organize an individual activity or event (an “Award Directed Activity”) using Award Staff, which will enable participants to work towards the achievement of an award.

1.3 Defining Risk and Risk Management

For the purpose of the Policy, "risk" refers to the avoidable risk of death or serious injury to any person arising out of participant's involvement in Award Directed Activities

"Risk management" refers to the process by which risk is identified and minimized.

1.4. The Scope of Responsibility for Risk Management

The Award accepts responsibility for risk management for the conduct of its own Award Staff and for Award Directed Activities.

The Award does not accept responsibility for risk management relating to activities undertaken by Other Community Groups or by Independent Participants and their Assessors, whether or not the Award is aware of those activities and whether or not the Other Community Groups or Independent Participants use resource materials made available by the Award.

 1.5 Risk Management

Since risk cannot be eliminated, it must be managed.

For Award Directed Activities, the Award will cause an adequate risk assessment to be made by a person experienced in that Award Directed Activity to identify possible hazards and a risk management plan to be developed and documented for that particular Award Directed Activity to ensure that reasonable precautions have been taken to avoid or lessen the possibility of harm from possible hazards.  It is recognized that even after all precautions have been taken, some risk will often remain. Accordingly, the risk management plan will address accident management and appropriate training to reduce the likelihood of occurrence and the consequences of an incident.