[BCM] [SHINE] [E1] [C3] Establishing Organisational Goals

Introduction

For any organisation, setting clear and aligned goals for Business Continuity Management (BCM) is essential to ensuring the continued delivery of its core services during disruptions.

This is especially critical for organisations like SHINE Children and Youth Services (SHINE), which serves vulnerable children and youth in Singapore.

These individuals rely on the services SHINE provides, including community outreach, counselling, educational support, and mental health services.

Therefore, ensuring the continuity of care is vital for maintaining the trust of families and stakeholders, while upholding SHINE’s mission and the long-term sustainability of its services.

In line with the ISO 22301 Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS) framework, the identification of organisational goals for BCM is a structured process that reflects the organisation’s core values, priorities, and requirements.

This chapter discusses how SHINE Children and Youth Services can set BCM goals, taking into account both organisational objectives and the regulatory landscape set by the Singapore government and the Ministry of Education.

Understanding SHINE’s Mission and Core Functions

Before identifying specific BCM goals, it is vital to review SHINE’s mission, core functions, and services. SHINE Children and Youth Services is dedicated to providing a holistic, youth-centred approach to development.

It supports children and youth in need through educational support, social work, therapy, mental health services, and community outreach programs.

By empowering youth, SHINE helps them build resilience, cope with life challenges, and achieve their full potential.

Key functions of SHINE that must be prioritised during BCM planning include:

• Educational Support Services: Assistance with academic learning for children and youth, including after-school programmes, tutoring, and enrichment classes.
• Counselling & Therapy: Mental health support and therapy services for at-risk youth dealing with trauma, behavioural issues, or emotional distress.
• Community Outreach and Social Work: Community-based programmes that help vulnerable children and families, as well as the social work services to provide case management.
• Youth Empowerment Initiatives: Programmes focused on personal development, leadership skills, and career readiness.

Each of these functions represents a core element of SHINE’s mission to uplift and support children and youth in Singapore, and these must be protected through an effective BCM strategy.

Aligning BCM Goals with SHINE’s Organisational Priorities

The first step in setting BCM goals is ensuring that they align with SHINE’s strategic priorities.

The overarching goal of any BCM plan is to safeguard the organisation’s ability to deliver essential services, even during crises or disruptions.

SHINE’s Organisational Priorities:

1. Continuity of Care and Support: Ensure that educational, counselling, and outreach services are available without interruption, especially for children and youth in vulnerable situations.
2. Safeguarding Staff and Stakeholders: Protect the health and safety of staff, clients, and their families, ensuring that SHINE’s workforce can continue operating effectively during crises.
3. Community Resilience and Support Networks: Build and maintain community networks that can assist during emergencies, including partnerships with other social service agencies, government bodies, and volunteers.
4. Sustaining Service Delivery Standards: Maintain the quality of services during disruptions by ensuring staff training, appropriate technology, and access to resources.

These priorities should guide the BCM strategy, ensuring that SHINE can continue fulfilling its mission even during a crisis.

When setting specific BCM goals, it’s crucial to reflect on these priorities, as well as broader guidelines set by local and governmental agencies.

Considering the Singapore Government BCM Policy

1. Compliance with National BCM Frameworks: The BCM plans developed by SHINE must comply with national frameworks for public and social services. This includes ensuring that SHINE’s BCM practices align with Singapore’s national resilience strategies, which emphasise the continuity of critical social services.
2. Regular BCM Audits and Assessments: SHINE must undergo regular BCM audits and evaluations to assess the effectiveness of its continuity plans, identify areas of improvement, and ensure that the BCM system is up to date.
3. Coordination with Relevant Government Agencies: In case of large-scale emergencies, SHINE must coordinate with various government bodies, such as the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), MOE, and civil defence forces, to ensure a unified response.

Key Considerations from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) BCM Policies:

The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) plays a crucial role in supporting social service organisations like SHINE, particularly those working with vulnerable groups.

The MSF’s BCM policies provide additional guidance and expectations for maintaining continuity in social services during disruptions.

• MSF places significant emphasis on ensuring that organisations like SHINE continue to serve vulnerable populations—children, at-risk youth, and families in need of social support—during any emergency.
• SHINE must ensure its BCM plan includes specific measures to protect these groups from disruptions in service delivery, particularly during crises or disasters.

• SHINE’s BCM strategy must align with MSF’s disaster management guidelines for the social services sector.
• This includes coordinating with MSF’s response teams and ensuring that SHINE's services are part of the broader national effort to support the social well-being of the population during emergencies.