[BCM] [SHINE] [E1] [C4] Establishing Business Continuity Objectives

 

SHINE Children and Youth Services (SHINE) is committed to empowering children, youth, and families in Singapore by providing a range of services, including educational psychology, community social work, and counselling.

As a non-profit organisation dedicated to fostering positive development in at-risk communities, SHINE recognises that maintaining the continuity of its services is essential to fulfilling its mission and meeting the needs of its clients.

The implementation of a robust Business Continuity Management (BCM) program is crucial to ensuring the organisation can continue its vital services during disruptions, whether caused by natural disasters, technological failures, or other unforeseen crises.

This chapter outlines SHINE’s business continuity objectives. It provides a framework for implementing its BCM program, which aims to safeguard the organisation’s core operations and the continuity of care for the children and families it serves.

Business Continuity Objectives for SHINE

SHINE’s primary business continuity objectives are driven by its commitment to ensuring uninterrupted support and care for its beneficiaries, while maintaining the integrity of its operations, stakeholder relationships, and regulatory compliance. The objectives can be categorised as follows:

Maintain Continuity of Core Services

The foremost objective of SHINE’s BCM program is to maintain continuity in its core service offerings.

This includes ensuring that key functions, such as educational psychology services, social work interventions, and case management, remain uninterrupted.

These services are vital for at-risk youth and their families, and any disruption could have a significant impact on their well-being.

Key Considerations:

• Identifying critical services within each operational area (e.g., psychological assessments, therapy, case management).
• Ensuring that alternative delivery methods (e.g., virtual consultations) are available when physical locations are unavailable.

Protect the Safety and Well-Being of Clients

SHINE’s BCM objectives must prioritise the safety and well-being of its clients—children, youth, and their families.

In times of crisis, vulnerable groups are often the most affected, and SHINE must have systems in place to safeguard them.

Key Considerations:

• Developing evacuation and safety protocols for clients and staff.
• Establishing communication systems to reach clients in case of an emergency.
• Ensuring that mental health and psychological support can continue remotely or in a modified format during crises.

Ensure Organisational Resilience

SHINE seeks to build resilience into its organisational infrastructure, including its human resources, facilities, and IT systems.

The BCM program should ensure that critical staff members and key resources are available and operational during and after a crisis.

Key Considerations:

• Identifying key personnel and cross-training staff to ensure that essential functions can continue with minimal disruption.
• Establishing remote working capabilities for staff where appropriate.
• Implementing backup systems for critical IT infrastructure, such as client management systems and communication tools.

Protect SHINE’s Reputation and Stakeholder Relationships

As a non-profit organisation, SHINE relies heavily on the trust and support of its stakeholders, including donors, government bodies, and the community.

Maintaining SHINE’s reputation during crises is essential to ensuring continued support for its mission.

A key BCM objective is to protect these relationships by ensuring transparency and communication during and after a crisis.

Key Considerations:

• Establishing clear crisis communication protocols with stakeholders.
• Developing a reputation management plan to mitigate the impact of negative publicity or misinformation during a crisis.
• Regularly updating stakeholders on the organisation’s response and recovery efforts.

1.5 Comply with Legal and Regulatory Requirements

SHINE is required to comply with various regulations and standards that govern its operations as a social service provider in Singapore.

These may include the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) guidelines, the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), and other relevant legislation.

SHINE’s BCM program must ensure that the organisation meets these compliance requirements, even during a disruption.

Key Considerations:

• Identifying all legal and regulatory requirements relevant to SHINE’s operations.
• Developing strategies to maintain compliance during crises, such as ensuring the continued safeguarding of client data and confidentiality.
• Coordinating with regulatory bodies to ensure that SHINE’s response to a crisis aligns with national guidelines.

1.6 Minimise Financial Impact

SHINE’s BCM program must address potential financial impacts that arise from disruptions to its operations.

While SHINE is a non-profit, it still requires sustainable funding to continue its operations.

The program should ensure that resources are available to mitigate financial risks and protect the organisation’s long-term viability.

Key Considerations:

• Developing financial contingency plans to cover costs associated with a crisis (e.g., additional staffing, equipment, or relocation costs).
• Ensuring access to reserves or funding sources that can support recovery efforts.
• Identifying revenue streams that are critical to SHINE’s operations and ensuring their continuity.

Ensure Timely Recovery of Operations

SHINE’s BCM program aims to ensure that all critical functions can be restored promptly, minimising downtime and impact on service delivery. The recovery phase is crucial to resuming normal operations and ensuring that services are quickly accessible to clients.

Key Considerations:

• Defining Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) for critical services and functions.
• Prioritising recovery efforts based on the severity and duration of the disruption.
• Implementing regular recovery exercises to ensure readiness and continuous improvement.

Alignment with SHINE’s Mission and Vision

SHINE’s mission is to serve and uplift children, youth, and families in need by providing the psychological and social support they need.

Business continuity planning directly supports this mission by ensuring that, no matter the circumstances, SHINE can continue providing these essential services.

By focusing on continuity of care and minimising the impact of disruptions, SHINE ensures its mission remains intact and can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of its beneficiaries.

The implementation of BCM at SHINE is not only about preparing for crises but about building an organisation that can withstand challenges and continue to thrive in any environment.

This commitment to resilience is core to SHINE’s values and integral to its ability to create lasting positive change in the lives of vulnerable children and youth.