Risks from community events

Just a couple of quick comments on some of the concerns that arise from hosting community events within your facility and an angle towards this short mention about an attendee being threatened in a meeting.

We don't know what kind of meeting it was, and it really doesn't matter to much here. Whenever allowing anyone to utilize your facility it is very important to consider how this may impact your operation. The facility may need to remain open when it wouldn't normally be so, or you may be expected to allow the use of appliances or the entire kitchen, and without a thought towards any liability that may exist.

First - understand what the group will be doing in your facility and what support they may want and take a minute to learn a little about their history. Why do they wish to start using your facility. We're they asked to leave the last - the 'why' here is key. If there was a problem and you still want to help then discuss what efforts have been made to prevent or control a similar problem.

Second - know how this impact your operations. What times are the meetings? Are they outside your normal 'open times' and what additional resources will be needed. Will there be a significant effect on utilities, a need for a member presence and so on. If you already support other meetings then consider the topics carefully! It may not be wise to have a spousal abuser support group alongside an abused spouse group meeting, or any other sort of possible conflict.

Third - Decide what you plan to do to ensure your organization's safety, security, and operational continuity. Who will be responsible for opening and securing the facility, making sure coffee pots are turned off, and any expensive property placed in the protected area. How will you handle any press for a disruption at a meeting (planning ahead is essential to media survival and even triumph). If a kitchen is to be available decide ahead of time whether or not utensils and cookware will be made available. Don't let your knives become someone else's weapon - and so on, and so on.

In all matters, build in the means to take action if necessary. A formal contract with the group, and in some cases the attendees, concerning conduct, facility maintenance, and vacate times. Try to avoid putting yourself in a position that your only recourse is to evict the group. Provide terms that allow for individual misconduct - so long as it's corrected by the group. Otherwise you may become unwilling to take any action, and when you do take action it's resented by everyone.

The important thing to remember is this: Those who are attending the group (not necessarily the group organizers) do not have a stake in your facility or your organization. So it's essential to the community to host such functions, but it is equally important to protect that which allows you to continue operations.

Oh, and don't be afraid to spot check the meeting activities periodically, or to ask your members that routinely use the meeting area following the meeting whether the room is left in compliance with your agreement with the group. Not monitoring, not guiding, and the like only sets the group up for failure, and the goal is supposed to be help everyone succeed.

Rob
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