2.7 Policies about Policies

Good policies can only be effective if everyone affected knows about them, understands them and agrees with them. It is a good idea to express why you have policies and what they mean in your organization. This can emphasize that policies are not mere formalities. Show that they are to be taken seriously. Indicate how policies work, why they are necessary and why you are committed to them. Never assume that people will correctly understand or interpret the reason for policy development unless you explain what it was intended to accomplish. This will not only provide a context for tying together your policy efforts but may also serve as a reminder or reaffirmation of the agency’s rationales, even to the policy-makers themselves.

Policy statements about your policies should explain the background, context and reasons for having them. You may also want to say how policies will be managed, updated and enforced.

Show that your policies are not a one-shot deal, merely paying lip-service to a government requirement. They have ongoing importance in the life of a professional agency. The following questions may help boards start to discuss policies in general, while suggesting some specific policies that may need to be developed.

For discussion:

• Why does your agency have policies?
• When are policies required?
• What policies does your agency have? What policies does it need?
• Who do your policies apply to?
• Who makes and writes the policies for your agency?
• Who approves policy?
• Who is responsible for reviewing policies and procedures? (ie, reviewing, adjusting, eliminating and updating?)
• When are policies reviewed and updated?
• How will policies be made available and communicated to the people affected?
• Will agency policies be available in alternative formats, such as on audio tape? in large print?
• Will your policies be reviewed for clear language?
• Will they be presented in the orientation of new staff and/or volunteers?
• How are policies monitored to ensure they are being followed?
• Where are official policy documents stored? How widely are they circulated?
• What are the consequences for non-compliance? Do your policies have “teeth”?
• Do you have or want to have a policy on how to write policies? For example, an outline of the expected components? a list of what should be included? a template for policy writing in your agency.