The Harvard Business Review previously reported that 70% of all change initiatives fail.[1]This statistic acts as a reminder to leaders of one very important fact: The mere existence of a goal, however worthy, is not enough to enact change. Youth-serving organizations would be hard-pressed to identify a worthier goal than abuse prevention. So, what is that extra ingredient needed to create a culture of safety?

Building a “safety culture” in your organization can be challenging and, once successfully established, you might wonder how long will it remain in good working order? Some influences that can alter the safety mindset of your team are changes in management or even changes in your superiors. “TIME” is also a huge factor in the stabilization of your organization’s safety culture.