How a small charity is using JCAD CORE to improve risk visibility, support better decision-making and build confidence in risk management
For smaller charities, risk management can be challenging. Resources are often limited, teams are small, and there can be a temptation to rely on spreadsheets or informal processes to keep track of risks.
Northern Cancer Voices wanted to take a more structured and professional approach.
Having previously worked in a corporate environment, Tori Bradison, CEO & Founder of Northern Cancer Voices, understood the importance of effective risk management. However, she had no specific risk management experience and wanted a solution that would give the charity a practical way to manage its risks without creating unnecessary administration.
JCAD CORE has provided that solution.
Making risk management manageable
Northern Cancer Voices has a relatively small number of risks to manage. For Tori, that meant it was important that the charity’s approach remained proportionate and focused.
Rather than creating an unnecessarily complicated risk register, Tori has taken a deliberately focused approach, ensuring that the charity only records risks that it genuinely needs to manage.
“Only the things that we need to manage go in. Putting things in just for the sake of it, it’s completely pointless.”
This approach has helped make risk management something that works for the charity, rather than becoming an administrative burden.
Tori also regularly reviews the register and removes risks when they are no longer relevant, helping to keep the information current and useful.
Greater visibility for the board and trustees
One of the key benefits of moving to a dedicated risk management system has been improved visibility.
JCAD CORE provides Northern Cancer Voices with a centralised view of its risks, making it easier to communicate risk information with the board and trustees and helping them understand the charity’s current risk position.
For a small organisation, having clear and accessible risk information is particularly valuable. It gives trustees greater confidence that the charity’s key risks are being actively considered and managed.
Supporting more informed decisions
For Northern Cancer Voices, risk management is not simply about maintaining a register. It is about having useful information available to support the organisation’s decision-making.
By bringing greater structure and visibility to its risks, the charity is now better equipped to consider risk as part of its wider governance and decision-making processes.
The result is a more informed and professional approach, helping the charity make decisions with a clearer understanding of the risks involved.
A supportive approach for those new to risk management
Tori came to the role without formal risk management experience, so having access to both JCAD CORE and support from the JCAD team has been an important part of the journey.
The combination of a straightforward system, support services and a responsive team has helped Northern Cancer Voices develop its approach to risk management with confidence.
For a small charity, this support has been particularly valuable – providing reassurance that they don’t have to navigate risk management alone.
Keeping risk proportionate
Perhaps one of the most important lessons from Northern Cancer Voices’ experience is that effective risk management does not need to mean having a huge risk register or a complicated process.
Tori is clear that the system needs to remain practical:
“I didn’t want to make it overly cumbersome because I know what I’m like; I wouldn’t use it. If it becomes this big mess… we wouldn’t use it.”
JCAD CORE enables Northern Cancer Voices to take a proportionate approach: focusing on the risks that matter, keeping them under review and providing the visibility needed by those responsible for the charity’s governance.
A stronger foundation for the future
Northern Cancer Voices is now using JCAD CORE to bring a more professional structure to its risk management, while keeping the process proportionate to the size and needs of the charity.
“I am so grateful for the use of JCAD CORE, the support service and the wider JCAD team’s support throughout its risk management journey,” Tori Bradison said.
For Tori and Northern Cancer Voices, the goal isn’t to create more risk management for the sake of it. It is about having the right risks visible, keeping them relevant and giving the board and trustees the information they need to make better-informed decisions.
Key benefits for Northern Cancer Voices:
• Greater visibility of risk for the board and trustees
• A more professional approach to risk management
• Better-informed decision-making
• A proportionate and manageable risk register
• Ongoing support from the JCAD team
• Greater confidence for someone new to formal risk management
JCAD CORE helps organisations of all sizes bring structure, visibility and confidence to risk management – without making the process unnecessarily complicated.
