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Risk assessment is the process of identifying potential hazards, evaluating the likelihood and severity of those hazards and putting sensible control measures in place to reduce risk to an acceptable level.
For Bournemouth Youth Marching Band, risk assessments are not designed to remove all risk. Instead, they are intended to create a safe environment in which members can develop confidence, independence, resilience and the practical skills needed to become responsible young adults.
The Band recognises that many of the most valuable life skills are learned by allowing young people to experience new situations while being appropriately supported.
Activities such as performances, camps, tours, free time in town centres, coach travel and outdoor events all provide opportunities for members to make decisions, work as a team, solve problems and take responsibility for themselves and others.
The Band balances risk with independence by adopting the following principles:
Identifying foreseeable hazards and implementing proportionate control measures.
Providing clear rules, boundaries and expectations before activities begin.
Ensuring that supervision is appropriate to the age, experience and maturity of members.
Allowing members increasing levels of independence as they demonstrate responsibility.
Encouraging young people to work in groups, support one another and make sensible decisions.
Giving members opportunities to develop self-reliance within clearly defined limits.
Regularly reviewing activities and adapting control measures when necessary.
The Band believes that completely eliminating risk can reduce opportunities for personal growth. Equally, allowing unrestricted freedom can place young people at unnecessary risk. The aim is therefore to strike an appropriate balance between safeguarding and independence.
Through this approach, members develop important skills for life, including:
Leadership.
Communication.
Teamwork.
Self-discipline.
Decision-making.
Time management.
Resilience.
Problem-solving.
Personal responsibility.
Confidence.
The overall philosophy is that young people should be protected from unacceptable risks while still being given opportunities to challenge themselves, learn from experience, and develop the skills and confidence needed for adult life.
Dynamic Risk Assessment
We recognise that Band activities may have to change rapidly on the day because of:
Bad weather
Road closures
Delays
Crowds
Last minute changes by the organisers
Performance schedule changes
We remind everyone that the Band may need to amend activities and arrangements on the day.
Independent Review of the BYMB Risk Assessments
1. Activity-specific assessments
The risk assessments appear to be written for individual activities rather than relying on a single generic document. Examples include:
Coach travel
Carnivals
Beach activities
Residential camps
Free time in town centres
Service station breaks
Concerts and rehearsals
This is considered good practice because hazards vary significantly between activities.
2. Strong focus on safeguarding
The assessments consistently recognise that BYMB works with children and young people aged from 8 upwards. Public information also emphasizes safeguarding as a core part of the organisation.
Positive safeguarding controls include:
Minimum ages for some activities
Group sizes for free time
Adult supervision
Chaperoning
Clear boundaries
These controls are consistent with Dorset safeguarding expectations.
3. Balancing independence and risk
One particularly strong feature is that the assessments do not attempt to eliminate all risk.
Allowing older members supervised free time in groups:
Develops independence
Encourages decision-making
Builds confidence
Teaches responsibility
This reflects the band's wider emphasis on developing life skills through music and performance.
4. Real-world operational hazards are recognised
The assessments identify practical hazards that many organisations overlook, including:
Uneven pavements
Evening performances
Head torches for musicians
Instrument cases
Service stations
Beaches
Coach travel
Weather
This demonstrates an understanding of the environments in which the Band actually operates.
Based on the risk assessments published by Bournemouth Youth Marching Band and comparing them with practices used by Scouts, Girlguiding, cadet organisations, youth charities and music organisations, BYMB's approach appears to be more comprehensive than many independent youth music groups and broadly comparable with larger national youth organisations.
Overall rating: Very good.
The strongest aspect of the BYMB approach is that the assessments recognise that a youth marching band is not simply a music group. Members travel, perform in public, attend residential events, participate in outdoor activities and gradually develop independence. The assessments generally reflect that broader educational role very well.
After comparing the risk assessments published by Bournemouth Youth Marching Band with those used by Scouts, youth organisations and other UK bands that make their documentation publicly available, I would place BYMB's assessments in the upper tier for activity-specific planning, but with some opportunities to improve their formal structure.
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