Melodie Bissell Protects Children and Vulnerable Adults from Abuse

By Michael C. Carter, Silver Lining Brand Journalist

(small.news) — For Melodie Bissell, Chair & Sr. Safeguarding Consultant of Plan to Protect, over 20 years of abuse prevention for children, youth, and vulnerable adults started with recognizing a single global need.

In 2006, Melodie and her two co-authors were writing the third version of Plan to Protect®, a safety manual and program designed to protect vulnerable individuals from abuse in schools, organizations, churches, daycares, municipalities, and more.

At that time, Plan to Protect® was written on behalf of a denomination of 450 churches in Canada, and after surveying them, the three authors found that many churches had questions about how to apply the various features and policies of the manual. This sparked the realization amongst the group that people needed a business to help them use Plan to Protect®.

And so the work began.

Growth Through Sacrifice

Melodie’s co-authors were not in a position to give their full time to launching Plan to Protect as a company, so she decided to quit her job and begin the business. Starting off, she began seeking ways to support and sustain the budding business, including reaching out to a few friends to help with funding. This ultimately led to Melodie and one of her funders owning 85% of the company and gifting the co-authors shares of the business as well.

Along with this, Melodie’s previous experience as a legal secretary, working in human resources, and as an executive director of a children’s charity granted her the skills and network to form a dependable advisory board made up of lawyers, insurance brokers, and child protection workers.

Through it all, Melodie ensured that she did what was necessary to make Plan to Protect a reality, and once the essential parts were in place, she officially launched the company.

Global Impact

Melodie’s vision is to win the race against abuse. Plan to Protect has helped organizations of all kinds identify risks of abuse based on the people they serve and has assisted them in writing policies on abuse prevention and safeguarding. It has also provided consultations, investigations, and training for their clients’ staff members and volunteers for abuse awareness and prevention as well as reporting and responding to abuse.

The impact has been felt around the world, with organizations from Thailand, Japan, Ghana, Kenya, Bolivia, and more reaching out to utilize the Plan to Protect® manuals and programs within their own systems. Even the Toronto Blue Jays (Jays Care Foundation) use Plan to Protect®!

Due to the simple realization of a common need and her dutiful sacrifice, Melodie brought an idea to life that is making a difference in the lives of children and adults all over the world and will continue for years to come.

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