Gallagher Securcom and Bravehearts Partners Beyond Security.
Gallagher Securcom and Bravehearts Partners – As one of Australia’s leading child protection organisations, Bravehearts has been at the forefront of preventing and treating child sexual abuse for over 25 years, providing specialist counselling, redress support, education, and training programs for children and adults, and advocating for victim survivors.
When Gallagher Security Australia was searching for an organisation it could support in raising awareness and funds, the entire team was unanimous in its decision to work with Bravehearts.
“Gallagher and Bravehearts share a similar vision and values,” says Gallagher Security’s marketing and engagement manager for APAC and IMEA, Samantha Gibbons.
“Gallagher is a privately owned, family company that has been in business for 85 years. As such, family values of respect, care, and fostering lasting relationships are important – all with the goal of creating a better future.”
According to Gibbons, these values are perfectly aligned with Bravehearts’ vision; which is a world where people, communities, and systems all work together to protect children from sexual abuse.
Security is important to most organisations in varied ways. For Bravehearts, it is multi-faceted and nuanced. The physical security of the building and its people is of the highest importance to them. Bravehearts team members undertake sensitive work, and that work is not without its security challenges at times.
As CEO of Bravehearts, risk management and compliance are key functions of Alison Geale’s role, who says ensuring Bravehearts can keep their team members safe and the buildings they operate in secure, gives comfort and confidence.
“Feeling secure and safe at work is a basic requirement as it should be for all organisations, no matter where you work,” Geale says. “The safety of the team and the safety of the information within the organisation is paramount.”
When the opportunity to work on the Bravehearts HQ security system installation project came up, longstanding Gallagher channel partner, Securcom, was first to put its hand up to help get it done.
“Securcom is a strong believer in supporting the local communities where we work, so when the Gallagher team reached out to us last year to see if we would be interested in partnering with them to deliver this project for Bravehearts, we jumped on board without hesitation,” says Sohail Autar, Securcom’s project and account manager.
Not only is Securcom local to Bravehearts, but with a relationship that goes back to 2004, the Gallagher Security team knew Securcom would go over and above to get the best outcome for the organisation.
The project was a big job for Securcom and not just in the installation sense – there was also work ensuring Bravehearts’ team members were confident in using the system. The Securcom team was present on site to answer any questions and made themselves available at any hour even on weekends to troubleshoot questions staff may have had.
Prior to installing the Gallagher Security access control system, Bravehearts used a basic key and code entry system with select key access to various areas. On paper that may have seemed the best way but it offered less functionality day-to-day.
“In practical terms, that system relied on people never misplacing a key or disclosing their code, or all previous staff members handing in their keys and code,” said Geale.
“Additionally, if there was an emergency or a risk in one area of the building, team members may have not been able to access to assist. It was a system that had been operating over a long period of time that legislated for nothing ever going wrong.
“Practically, the new system has removed the consistent issues of the past in relation to keys and code management. The new technology is in line with modern approaches not just to security, but to life,” Geale says.
Gallagher and Securcom implemented a system for Bravehearts that is contemporary and fully utilises the power of today’s security technology.
“The solution that was provided to Bravehearts was made up of access control, perimeter security, intrusion detection, and duress monitoring with centralised management of the system via the Gallagher Command Centre software platform,” Sohail says.
“It allows for full management of the security on site with advanced reporting along with integration capabilities and system scalability.”
Operating the system from an app may have been a new thing for some of the Bravehearts staff initially, but now it is an embedded part of their procedures and has been well received by the organisation.
“The system is easy,” confirms Alison. “Previously staff were hesitant to have the responsibility of securing the building if they were the last to leave; it was daunting for some, but this isn’t the case now.”
Gallagher Securcom and Bravehearts Partners
The system also manages the different entry and exit points as they are accessed more accurately. The major difference is the ease of use of the system, as well as its efficacy and accuracy. Bravehearts has not had a late-night false alarm since the upgrade.
Given its remit, Bravehearts needed a security system that was intelligent and effective, yet simple to operate, and Geale says the new Gallagher system ‘is precisely that’.
“For our team the most effective systems are those which provide a high level of efficacy but are so simple to use that interactions are effortless,” she explains.
“On an average day, our team members will use the system to enter and exit the premises, all without issue or system problems.”
Gallagher Security’s support helps Bravehearts continue to prevent and treat child sexual abuse, a crime that affects 1 in 4 Australian children. The efforts undertaken so far only mark the beginning of a lasting partnership between Gallagher and Bravehearts, with both organisations being committed to working together into the future.
“Gallagher is at the cutting edge of security globally and to feel like you are one of their most important clients is a gift,” Geale said.
“I highly recommend Gallagher. Their philanthropic values sit peacefully with their commercial goals, and in my view, that is a success.”
You can find out more about Securcom here, learn more about Gallagher here and discover more about Bravehearts here – there’s more SEN news here.
“Gallagher Securcom and Bravehearts Partners Beyond Security.”
