Toowoomba Physie and Dance Member Protection Policy

 

Purpose of our policy

The main objective of our Member Protection Policy is to maintain responsible behavior and ethical and informed decision making by participants in this club. This policy outlines our commitment to a person’s right to be treated with respect and dignity, and to be safe and protected from abuse. Our policy informs everyone involved in our club of their legal and ethical rights and responsibilities and the standards of behavior that are required. It also covers the care and protection of children participating in our club’s activities. Who our policy applies to Our policy applies to everyone involved in the club including administrators, teachers, associates, assistant teachers, judges, parents and spectators.

 

Extent of our policy

Our policy covers unfair decisions (e.g., team selection), breaches of our codes of behaviour and inappropriate behaviour that occurs at practice, at meetings, at social events organized or sanctioned by the club and any behaviour that brings or is likely to bring our club or sport into disrepute. It also covers behaviour where there is suspicion of harm towards a child or young person.

 

Club Responsibilities

We will:

• make any necessary amendments to our Constitution, rules or other policies to enable this policy to be enforceable

• implement and comply with our policy

• promote our policy to everyone involved in our club

• promote and model appropriate standards of behaviour at all times

• respond to breaches or complaints made under our policy promptly, fairly, and confidentially

• review this policy every 12 –18 months

• seek advice from, and if necessary or appropriate, refer serious issues to the Bjelke-Petersen School Of Physical Culture (BJP). Serious issues include unlawful behaviour that involves or could lead to significant harm and includes criminal behaviour (e.g., physical assault, sexual assault, child abuse) and any other issues that our state or national body request to be referred to them (e.g., conflict of interest)

 

Individual Responsibilities

Everyone associated with our club must:

• comply with the standards of behaviour outlined in our policy

• treat others with respect

• always place the safety and welfare of children above other considerations

• be responsible and accountable for their behaviour

• follow the guidelines outlined in this policy if they wish to make a complaint or report a concern about possible child abuse, discrimination, harassment or other inappropriate behaviour.

 

Protection of children

• Child Protection Child abuse involves conduct which puts children at risk of harm and takes a number of different forms, including:

• physical abuse (e.g., deliberately hurting [hitting, punching], providing alcohol or drugs, or training that exceeds child’s development or maturity) • sexual abuse (e.g., sexual acts or threats, inappropriate touching or conversations)

• emotional abuse (e.g., ill-treating by threats, humiliation or intimidation)

• neglect (e.g., not providing child with basic necessities [food, drink, clothing], failing to protect a child from foreseeable risk of harm or injury). Abuse is usually against the law. We will take measures to protect children involved in our club from harm.

We will do this by:

• responding to all reports of abuse promptly, seriously and confidentially

• complying with state/territory child protection laws and Working with Children Check requirements (see attachment 2)

• carefully selecting and screening people over the age of 16 years who will have regular supervisory contact with children

• promoting and enforcing our codes of behaviour, particularly for roles associated with children

• making information about child protection available, particularly for roles associated with children

• adopting practices that provide the maximum opportunity for a child safe environment.

• Anyone who reasonably suspects that a child has been or is being abused must report their concerns to the police or relevant government agency. Advise the CEO of BJP that you have reported your concerns. Supervision Members under the age of 18 years must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult.

 

Toowoomba Physie And Dance Code Of Behaviour

Purpose of this policy: The purpose of our Code of Behaviour is intended to be the minimum standard for anyone involved in Toowoomba Physie. 

• Operate within the rules and spirit of the sport, promoting fair play over winning at any cost.

•  Encourage and support opportunities for people to learn appropriate behaviours and skills.

•  Support opportunities for participation in all aspects of the sport.

• Treat each person as an individual.

• Display control and courtesy to all involved with the sport.

•  Respect the rights and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.

•  Respect the decisions of officials, coaches and administrators in the conduct of the sport.

• Wherever practical, avoid unaccompanied and unobserved one-on-one activity (when in a supervisory capacity or where a power imbalance will exist) with people under the age of 18 years.

• Adopt appropriate and responsible behaviour in all interactions.

• Adopt responsible behaviour in relation to alcohol and other drugs.

• Act with integrity and objectivity, and accept responsibility for your decisions and actions.

• Ensure your decisions and actions contribute to a safe environment.

• Ensure your decisions and actions contribute to a harassment-free environment.

• Do not tolerate harmful or abusive behaviours.

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Athletes

• Give your best at all times.

• Participate for your own enjoyment and benefit.

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Coaches

• Place the safety and welfare of the athletes above all else.

• Help each person (athlete, official etc.) reach their potential. Respect the talent, developmental stage and goals of each person and compliment, encourage with positive and supportive feedback.

• Any physical contact with a person should be appropriate to the situation and necessary for the person's skill development.

• Be honest and do not allow your qualifications to be misrepresented.

• Officials

• Place the safety and welfare of the athletes above all else.

• Be consistent and impartial when making decisions.

• Address unsporting behaviour and promote respect for all people.

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Administrators

• Act honestly, in good faith and in the best interests of the sport as a whole.

• Ensure that any information acquired or advantage gained from the position is not used improperly.

• Conduct your responsibilities with due care, competence and diligence.

• Do not allow prejudice, conflict of interest or bias to affect your objectivity.

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Parents

• Encourage children to participate and have fun.

• Focus on your child's effort and performance rather than winning or losing.

• Never ridicule or yell at a child for making a mistake or losing a competition.

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Spectators

• Respect the performances and efforts of all people.

• Reject the use of violence in any form, whether it is by spectators, coaches, officials or athletes.

 

Toowoomba Physie And Dance Communication Policy

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Our commitment

Electronic communication is essential for sharing club news and information with our members. Our communication will be timely, appropriate and related to club business. What we will do We use a range of electronic tools to communicate with our members. Our communication will protect members’ privacy, maintain clear boundaries and ensure that bullying and harassment does not occur. A webmaster will be appointed to provide accountability and control over material published on our club’s website and any related discussion groups or social media websites, such as Facebook, YouTube or Twitter.

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Website

• Our website will include current information on competitions, social events, committees, policies, constitution, rules and by-laws.

• No offensive content or photos will be published.

• If we intend to publish a photo of a child, we will first seek permission from his or her parents and take care not to provide identifying information.

• We will seek feedback from members to improve the information available on the site. SMS and email Teachers and administration may use SMS and email to provide information about competition, training, club-sanctioned social events and other club business, however:

• SMS messages should be short and about club/team matters

• email communication will be used when more information is required

• communication involving children will be directed through their parents.

 

Social media websites

• We treat all social media postings, blogs, status updates and tweets as public ‘comment’.

• Postings (written, photos or videos) will be family-friendly and feature positive club news and events.

• No personal information about our members will be disclosed.

• No statements will be made that are misleading, false or likely to injure a person’s reputation.

• No statements will be made that might bring our club into disrepute.

• Abusive, discriminatory, intimidating or offensive statements will not be tolerated. Offending posts will be removed and those responsible will be blocked from the site. What we ask you to do We expect our members to conduct themselves appropriately when using electronic communication to share information with other members or posting material on public websites connected to the club.

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Electronic communication:

•  should be restricted to club matters

• must not offend, intimidate, humiliate or bully another person

• must not be misleading, false or injure the reputation of another person

• should respect and maintain the privacy of members

• must not bring the club into disrepute. Teachers and others who work with children and young people must direct electronic communication through the child’s parents. Non-compliance Members may face disciplinary action for sending inappropriate electronic communication or posting online content or comments that harass, offend, intimidate or humiliate another member, as outlined in our member protection policy or code of conduct. Under certain circumstances, cyber bullying (e.g. bullying that is carried out through an internet service such as email, a chat room, discussion group, instant messaging or website) is a criminal offence that can be reported to the police. In addition, members who publish false or misleading comments about another person in the public domain (e.g., Facebook, YouTube or Twitter) may be liable for defamation.

 

Toowoomba Physie and Dance Spectator Behaviour

Our Commitment

Our club is committed to providing a safe environment for participation. Angry, aggressive or other inappropriate behaviour by members, their families and friends or other sporting personnel while attending a competition or event will not be tolerated.

These behaviours are outlined in our codes of behaviours and include:

• using bad language.

• harassing or ridiculing competitors, teachers, officials or other spectators

• making racist, religious, sexist or other inappropriate comments to competitors, teachers, officials or other spectators.

• any threatening behaviour or physical altercation between competitors, teachers, officials or other spectators.

• putting undue pressure on children, berating them or putting down their performance.

• arriving drunk or drunken behaviour at a competition or event.

 

• What we will do:

• provide members and their parents and sporting personnel with codes of behaviour and make clear what is expected and the consequences of non-compliance.

• Where possible, bind non-members by prominently displaying conditions of entry and by requiring parents to abide by club rules.

• Reinforce messages of fair and respectful behaviour by displaying signage, posters, web messages and other club communication.

• Encourage our teachers and officials to complete training to develop their skills and confidence.

• Ban bringing alcohol or drinking alcohol at events.

• Consult with our local police and seek their support and advice on how to handle issues with inappropriate behaviour by spectators prior to, at or after a competition.

• Encourage our teachers, students, officials and spectators to call the police if they are concerned about escalating behaviour and their safety or the safety of others.

 

• What we ask you to do:

• All members and sporting personnel must abide by our club's codes of behaviour.

• If it feels safe, speak with the parent or spectator and ask them to stop. If there is an associate teacher or official present at the event ask for their assistance.

• Report any inappropriate spectator behaviour to someone in a position of authority.

• Call the police or an official if you are concerned for your safety or the safety of others. Non-Compliance Parents found to have behaved inappropriately and who have agreed to abide by our club's code of conduct and this policy may face disciplinary action as outlined in our member protection policy