Behind the Scenes



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Behind the Scenes


Policies and Procedures

A successful club requires proactive, supportive work behind the scenes. STARCLUBs create and implement policies and procedures that protect volunteers by preventing serious situations arising or managing them effectively if they do. STARCLUBs also use their volunteer induction processes to ensure volunteers are aware of the policies applicable to them and the club.


Policies and procedures specific to managing volunteers are important because they:

  • protect volunteers

  • protect the club from liability

  • reduce risk

  • provide guidelines for dealing with important issues

  • demonstrate best practice

  • may fulfil legal requirements

  • provide clarity on acceptable/unacceptable conduct.



Type of club membership affects policies
The policies a club implements will vary depending on the sport, the size of the club and, importantly, on its type of membership. If a club:

  • is run entirely by volunteers, there are requirements under the Volunteer Protection Act 2001 (VP)

  • is an ‘employer’ (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking or PCBU), there are requirements under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (WHS).



Organisations with one or more employee
From 1 January 2013, the WHS Act replaced the Occupational Health Safety and Welfare Act in SA (in line with many other states and the Commonwealth). The Act outlines the requirements of organisations that operate as an ‘employer’ (PCBU) but also engage volunteers.
If your club is a PCBU under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012, then the laws require that you ensure the physical and mental health and safety of your workers, including any volunteers you may have, so far as is reasonably practicable.
To determine if your club is a PCBU – and for more information on the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (WHS) – go to SafeWorkSA or the SafeWork Australia resource for volunteers and volunteer organisations.

Organisations with only volunteers
Volunteer organisations – those that do not have any paid workers and are therefore not a PCBU – are not required to comply with the requirements of the WHS Act, but they still have a duty of care to their volunteers under the Volunteer Protection Act 2001.
The Volunteer Protection Act 2001 provides a level of protection for volunteers so that they may feel comfortable in fulfilling their volunteer obligations.
For more about protecting your volunteers, read the Volunteer Protection Act 2001 factsheet. For additional information, visit the Office for Volunteers website.
Payment to volunteers
Clubs are not obligated to reimburse their volunteers for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in volunteering, although many choose to do so.
To determine whether the method your club uses to ‘reimburse’ its volunteers for out-of-pocket expenses is correct and to learn about the possible tax implications for your club, visit the Australian Tax Office ‘Volunteers and Tax’ Guide.
An honorarium is a small amount of money paid to a person for a service for which no official charge is made. Whether an honorarium is assessable income in the hands of a volunteer depends on the nature of the payment and the recipient’s circumstances. ‘Honorary rewards for voluntary services are not assessable as income and related expenses are not deductible’.
Visit the Australian Taxation Office for more information on volunteers and honorariums.

Policies and measures to protect your club and its volunteers
Before creating any policies or measures, contact your State or National Sporting Organisation. Many will have policies you can adapt for your club.

Volunteers as Members
When clubs engage a volunteer, it is recommended that the volunteer becomes a member (see V-STAR section ‘Recruit Volunteers’).
Alternatively, the volunteer should be asked to sign off on:

  • the club’s codes of behaviour

  • an agreement to abide by relevant club policies.



Risk management plan
A risk management plan will determine how your club intends to manage risks. It describes the policies, procedures, practices, responsibilities, activities, the approach and the resources that will be used to manage risk.
To help your club develop a risk management plan, the Office for Recreation and Sport Risk Management Resource is available for download.
Play by the Rules and The Office for Volunteers also have valuable risk-management resources.

Member protection policy
A member protection policy should apply to all people involved in a club including paid staff, committee members, administrators, coaches, officials (umpires/referees/judges, etc.), volunteers, participants, parents and spectators.
This type of policy outlines how the organisation will protect its members, volunteers and children and the rules by which persons must abide.
Your State Sporting Organisation (SSO) may have a template for you to adapt. The Office for Recreation and Sport website also has a template for clubs to adapt.
Volunteers and children
If a club provides recreation or sporting services wholly or partly for children, then the volunteers (and employees) are mandated reporters of suspected child abuse under the Children’s Protection Act 1996. The club has a legal obligation to make each volunteer aware of this obligation.
There is no obligation for clubs to provide formal training for their volunteers in this area; however, it is highly recommended that volunteers in certain roles be taught to recognise and report suspected incidents of child abuse.
To help fulfil this requirement, clubs should appoint someone within the organisation to be the Child Safe Officer. The role of the Child Safe Officer is to deliver advice to club members regarding their responsibilities in the area of child protection and to be the first point of contact for members who have concerns about a child or young person. A three-hour course to advise the Child Safe Officer of his/her role is available at the Office for Recreation and Sport.
Clubs are reminded that volunteers younger than 18 years of age must be afforded the same protection in a child safe environment as participants who are younger than 18. For more information, go to the Office for Recreation and Sport website.
Play by the Rules offers online training, a Club Toolkit and other searchable resources that are valuable tools relating to this subject.

Code of behaviour
A code of behaviour outlines the behaviour and conduct required of everyone involved with a club and its activities including administrators, participants, volunteers, coaches, officials and spectators.
It is highly recommended that all persons involved with a club sign a statement saying they have read and will abide by the club’s code of behaviour. This could be included with membership applications. Posters could be used to inform visiting spectators of the expected behaviours.
An example of a code of behaviour can be found on the Play by the Rules website.

Volunteers and insurance
Insurance can include cover for accidents and injuries, participation liability, member-to-member liability and professional indemnity for volunteers. It can also be tailored to suit the risks specific to your sport or club.
The most cost-effective way to obtain insurance cover is through a group insurance scheme; some SSOs already have policies that extend cover to their affiliated clubs.
Check with your SSO about this option or to ensure that your club’s regulations are drafted in accordance with state/national policies.

Other recommended policies:

(Contact your SSO for templates and examples.)



  • Volunteer management

  • Volunteer reimbursement

  • Equal opportunity

  • Senior selection policy

  • Junior selection policy

  • Conflict of interest

  • Complaint handling

  • Confidentiality

  • Extreme weather

  • Privacy

  • Food handling

  • Alcohol management

  • Smoke free

  • Gambling

  • Safe transport

  • Communications policy

  • Event management

  • Infectious diseases.

Download the Australian Sports Commission’s ‘Sporting clubs guide to a safe workplace’ for information, advice and factsheets.



Add to Action Plan

Determine the policies needed

Develop Policy Review Plan and record review details

Contact your state body regarding assistance/templates

Develop/write the needed policies

Check insurance cover

Appoint a Child Safe Officer

Develop a form for volunteers to sign regarding codes of behaviour and abiding by club policies

Volunteer Policies/Procedures Check
Core policies/procedures affecting volunteers:


Topic

Have

NEED

WHO To FOLLOW UP

WHEN

Risk management plan













Member/child protection policy













Child Safe Officer appointed and trained













Signable codes of behaviour













Appropriate insurance



























Optional but recommended policies/procedures affecting volunteers:




TOPIC

Have

NEED

WHO To FOLLOW UP

WHEN

Volunteer management













Volunteer reimbursement













Equal opportunity













Senior selection policy













Junior selection policy













Conflict of interest













Complaint handling













Confidentiality













Extreme weather













Privacy













Food handling













Alcohol management













Smoke free













Gambling













Safe transport













Communications policy













Event management













Infectious diseases




























Volunteer Policies Review Plan




Policy/Procedure__Date_Developed__Date_Formally_Adopted_by_Club'>Policy/Procedure

Date Developed

Date Formally Adopted by Club

Document made public?

Policy Review Date

e.g. Risk management plan

10/3/12

23/3/12


Yes


23/3/14


























































































































































































































































































Volunteer Policies Review Details




Policy/Procedure

Review Date

Reviewed By

Notes

e.g. Volunteer management policy


30/01/11

Fred Jones

Ensure policy captured in VC role
















































































































































































Behind the Scenes

Communication

Communication is a two-way process and is crucial when working with volunteers in a club. Only through effective communication can you ensure that expectations are understood and needs are met by both parties.


To maintain good communication with your volunteers, ensure:


  • they understand what their role entails, are welcomed and appreciated

  • they are paired with a support person and know who else in the club can help them

  • they are kept up-to-date with news and changes that affect them

  • information and messages are brief, clear and concise

  • their feedback is welcomed

  • their concerns/complaints are handled professionally and quickly

  • a variety of communication methods are used.

The following information is important to share with volunteers:




  • initial information regarding their role (see ‘Induct Volunteers’ for more information)

  • ongoing information affecting their role

  • changes in policies/procedures that affect them

  • up-and-coming events they may be asked to help with

  • changes to personnel that affects them – committee, volunteer coordinator, participants, other volunteers

  • concerns/issues that affect them or those they work with at the club

  • extra equipment/assistance available.

Information to gain from volunteers includes:




  • feedback on their area of responsibility/their role

  • whether they have too much / too little to do

  • ideas they may have to improve a procedure

  • equipment/facility issues

  • conflict issues

  • assistance they may require

  • good news stories

  • results.



Communication methods between volunteers and the club
It is important to establish how the information between a club and volunteer will be shared. The method may depend on the volunteer’s role and could include:

  • email

  • text

  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • blog

  • phone call

  • face to face

  • special or regular meeting

  • committee meeting

  • AGM

  • functions/events

  • website

  • newsletter (electronic or hardcopy)

  • noticeboard

  • pigeon hole

  • advertisements/articles

  • letters

  • suggestion box.



Add to Action Plan

Determine the communication methods your club will use with volunteers.

Determine with which volunteers the club needs to communicate.

Determine who is responsible for the communication.


Communication at Our Club
Communication from club to volunteer:


Type of Communication

How our club might use this method to communicate with volunteers:

With which volunteer(s)?

Facebook

Promotion of their contributions

All

Website

Promotion of their contributions




Email

Rosters

Canteen helpers.

Track maintenance.



Text

Changes of fixture details

Umpires

Coaches


Facebook







Twitter







Blogs







Phone calls







Face to face

Complaints lodged

All

Special or regular meetings







Committee meetings







AGMs







Announcement (PA)







Newsletter







Noticeboard







Pigeon holes







Advertisements/articles







Letter

Appointment to position

Key roles

Hand-delivered information

Induction package

All














































Communication at Our Club


Communication from volunteer to club:

We will offer each of our volunteers a support person (buddy) as well as the following methods of communicating with the club:




Call/text/email to buddy


Email to Volunteer Coordinator


Suggestion box


Regular meetings






























Communication Channels (two-way)


Communication is required with these volunteers:

Mainly by this individual:

Main method:

Senior coaches

Committee member

Email, face to face

Junior coaches

Committee member

Email, face to face

Senior referees

Committee member

Email, face to face

Junior referees

Committee member

Email, Facebook, face to face

Coloured-shirt referees (new)

Senior referee

Email, Facebook, face to face

Officials coordinator

Committee member

Email, face to face

Track officials

Officials coordinator

Website

Social media contributor

Committee member

Facebook, Twitter

Team managers

Volunteer Coordinator

Email

Canteen coordinator







Canteen helpers







BBQ coordinator







BBQ helpers







Maintenance helpers







Working bee participants







Committee







Equipment managers







Grant writer







Newsletter writer









































































































Behind the Scenes

Keeping Records

It is good practice to keep an up-to-date record or database of your volunteers. This could be a separate file or part of the club’s membership database. The management of this database is a great role for a virtual volunteer – that is, someone who is happy to work remotely to maintain records for the club. There are many online tutorials that demonstrate how to create a simple database in Excel. Two examples can be found on the websites: WonderHowTo and Sport England.



Reasons to keep records of volunteers

There are many benefits of keeping records of volunteers. Records:




  • paint a picture of who is/isn’t volunteering in the club

  • help determine strategies for engaging new volunteers

  • assist in succession planning

  • capture volunteers’ length of service and essential details (for awards, life membership, etc.)

  • allow the club to keep track of police checks

  • help determine the volunteer budget needed.



Records to keep about each volunteer:


  • contact details

  • emergency contacts

  • method of engagement (i.e. member, parent, external, replied to ad, etc.)

  • skills/knowledge

  • current role

  • past roles

  • availability

  • criminal history check/screening record

  • training (type, date, who paid, etc.)

  • reimbursements

  • ambulance cover

  • recognition given

  • birthday/special anniversaries

  • length of service

  • achievements

  • shirt size

  • their recommendations

  • their exit interview notes



Records of potential volunteers
A club’s volunteer database could also include an area for potential volunteers. These are people who are not quite ready to volunteer or who may need a break from volunteering but are still interested in helping in the future. It is critical to keep a record of these people and keep in touch with them. A personal approach in the future may be all that someone needs to begin or bring them back to volunteering.
Add to Action Plan

Determine the information your club will collect on each volunteer.

Create a database of volunteers.

Create a database of potential volunteers.


Volunteer Database
Our club will keep the following records of our volunteers:


Contact details










Emergency contacts










Engagement method (i.e. member, parent, external, replied to ad, etc.)










Skills/knowledge











Current role











Past roles











Availability











Criminal history check/screening record











Training (type, date, who paid, etc.)











Ambulance cover











Reimbursements











Recognition given











Birthday/special anniversaries











Length of service











Achievements











Shirt size











Their recommendations











Exit interview notes



































































www.recsport.sa.gov.au/v-star/club-handbook/behind-scenes-policies.doc

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