Member Protection
Macquarie Hunter Athletics Inc is committed to the health, safety and wellbeing of all its members and is dedicated to providing a safe environment within our club.
It is not acceptable for any of our members to be exposed to abuse or harassment. This includes physical, emotional, psychological and sexual abuse. The Member Protection Policy conveys a message about minimising risk exposure and informs all members, particularly age controllers, coaches, officials and management that we all have a responsibility to safeguard the well being of our members.
Any abuse should be immediately reported to a Club executive, preferably in writing.
CODE OF CONDUCT
As a member of Hunter Athletics, you should meet the following requirements with regard to your conduct during any club activity.
ALL MEMBERS MUST:
- Be a positive role model for other members
- Be fair, considerate and honest at all times with others
- Treat all members with respect and dignity.
- Always have good behavior and sportsmanship.
- remember that we are all part of the team.
- Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured.
- Be mindful of your language, tone of voice and body language.
- Refrain from any form of abuse or harassment of others and do not tolerate abusive or inappropriate behaviour – deal with it immediately by notifying an Executive of the Club.
- Understand your responsibility if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, the code of conduct.
Abuse, harassment, bad language and offensive behavior will not be tolerated. Any member reported to the Carnival Coordinator or an Executive for behaving in the above manner may be warned and/or removed from the premises and the matter will be passed onto the Disciplinary Committee. Athletes may suffer a loss of points depending upon the severity of the incident.
OUR ATHLETES MUST:
- be good sports and a keen yet friendly competitor.
- be respectful, considerate and co-operative to all officials, coaches and supervisors.
- remember that you are part of a team and should participate as instructed by coaches, team managers and age group controllers.
- be a credit to the Club by the way you behave at all functions involving our Club.
- support your team mates and officials and try to make all our activities enjoyable for all of us.
- be prompt to all activities and events
- try to shake hands with your fellow competitors at the end of an event, whether you win or lose.
- appreciate the work of all our helpers who give up their free time to help you enjoy yourself.
- not disrupt coaching sessions and carnivals.
ALL ADULT MEMBERS MUST:
- have filled out a Working with Children Check Form prior to accompanying Juniors in any Club activity.
- ensure that all junior athletes ar accompanied by at least one parent/guardian.
- notify the age controller If you elect to take a Junior Athlete home early for any reason
- become involved in the Club’s activities and help out. · encourage your children to keep to our Code of Conduct.
- maintain your status as a role model to Juniors and other Members. Be professional in, and accept responsibility for your actions.
- act objectively when you are an official.
- maintain a duty of care and accountability for the members that you are responsible for including the overall welfare and well-being of those members by providing a safe environment for the activity in accordance with relevant ANSW and LAANSW policies.
- ensure that any physical contact with others is appropriate to the situation or necessary for the person’s skill development.
- remember not only to encourage your child to improve, but also the other athletes you come into contact with
- remember to ask questions if you are not sure about what is going on.
- not sit on the outside and criticise, come inside and be constructive.
ALL ADULT MEMBERS INVOLVED WITH JUNIORS (under 18 years old); MUST NOT:
- Abuse your position § Pressure a junior into participating in an activity
- Get dressed or undressed in front of Juniors
- Invade the privacy of Juniors while dressing, undressing, showering or toileting and educate Juniors that they need to respect your privacy as well.
- Photograph or take Video footage of Juniors dressing, undressing, showering or toileting.
- Allow any inappropriate or intrusive touching of a Junior
- Joke, ridicule, reject, isolate, or take the ‘micky’ out of a junior.
- Conduct discussions, interviews, briefings, meetings or training in isolation with a Junior
- Become involved in excessive attention-seeking behaviour, physically or sexually, by a Junior. Be mindful of the needs of juniors and redirect their attention to Athletics.
- Allow aggressive, physically distressing or sexually provocative activities
- Allow sexually suggestive comments about or to a Junior
- Sleep in closed quarters with Juniors without two adults of the same sex being present.
ALL ADULT MEMBERS INVOLVED WITH JUNIORS SHOULD ONLY PERFORM THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES AFTER WRITTEN APPROVAL IS GRANTED AND THAT APPROVAL MUST BE MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST BY AN EXECUTIVE OF THE CLUB:
- Communicate with Juniors by Mobile Phones, Email, Computer Messaging or Internet Meeting Sites. Preference is always to communicate with Parents or Guardian.
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