South Upwey
Netball Club
Concerns and Complaints
In line with Netball Victoria's requirement to have a Child Safety Officer and a Complaint's manager within each club, South Upwey Netball Club has updated the processes for raising concerns and complaints with the club, and these are outlined below.
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The Child Safety Officer's role is:
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to act as the first point of contact for any child safety concerns or reports
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to support the implementation of Netball Victoria's child safeguarding policies and procedures
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to help embed a culture within the club of child safety, in accordance with the Child Safety Standards
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to lead a Child Safety review and action plan within the club
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The Complaints Manager's role is:
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to receive complaints and act as the first point of contact for individuals wishing to raise a concern or complaint
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to advise complainants on their rights, processes, and possible resolutions
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to offer support and explain the complaint procedure clearly and fairly to all parties
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where appropriate, to facilitate informal resolution or mediation between parties
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to work toward timely and fair resolution of disputes
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to maintain confidential and accurate records of all complaints and actions taken
Reporting
South Upwey Netball Club is committed to ensuring members participate in an amicable and equitable environment, where grievances are dealt with promptly and with sensitivity. South Upwey Netball Club's codes of conduct apply to all members and provide guidelines for behavioural expectations, standards and values. All members of South Upwey Netball Club (playing and non-playing), have a responsibility to immediately report any inappropriate or unlawful conduct to the Complaints Manager and/or a member of the committee. All reports will be treated seriously and investigated in accordance with the following Policy and Procedure.
The majority of grievances can and should be resolved in an informal way however there will be instances where a more formal process will need to be followed.
Initially:
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When a member wishes to raise a grievance, they should initially attempt to resolve the grievance through informal discussions with the other party or parties involved, stating the nature of the offensive behaviour and requesting that it ceases
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The member against whom the grievance is made should aim to respond openly, including action that will be taken to address the grievance
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If the member does not feel they can raise the matter with the other party or if they are not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion with the other party, they should advise a member of the committee and may request assistance in resolving the complaint
In the next instance:
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If satisfaction is not reached at the first level of the process, a written formal complaint can then be made to the complaints manager via this form.
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The complaints manager will follow the process outlined above in their role description
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Processes:
Our Constitution (clause 7- Membership) notes that disciplinary action against a member of the club may take place if:
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Subject to these Rules, if the Committee is of the opinion that a member has refused or neglected to comply with these Rules, or has been guilty of conduct unbecoming a member or prejudicial to the interests of South Upwey Netball Club, the committee may by resolution:
i. Suspend that member from membership of South Upwey Netball Club for a specified period; or
ii. Expel that member from South Upwey Netball Club
Our Codes of Conduct set out the Fair Play Code which are applied by demonstrating the five core values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness and Safety that lead to fair play for all. All members of our club are expected to abide by the relevant Code of Conduct/s applicable to them (these can be found on the website). This Fair Play Code references Netball Australia's Code of Conduct- which provides information on Submitting a Complaint (10.1):
10.1.1 A person or organisation (including a Relevant Organisation) may submit a Complaint:
10.1.1.1 by completing the Complaint Form located at Schedule 2* in writing and submitting it to the appropriate Relevant Organisation at the email nominated by the Relevant Organisation, as soon as reasonably possible following the Alleged Breach; or
10.1.1.2 by contacting the Netball Speak Up Hotline. To avoid doubt, reference in this Policy to the Complaint Form, includes any Complaint lodged through the Netball Speak Up Hotline.
*(Schedule 2) has been reformatted for ease of submission into this form
Individuals should make themselves familiar with the following information, if they believe a situation exists where a complaint is warranted:
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Complaint form (for lodging a complaint with the club)
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Respondent form (for those subject to a complaint to provide their initial response to the club)
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Appeals form (for those wishing to appeal a decision of the Complaints Manager or Hearing Panel)
Any issue, regardless of who is involved, will be addressed promptly in a professional manner and contained to the relevant people involved. Feedback, grievances or complaints should be brought to the attention of the Committee as soon as practical.
If an incident occurred that you wish to make us aware of please complete and submit this form. Should you wish to raise a concern anonymously please complete and submit this form, but please note we will not be able to provide feedback or follow up directly with you. We are here to listen and address your concerns promptly and respectfully.
We look forward to continuing to build a respectful, equitable and fair club for all our members.
Aimy Skym
Complaints Manager and Child Safety Officer
South Upwey Netball Club