Welfare

1. The Welfare Officer role

Richmond Harriers will have at least two Welfare Officers of different genders, so members can choose who they feel most comfortable speaking with. Welfare Officers are a first point of contact. They listen, explain the available options and help the concern reach the right person or process. They do not investigate complaints or decide outcomes.

What they do:

– Be a reachable, trusted first contact

– Listen without jumping to conclusions

– Loop in a second person within 24 hours, always. A second person will always be included to ensure balanced decision making. This will be made clear to any person contacting a Welfare Officer.

– Know which existing policy applies (Child Safe, Coaching Code, Communications, Inclusion) rather than inventing a response

– Identify the right internal steps within the club to resolve the concern, or look outward if assistance is required

– Keep a basic record

What they don’t do:

– Not a counsellor, mediator, investigator, or judge

– Don’t decide outcomes alone

– Not on call 24/7

A Welfare Officer can step down at any time, for any reason by notifying the President or Vice-President who will facilitate a transition.

Any issues related to children under 18 please engage with our Child Safety Officers in the first instance.

2. The process

– Concerns can be raised in person with either Welfare Officer, or through an online form which goes to both welfare officers. Reports made through the form can be anonymous. 

– Welfare Officer loops in a second person within 24 hours, no matter what. Suggested person is the other welfare contact, or any committee member if conflicted, unavailable, or preferred.

– A small subset of committee members may be brought in to help determine an approach, being conscious of the complainant’s privacy preferences and of ensuring a fair and independent process for the complainant, and for any person/s accused of wrongdoing. 

– Record kept: date, time, factual summary, accessible only to Welfare Officers and President (VP if conflicted). Welfare Officers use judgement on who is named, enough detail to spot a pattern if one exists, without over-recording where it isn’t needed. Current welfare officers agree on how to pass along records to incumbent welfare officers for continuity.

– The two agree together on a plan: i.e. it may stay informal, or escalate

– Sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct will be assessed under our policies. The person raising the concern can also seek external support or make an external report at any time. See below for the process used for high risk escalations.

– Immediate danger: call 000 first, before anything else.

– External support, any time: 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 · Lifeline 13 11 14 · Police 000

– The club may change welfare officers anytime through the year. The website will be kept up to date with changes.

– If preferred, any committee member can be contacted regarding welfare. They loop in a second committee member within 24 hours, a Welfare Officer unless there’s a reason not to, and follow the same process as described above.

Escalating

– Internally to the President if high risk or has the potential to be high risk (see below for a definition) or a possible Constitution breach. If conflicted, contact the Vice President or another committee member. 

– Externally, if a concern can’t be resolved internally or support beyond the club is required: Athletics Victoria’s Sports Integrity page (athsvic.org.au/sports-integrity) has both pathways, a general complaint form to Athletics Australia, or, for child safeguarding, discrimination, or doping specifically, Sport Integrity Australia, which includes anonymous reporting options.

– Mandatory triggers override everything else and go straight to the right authority, no waiting. The President (or other suitable committee member if the President is conflicted) is informed at the same time, for awareness, not approval. See below for what counts as high risk.

What counts as high risk

The table below lists mandatory triggers, which must be escalated immediately. High risk is broader: anything that could become one if left unaddressed, in which case loop in the President immediately. The list is not exhaustive, if in doubt, treat it as high risk. 

A concern raised isn’t a finding of wrongdoing. Where a matter proceeds to a decision with real consequences for someone, they get a chance to respond, per Constitution rules 19 to 24.

3. Anonymous reports

The same process applies to anonymous concerns, though without the ability to liaise directly with the complainant to better understand the concern, or to update them on the outcome. A single anonymous report will generally not, by itself, trigger formal action against a named individual, unless a mandatory trigger applies. Anonymous reports are logged and reviewed, and help identify patterns over time.

4. Keeping members informed

As a means of communicating actions to members, the club may issue policy reminders, process improvements or other actions via an appropriate channel (e.g. the newsletter), and in a way that is mindful of sensitivities.

Information will be shared only with people who need it to assess the concern, manage safety, obtain advice, meet a legal or policy requirement, investigate the matter or provide a fair process. Wherever possible, the person raising the concern will be told what needs to be shared, with who and why.

Raising a concern, or supporting someone who does, will not be held against you.

This sits alongside our existing club policies (Child Safe Policy, Coaching Code of Conduct, Communications Policy, Inclusion Policy, and more), all available here: https://www.richmondharriers.org.au/membership