MEMBER WELFARE IS IMPORTANT
Windang Surf Life Saving Club is committed to the protection, welfare and wellbeing of all its members and is dedicated to providing a safe, fun and enjoyable environment as outlined in the SLSA Member Protection Policy. We take an inclusive approach, ensuring all of our members are treated with respect and dignity and are protected from discrimination, harassment and abuse regardless of gender, age, ability or nationality.
Members are covered by Workers Compensation – SLSNSW for patrolling, club activities and competition.
SLSA CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
Windang Surf Life Saving Club is committed to providing a safe, supportive, enjoyable environment for children through the SLSA Safeguarding Children and Young People Program. The program recognises the importance of protecting young people under the age of 18 from abuse, harm and exploitation.
Resources, webinars and online training courses are available to every club member to establish clear guidelines for appropriate behaviour when engaging with children and young people. To learn more about how you can protect our children and young members, please contact Windang Surf Life Saving Club’s Member Protection Information Officer(MPIO) Nerida Craddock or Kaye Norris or read the Safeguarding Children Handbook.
All Windang SLSC members who work with children and young people are required to complete the Surf Life Saving’s Safeguarding Children and Young People Awareness Course. To ensure you are recognised for completing the course, please login to the Members Portal first. Access to the course can be found in Memberships > Courses > Login to ELearning > Training Library > SLS > Safety and Wellbeing (View Courses) > Safeguarding Children and Young People Awareness.
Play by the Rules also offers a free Child Protection online course that provides a certificate of completion.
NSW WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK (WWCC)
Do Surf Life Saving Members need a Working with Children Check?
All NSW Surf Life Saving Club members and employees (over 18 years of age) require a WWCC if they are undertaking a child related role. However, there are a number of exemptions which are explained below.
Exemptions for the Working with Children Check
- Children under the age of 18
- Administrative, clerical, maintenance or ancillary work not ordinarily involving contact with children for extended periods
- Very short term work: not more than a total of 5 days in a calendar year (eg. parent helpers on a bbq)
- Volunteering by a parent or close relative with a team, program or other activity* in which their child usually participates or is a team member (the vast majority of our Nipper Age Mangers fall into this category)
- Co-workers and supervisors where a child works. (eg. patrolling members in the senior Club fall into this category)
Nippers
The child can be in any group on the beach. As long as the child is enrolled in Nippers and regularly attends, their parent/close relative is exempt. This is due to the fact that Nippers activities happen on the same day, and at the same location, no matter which group the child is in.
*Other activity – The child must be in the same group for the parent/close relative exemption to apply. This is because other activities can happen in isolation from other groups.
For more information please read the Child Protection and the NSW Working With Children Check guidelines.
To apply for a WWCC please follow the process below and email your approved number to our Club’s MPIO.
SLSA REPORTING GUIDELINES
All Windang SLSC members have a responsibility to speak up if they become aware of, or observe something considered inappropriate. Please contact Windang Surf Life Saving Club’s Member Protection Information Officer(MPIO) or follow the guidelines below.
All reports submitted will be treated in confidence and with the utmost respect for all those involved.