Volunteers and Visitors in Schools Policy

1. What is this policy about?
   1. This policy provides a framework for the involvement of volunteers and visitors in ACT public schools to support the delivery of educational programs and other activities for students, whilst providing students with a safe and positive learning environment and ensuring compliance with Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (the WWVP Act) obligations.
   2. This policy covers volunteers, visitors and volunteers through organisations (volunteers and visitors) who support the diversity of activities involving students.
2. Policy Statement
   1. ACT public schools (schools) value the benefits and enrichment that volunteers and visitors bring and are committed to establishing a school environment that welcomes and encourages their involvement in educational programs.
   2. Legislation, Directorate policies and school-based arrangements provide a framework for students to learn in a safe and positive educational environment that can be enhanced and supported by volunteers and visitors.
   3. The Directorate encourages volunteers and visitors to seek Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration however recognises that volunteers and visitors can support schools in a number of ways without the need to be registered under the WWVP Act.
   4. Where a volunteer or visitor works directly with students and does not hold WWVP registration, such as in circumstances where they are exempt or they are awaiting a decision on their WWVP application, they must be directly supervised by a person approved by the principal who holds a WWVP registration while undertaking their role in the school.
   5. Principals may decline/discontinue the services of a volunteer or visitor.
   6. The supervision and management of educational programs involving volunteers and visitors is integral to the safety and wellbeing of students. Schools will monitor volunteers and visitors’ compliance against the code of conduct.
   7. Schools will support volunteers and visitors by providing clear advice on their roles and responsibilities in relation to policy and procedures, including in relation to compliance with the WWVP Act.
   8. Schools will provide induction and training for volunteers and visitors as appropriate. This will include, but is not limited to:
      • the Code of Conduct for volunteers and visitors,
      • child safety and wellbeing,
      • reporting of incidents under work, health and safety reporting legislation and reportable conduct scheme requirements,
      • insurance arrangements for volunteers and visitors,
      • emergency and evacuation procedures, and
      • school policies and protocols.
3. Who does this policy apply to?
   1. This policy applies to all ACT public schools, Directorate staff, students, parents and carers, volunteers, visitors, local and wider community members, in the context of working with children and young people. It does not apply to people attending school functions or events, as part of the audience, such as assemblies and award ceremonies.
4. Context
   1. Schools are responsible for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students and minimising risk to them.
   2. The Directorate is committed to the implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations and is, in implementing the Volunteers and Visitors Policy and Procedures, ensuring:
      • Under Child Safe Principle 5 – people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice; and
      • Under Child Safe Principle 7 – staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
   3. Members of the community over the age of 16 years who work or have contact with children and young people while taking part in certain regulated activities or services must be registered under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 unless an exemption applies.
   4. There is a traditional and positive relationship between volunteers, visitors and schools reflected across the preschool to college sectors in a range of classroom enrichment and support activities.
   5. The benefits of volunteers and visitors include:
      • expanding social, cultural and educational outcomes for students;
      • embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and perspectives and making connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities;
      • enabling greater exposure to the socio-cultural and linguistic diversity that community resources bring to schools;
      • providing schools with a broader resource base from which to draw when providing opportunities for excellence and innovation; and
      • enhancing connections and cohesion between ACT public schools and the community.
5. Responsibilities
   1. Principal: is responsible for implementing this policy within the school.
   2. Schools in conjunction with Directorate staff: will provide volunteers and visitors with information regarding their rights and responsibilities and provide training and support opportunities for school staff with key supervisory roles for volunteers and visitors.
   3. Policy Owner: The Executive Branch Manager, Governance is responsible for this policy.
6. Monitoring and Review
   1. The Policy Owner monitors the policy. This includes an annual scan of operation and review. A full review of the policy will be conducted within a three year period.
      1. A child: is a person who is under 12 years of age (Children and Young People Act 2008). (Also refer definition of young person.)
      2. Duty of care is the responsibility to exercise reasonable care to protect the safety of students against injury that should reasonably have been foreseen. This duty exists whenever a student/teacher relationship exists, while students are on school premises during hours when the school is open, and while on school-based activities taking place elsewhere.
      3. A parent: is a person having parental responsibility for a child under the Children and Young People Act 2008, including a carer appointed under that Act.
      4. Reportable Conduct broadly covers allegations or convictions of child abuse or misconduct towards children and young people. It ensures allegations and convictions against employees (including volunteers and visitors) related to abuse or misconduct towards children and young people are identified and acted upon.
      5. A supervisor: is a school staff member delegated by the principal to be responsible for educational programs or related activities.
      6. A visitor: is a person who provides services directly to students or in support of students through a sponsoring or employing organisation or are self-employed.  In some cases, services or activities by visitors will be underpinned by a contractual arrangement or other appropriate agreement.
      7. A volunteer: is a person who provides services directly to students or in support of students without financial gain or reward as organised by the school. They volunteer directly to a school as individuals. Parents and Citizens Association members who volunteer directly to the school as individuals (not on behalf of the school’s Parents and Citizens Association or any other organisation) are considered volunteers.1  School board members are also considered to be volunteers.
      8. A volunteer through an organisation is a person who provides services to students through a volunteer organisation or association, as organised by the organisation or association. In some cases, these services or activities will be underpinned by a contractual arrangement or other appropriate agreement. 1
      9. A young person: is a person 12 years old or older but is not yet an adult. (Children and Young People Act 2008).
   2. Legislation
      1. The Children and Young People Act 2008 provides for the protection and wellbeing of children and young people
      2. The Education Directorate is a designated entity under Section 17D of the Ombudsman Act 1989 with responsibilities to report and manage allegations of reportable conduct.
      3. The Work, Health and Safety Act 2011 provides for a balanced and nationally consistent framework to secure the health and safety of workers and the provision of safe workplaces.
      4. The Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 requires a person over the age of 16 years, whether paid or unpaid, who has contact with children whilst engaging in a regulated activity to:
         • be registered with Access Canberra, unless exempt under the provisions of the Act; and to
         • carry a valid Working with Vulnerable People registration card. Regulated activities include child education services, childcare services, child accommodation, counselling and support services for children, and commercial services for children.
      5. The Education Directorate is a designated entity under Section 17D of the Ombudsman Act 1989 with responsibilities to report and manage allegations of reportable conduct.
   3. Implementation Documents
      1. Volunteers and Visitors in Schools- Procedure   (171kb)
      2. Volunteers and Visitors in Schools - Nomination Form  (198kb)
      3. Volunteers and Visitors in Schools – Code of Conduct  (200kb)
      4. Volunteers and Visitors in Schools – Insurance Arrangements (199kb)
      5. Volunteers and Visitors in Schools - Guidelines for Principals and Staff (209kb)
   4. Related Policies and Information
      1. Child Protection and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect Policy
      2. Privacy Policy
      3. Records Management Policy
      4. Reportable Conduct Scheme Policy
7. Contact
   1. For support contact Governance Branch at email EDUGovernance@act.gov.au
8. Monitoring and review
   1. The Policy Owner monitors the policy to ensure a policy review is completed when circumstances warrant.
9. Verion Control
   1. Date approved/effective: 22 February 2022.
   2. Approved by: Education Governance Committee

is the unique identifier of this document. It is the responsibility of the user to verify that this is the current and complete version of the document, available on the Directorate’s website at http://www.education.act.gov.au/publications_and_policies/school_and_corporate_policies/A-Z/.