Player Safety Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct should be read in conjunction with the Alamein Football Club (AFC) Player Safety Policy.

The Code of Conduct aims to protect our female players and reduce any opportunities for abuse or harm to occur. It also helps staff and volunteers by providing them with guidance on how to best support players and how to avoid or better manage difficult situations. This Code of Conduct applies to all people involved in the activities of AFC, including players, coaches, officials, volunteers and parents. Any alleged breach of this Code will be investigated and may result in action being taken by the Club. This may involve disciplinary action or mandatory reporting to the appropriate authority if the allegation is of a sufficiently serious nature.

All AFC personnel are responsible for promoting the safety and wellbeing of players and young people by:

  • Adhering to our Player Safe Policy, this Code of Conduct and other AFC policies

  • Taking all reasonable steps to protect players from abuse

  • Treating everyone with respect, including your team, the opposition, referees, officials and other volunteers

  • Welcoming all girls and their families and carers and being inclusive irrespective of age, cultural or

    religious background

  • Modelling appropriate adult behaviour, such as sportsmanship and respect for rules

  • Valuing effort and persistence and skill development as at least as important as victory

  • Listening to players and responding to them appropriately

  • Reporting and acting on any breaches of this Code of Conduct, complaints or concerns appropriately and treat them seriously and with respect.

  • Complying with our Player Safe Policy on physical contact with players

  • Working with players in an open and transparent way – other adults should always know about the work you are doing with team members

  • Respecting the privacy of players and their families, and only disclosing information to people who have a need to know.

AFC personnel must not:

  • Seek to use players in any way detrimental to their welfare

  • Force an unwilling player to undertake any activity which is detrimental to their welfare

  • Ridicule or intimidate a player for making a mistake or losing a competition

  • Ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions or disclosures of abuse

  • Use prejudice, oppressive behaviour or language with players

  • Engage in rough physical games outside reasonable football expectations and activities.

  • Discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability or sexuality

  • Initiate unnecessary physical contact with players or do things of a personal nature that girls can do for themselves, such as matters of a personal nature

  • Develop ‘special’ relationships with specific players or show favouritism through the provision of gifts or inappropriate attention

  • Misuse of personal contact details such as phone number, social networking site or email

    addresses with players for purposes not related to AFC football

  • Have unauthorised contact with players online or by phone for purposes not related to AFC football

By observing these standards you acknowledge your responsibility to immediately report any breach of this code to the AFC Welfare Committee. If you believe a player is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.

References:

  1. Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic);

  2. Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic); and

  3. Crimes Act 1958 (Vic)

  4. Child Protection Crisis Line – 24 Hours, seven days a week. Ph: 13 12 78