Volunteer Induction Package
Welcome
Thank you for your willingness to become a volunteer at our school. Volunteers play an important role in the education of children and young people in partnership with the staff of Catholic schools. Volunteering helps provide quality care and education to our children and young people and supports Catholic Schools to promote values drawn from the Catholic tradition of faith in order to prepare students for more active participation in the world.
It is important that your involvement and participation in our school is rewarding and a mutually beneficial experience. As part of our extended community and to support our commitment to the protection and care of all children and young people and the safety of all staff, all Volunteers are required to hold a valid and current Police Clearance and to complete the ‘Responding to Abuse and Neglect: Education and Care’ (RAN-EC) Online Induction for volunteers. This induction package also addresses Work Health and Safety, and Protective Practices. Together, these induction components aim to ensure the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and young people and the safety of our volunteers.
Areas of participation for Volunteers
Canteen. Volunteers assist and support the Canteen Manager for the efficient and professional operation of a healthy school canteen by providing high quality, healthy food in a professional manner to our customers who are primarily students but also include staff and parents.
Classroom. Parents are always welcome to support teachers and students in the classroom with reading, general class activities, technology, cooking, art and craft. Please respect the privacy of each of the students during your volunteer work, any concerns you have should be brought to the attention of the teacher.
Excursion/Activity Helpers. From time to time teachers require the help of parents for out of school activities and special event days. Parents are always welcome to be part of these events as supervisors and helpers.
Parents and Friends Committee. The Parents and Friends committee are a group of parents and caregivers who work in collaboration with staff to help foster an informed, supportive and social school community. The Parents and Friends committee work towards shared decisions in relation to the needs of the school and how funds raised by the parents could best meet the needs of our school community.
School Board. The school board helps to form school policy and offers guidance and support to the Principal and staff. Members of the School Board consist of our Parish Priest, the School Principal, staff members and elected parent representatives. Parent nominations are called for at the beginning of each year and members serve on the board for a period of 2 years.
Resource Centre. Parents are able to support the school in the Resource Centre by assisting our staff by re-shelving returned resources and preparing/covering new resources for borrowing.
As a volunteer you will be required to:
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Complete the Volunteer Details Form and Declaration
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Hold a valid and current Working With Children Check
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Complete the Responding to Abuse and Neglect – Education and Care (RAN-EC) for volunteers online training
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Be properly inducted, including:
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Work Health and Safety
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Duty of Care
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Child Protection (RAN-EC; Mandatory Notification: Protective Practices)
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Observe confidentiality and privacy
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Observe school policies. School policies are available to view at www.holyfamily.catholic.edu.au in the Parent Resources area.
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Comply with the Volunteer Code of Conduct
Once again, thank you for becoming a volunteer at our school and welcome to our community. We trust your experience as a volunteer will be rewarding for you.
Code of Conduct for Volunteers in Catholic Schools
(adapted from the SA Commission for Catholic Schools (SACCS) Code of Conduct for Staff employed in Catholic Education SA, 2014)
The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to articulate the standards of conduct which are required of volunteers in Catholic Education SA. This will assist all volunteers in Catholic Education SA to understand clearly the expectations of them as well as their responsibilities and obligations.
Catholic Education SA provides education as part of the mission of the Church. Fundamental to this mission is a respect for the value and dignity of each person. A work environment based on these values will ensure that all members of the community feel safe and empowered in the performance of their work in the school. All members of the community in Catholic Schools, by their personal example, virtues, loving relationships, respect and acts love and justice, witness to the presence and activity of God with us.
Volunteers are expected to agree to and uphold appropriate standards of behaviour. These standards of behaviour include to:
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Support the Principal and staff in the development of a Christ-centred learning community and act consistently within the Catholic ethos and mission of the Catholic school;
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Acknowledge and affirm success in individual and school achievement;
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Support the school’s policies. The Principal has the responsibility to implement these policies;
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Treat all members of the school community with honesty, integrity, respect and courtesy;
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Follow all relevant polices, guidelines and instructions with regard to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people;
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Maintain appropriate professional boundaries around their behaviour towards children and young people;
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Refrain from behaviour which constitutes bullying, discrimination or any form of harassment;
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Respect and comply with all Federal, State and local laws;
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Declare situations that may give rise to, or the perception of a conflict of interest;
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Respect the privacy of others and others’ personal and sensitive information;
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Take reasonable care to ensure their own health and safety at work and avoid adversely affecting the health and safety of others; and
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Present for volunteering in a timely manner, in attire appropriate to their role as a volunteer, and in a fit state to work.
Refer also to the Federation of Catholic School Parent Communities’ Charter for Parents located at http://www.parentfederation.catholic.edu.au.
Work Health and Safety
Work, Health and Safety training is essential for all employees and volunteers in the workplace. All workers and employees including volunteers and visitors are required to take reasonable care for both their own health, safety and welfare and the health, safety and welfare of others. Volunteers are considered to be workers under current WHS legislation.
Holy Family Catholic School places great value on the work done by volunteers. We aim to ensure that volunteers work in a safe environment and in a safe manner. Please help us to do so by reporting any hazards or safety issues to the Supervisor.
Volunteer Rights and Responsibilities
As a volunteer you have a number of rights you should be aware of:
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to work in a healthy and safe environment;
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to be provided with information that adequately describes your roles and responsibilities;
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be provided with an induction prior to commencement as a volunteer;
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to be provided with sufficient information, instruction and training for you to perform your tasks safely;
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to be provided with adequate supervision
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who to speak to if you have any queries about any aspects of your work.
As a volunteer you also have responsibilities to:
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work safely;
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not affect the safety of others;
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observe all established Policies and Procedures;
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report any safety concerns;
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undertake Responding to Abuse and Neglect: Education and Care training for Volunteers;
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undertake your mandatory notification obligations, as required;
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hold a current acceptable Police Clearance.
There are a number of important points relating to safety within our school that you should be familiar with:
Signing in/out
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All volunteers are required to sign-in at the Front Office and collect a visitor pass on arrival. Please sign out at the Front Office prior to leaving the school and return your visitor pass.
Safe Work
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You are only asked to do work which you can perform safely. If you feel that you cannot do a job safely or have any safety issues, please discuss with your Supervisor / Leader immediately.
Emergency Procedures
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Make yourself familiar with the emergency evacuation plan for the area you are working in.
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Should there be a need to evacuate a building, proceed via the safety route directed on the nearest emergency evacuation plan.
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In the case of a fire, do not re-enter the building until instructed to do so by the person in charge (Fire Warden).
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If you are in charge of an activity, you must organise the evacuation of people you are responsible for from the building, and check that all persons are accounted for.
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In the case of a ‘Lockdown’, go to the nearest room and secure all doors and windows. Keep away from external windows. Wait for the all clear by the Principal or nominee.
Reporting
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Should you see a hazard, or you are aware of something that might injure you or someone else, or you are involved in an injury, incident or near miss, please report the matter immediately to your Supervisor.
First Aid
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First aid kits are located in the front office, Hall and Centre.
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First aid office is located in the Front Office Reception area. All staff are first aid training and are only on location during normal office hours. If you have any special medical needs, please advise our first aid staff.
Equipment
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This school provides equipment for your use. Volunteers are discouraged from bringing equipment from home. However, should this be necessary, please discuss this with your Supervisor / Leader.
Chemicals
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You must only use chemicals supplied by this school. The chemicals used by this school have been assessed for risk prior to use. Make yourself aware of the location of material safety data sheets prior to use. If you have any concerns or require personal protective equipment, to use any of these products please discuss with your Supervisor / Leader.
Working Alone and Security
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For safety reasons volunteers are discouraged from working alone.
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Do not leave personal items unattended.
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If leaving the office/buildings outside of the working day, consider the personal safety of yourselves and others.
Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol and Your Health
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Holy Family Catholic School is designated as a smoke-free workplace. There is no smoking in the buildings or on these grounds.
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Whilst on duty you should be in sufficient physical and mental health to be capable of complying with your duty of care to your colleagues and students;
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You should not be impaired in the carrying out of your duties by reason of alcohol, medication, or an illegal drug.
Vehicles
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Volunteers will not normally be asked to use their vehicle. If you use your car as part of your volunteer duties, please refer to the school’s policies and procedures.
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If you drive a car as part of your volunteer duties, a current driver’s licence and compliance with registration insurance and safety requirements are required.
Housekeeping
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Please leave all work areas clean and tidy. Please report any issues with work spaces.
Site specific amenities:
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Drinking water is located either in the staff room or in each classroom
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Staff toilets are available around the school for use by volunteers. Please do not use any student toilet.
Duty of care and Child protection (including mandatory notification)
Duty of Care: As a volunteer you will play an important role in the education of our children in partnership with all staff of our school. In your relationship with children and young people, you are required to ensure that the physical and emotional welfare of children and young people is safeguarded, and that your own behaviour is guided by this duty of care.
Please talk to the Principal if you have any questions regarding your duty of care.
Protective Practices: Professional boundaries
Education and care professions rely on the fostering of positive relationships between adults and children and young people, in ways that do not compromise children’s and young people’s welfare.
You can access a copy of the Protective Practices Guidelines from the school website at www.holyfamily.catholic.edu.au, which will assist members of the community to maintain professional boundaries. The Guidelines give examples of boundary violations in communication, personal disclosure, physical contact, place, targeting individual children and young people, role, and possessions.
As a Volunteer, you will find helpful guidance in managing professional boundaries in the Guidelines on:
- Working in country/local communities
- Using social networking sites
- Working one-to-one with children and young people
- Managing privacy expectations
- Conducting home visits.
Protective Practices Guidelines address appropriate physical contact in a range of situations, including
- assisting or encouraging a child or young person
- good practices with school age children and young people
- good practices with children up to school age.
Non-physical intervention is the recognised means of managing the behaviour of children and young people. Use of verbal instructions is always preferred to physical intervention.
The Guidelines address safe practices when it is legitimate to use physical restraint: that is only where a child’s, young person’s or adult’s safety is threatened.
Education and care staff support children and young people with disabilities or additional needs through individual plans, which take various forms. These plans document the strategies that are to be used in supporting the child or young person, and will assist you to ensure your duty of care to the child or young person.
Policies and Legislation
Conduct representing a breach of legislation includes:
- Child abuse and neglect
- Illegal behaviours
- Sexual harassment
Click on the link to view the Protective Practices Guidelines.
Your Induction will include the Responding to Abuse and Neglect: Education and Care (RAN-EC) online training module for Volunteers.
What is Child Abuse?
Your training will include information on the four types of child abuse:
(1) Physical abuse |
(2) Sexual abuse |
(3) Emotional abuse |
(4) Neglect. |
Why report Child Abuse?
From time to time, volunteers working with children will experience children disclosing sensitive information. Children have limited power to protect themselves from abuse and will only be protected from abuse and neglect if responsible adults take action on their behalf. Reporting child abuse is the first step in stopping the abuse and protecting children from further harm.
When to report Child Abuse?
You are required by law to report child abuse and neglect when you form a suspicion on reasonable grounds:
- A child or young person tells you that s/he has been abused;
- Your own observation of the behaviour of a particular child or young person and/or injuries, or your knowledge of the child generally leads you to suspect that abuse is occurring;
- A child or young person tells you s/he knows someone who has been abused (the child may be referring to her/himself);
- Someone tells you of the abuse who is in a position to provide reliable information (perhaps a relative, friend, neighbour or sibling of the child/young person).
What does the law say?
Volunteers are Mandated Notifiers and obliged by law to notify Department of Child Protection if they suspect on reasonable grounds that a child or young person has been or is being abused or neglected and they formed their suspicion in the course of their work (whether paid or voluntary) or in carrying out official duties. Volunteers must notify Department of Child Protection of their suspicion as soon as practicable after they form the suspicion.
What do you do if you have suspicions or concerns?
You are not expected to act alone. Always seek guidance and work in partnership with the Principal or Deputy Principal. Your role as a volunteer means you are supported by professionals at the site in meeting your responsibilities as a mandated notifier.
Child Abuse must be reported to Department for Child Protection
either online: www.reportchildabuse.families.sa.gov.au
OR
Child Abuse Report Line 131478
After Hours Crisis Care 131611