1) PURPOSE

To ensure that grievances / complaints raised by members (including members of the Committee), volunteers, stakeholders or community members are dealt with in a prompt and equitable manner .

Introduction

People have the right to have their grievances receive careful consideration through established processes that are timely and based on fairness and respect.
The best resolution is one that is reached cooperatively and informally where possible prior to a formal complaint being lodged in writing.
A person making a complaint or airing a grievance will not be disadvantaged in anyway as a direct result.
Where a formal complaint is received by the Committee it will be considered in a timely and confidential manner and documented together with the steps towards resolution.

2) DEFINITIONS

Formal Complaint A written complaint made to the relevant Age Group Coordinator
Complainant The person making the Formal Complaint

3) Procedure

If a player or parent has a grievance that relates to the junior section of the club or management of the club as a whole, they are entitled to raise this grievance as a Formal Complaint with the relevant Age Group Coordinator
Once a Formal Complaint is received by an Age Group Coordinator, they will investigate the grievance to:

a) determine the issues

b)determine any resolutions

4) If the Age Group Coordinator believes that grievance can be resolved without escalating the Formal Complaint, then they may attempt to do so.

5) If the Age Group Coordinator believes that the grievance cannot be resolved without escalation, or the grievance is such, that in all of the circumstances, it should be escalated, then the Age Group Coordinator should escalate the matter to the Junior President/s.
If the events under clause 5 occurs, then the Junior president must seek to resolve the issue, unless;

a) the grievance is of such importance; OR
b) requires a speedy resolution

such that members of the Junior president should refer the matter to the Junior Unit Grievance Committee for resolution as soon as reasonably possible. For the avoidance of doubt under this clause, escalation to the Junior Unit Grievance Committee can occur even before the next scheduled Junior Committee Meeting.

6) Mediation

7) Where appropriate, the Junior Unit Grievance Committee may recommend and organise that the matter be referred to a mediation with all relevant parties and an internal and independent mediator.

8) If the issues in the Formal Complaint is substantiated and unresolved after preliminary discussions the matter will be escalated to the Club President.

9) The Club Present will meet with all relevant parties and make a binding and non-appealable decision on the issues. Each party will have appropriate opportunity to make submissions for their case. Discussions at this meeting must be appropriate. Any inappropriate submissions or conduct at this meeting, in the mind of Club President, could mean that the offending party will have their grievance dismissed.