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Waverley Hockey Club Grievance process

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

 

Member Protection Information Officer

(MPIO)

The person making the Formal Complaint

 

 A Member Protection Information Officer is responsible for providing information about a person’s rights, responsibilities and options to an individual making a complaint or raising a concern. They can also provide information and advice to sport administrators and complaint handlers with regard to the Member Protection Policy of that sport. MPIOs are generally impartial; they do not mediate or investigate complaints.

 

 

3)    Procedure

If a player or parent has a grievance that relates to the junior / senior 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 or Unit Committee. Should the complaint relate to the person in the role of Age Group Coordinator or Unit Committee then the Formal Compliant should be raised with the next level of escalation. In the case of Juniors this would be the Junior Unit Committee and in the case of Senior Units this would be the Hockey Director.

Once a Formal Complaint is received by the relevant Age Group Coordinator or Unit Committee member, they will investigate the grievance to:

a)    determine the issues;

b)    determine any resolutions

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

5)    If the Age Group Coordinator or Unit Committee member 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 they should escalate the matter to the Junior Committee (in the case of the Age Group Co-ordinator) or the Club President (in the case of the Senior units). In all such cases the Club President should be alerted to the Formal Complaint at this stage of the process.

If the events under clause 5 occurs, then the Junior Committee (in the case of the Age Group Co-ordinator) or the Club President (in the case of the Senior units) must seek to resolve the issue, unless;

a)    the grievance is of such importance; OR

b)    requires a speedy resolution

in which case the Club President will immediately convene an appropriate grievance subcommittee to review the Formal Complaint. At this stage the process outlined in the Club’s Constitution may be invoked.

6)    Mediation

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

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

c)    The Club Present will meet with all relevant parties. 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.

7)    Member Protection Officer

The Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) should be advised of all complaints and their services should be offered to impacted members. They are responsible for providing information about a person’s rights, responsibilities and options to an individual making a complaint or raising a concern. They can also provide information and advice to sport administrators and complaint handlers with regard to the Member Protection Policy of that sport. MPIOs are generally impartial; they do not mediate or investigate complaints.

 

8)    Club Constitution

The Club’s Constitution also outlines a grievance procedure should the matter be unable to be resolved through initial discussion and review by the relevant Committee or the Club Executive. The Club Constitution can be found here: https://waverleyhc.org.au/the-club/waverley-hockey-club-strategy-reporting/