To all Parents and Volunteers of the MBJFC,
MBJFC takes child safety seriously, and as such is governed by its own Rules and By-Laws and those of the SMJFL, AFL VIC and Victorian Government Legislation. The SMJFL has recently introduced a By-Law for 2020 which is clear in that if you take on a role within a team within a club, that you must hold a valid Working With Children Check card. You can find more information on the SMJFL’s website, and on the Working With Children Website.
As we ramp up and get ready for Round 1, we ask that if you are considering taking on any type of role within your child’s team at MBJFC during season 2020, that you either apply for a WWCC, update your WWCC details and/or add MBJFC as a linked organisation to your WWCC. Without one, you cannot fulfil a role in a team, and team officials will know that they cannot place you in a game-day role without a valid card.
The SMJFL do not take lightly any volunteers who are allowed to take on a role that do not hold a WWCC, and at the end of the 2019 season, issued thousands of dollars in fines to clubs, MBJFC included, because volunteers did not have a valid WWCC.
Whilst this may seem over the top to some, the safety and security of our children are paramount to our Club, and it is the role of the MBJFC Committee to ensure the rules set out by the SMJFL, AFL VIC and the legislation upheld by the Victorian Government is met.
For volunteers, a Working With Children Check card is a very simple process. It takes no more than 5mins to do, and zero cost to apply. For more information, see the Parent Handout WWCC PDF.
Kindest Regards,
Sonia Orchard
MBJFC Child Safety Officer