(August 2007)

In line with the Department’s duty of care responsibilities to provide a safe environment for all students, an assessment has been undertaken to identify potential risks associated with all identified categories of volunteer activity undertaken within the school environment. This assessment has identified two main categories of risk:

• volunteer undertaking activities which include potential unsupervised access to a child or children
• volunteer undertaking activities which potentially involve physical contact with a child or children.

In some cases, appropriate management strategies and controls can be implemented to mitigate the risk, however some categories of volunteer activities have been assessed as inherently “high risk” in terms of the above risks. Consequently, a Good Character Check [Word 297KB] will be mandatory for each of the following categories of volunteer activities:

• overnight school camps
• assistance at school swimming lessons and carnivals
• sports coaching/umpiring
• school uniform shop
• “walking bus”
• attendants, gardeners, cleaners.

In addition, the following groups of volunteers are regarded as being inherently high risk given that they have no pre-existing relationship with the school community and/or have known criminal convictions. Therefore a Good Character Check [Word 297KB] will also be mandatory for the following categories of volunteers:

• “work for the dole” volunteers working during student attendance hours
• community service work order volunteers working during student attendance hours
• work experience students (not including pre-service teachers) aged 18 years and over.

For all remaining categories of volunteer activities, the Principal will be responsible for determining whether a Good Character Check [Word 297KB] is required, by undertaking an individual risk assessment utilising the attached Volunteer Risk Assessment Checklist [PDF 33KB].  The outcome of this assessment will provide a clear determination as to whether a Good Character Check [Word 297KB] is required for that individual, or whether the risk is sufficiently mitigated by existing controls.

Contact Details

For further information or assistance in relation to the above matters, please contact the Manager (Conduct and Investigations), on (03) 6233 7538 or via e-mail: Conduct.and.Investigations@education.tas.gov.au