PURPOSE
12X12 Gymnastics Ballina Incorporated (12×12) is committed to being open and responsive to any complaints offered by members of our Gymnastics community. Wherever possible, 12×12 will seek an outcome to a complaint that is satisfactory to all parties.
The purpose of this policy is to:
- Ensure a procedure where people who are part of the Gymnastics community can communicate any complaints regarding 12×12 services, functions or operations;
- Enable 12×12 to benefit from all complaints through ensuring that they are recorded, considered, resolved and monitored;
- Establish the principles that Govern 12×12 responses to complaints;
- Ensure that the Gymnastics Community is aware of this policy.
Key Policy Principles
- 12X12 will maintain a formal complaints procedure to ensure that all complaints are responded to in a timely and impartial way;
- 12X12 will ensure that all suggestions for improvement and complaints are recorded, considered and retained for process improvement purposes;
- Confidentiality: 12X12 will address all complaints in a confidential manner. Where possible, 12X12 will protect the identity of the complainant and do everything within its powers to ensure documentation, oral representations and all other evidence is confined to appropriate persons on a strictly confidential basis;
- Action to resolve the complaint will commence within 7 days of the complaint being made (this includes contacting the complainant). Only the people directly involved in making, investigating or resolving a complaint will have access to information about it;
- 12X12 will ensure that the complaint investigation process is impartial;
- No assumptions will be made nor any action taken until all relevant information has been collected and considered;
- Principles of natural justice and due process will apply to the handing of all complaints and grievances.
Scope
- 12X12 Committee Members, sub-committees and Technical Committees Employees, contractors and volunteers of 12X12;
- Support personnel appointed or elected to teams and squads (e.g. Team managers, Head Coaches, physiotherapists, psychologists, masseurs, sport trainers);
- Coaches and assistant coaches;
- Athletes and Gymnasts;
- Judges and other officials involved in the regulation of the sport;
- Members, including life members;
- Athletes, coaches, officials and other personnel participating in events and activities, held or sanctioned by 12X12
- Any other person including spectators, parents/guardians and sponsors
Application & Responsibilities
Applied by the Committee of Management
12X12 Grievance and Complaints Procedure
Formal Grievances and complaints received are required to be received in writing (addressed to the 12X12 President of the Committee of Management) and fall into three types:
- General Grievances and Complaints;
- Grievance and Disputes brought under section 9.0 of the 12X12 Constitution;
- Complaints brought about under Section ? of the Member Protection Policy.
All Types of Formal Complaints:
Step 1:
Wherever possible a person planning to make a complaint (the Complainant), regarding a matter, should in the first instance address the problem with the person or people involved (the Respondent) if able to do so.
Step 2:
If the complaint cannot be resolved as per step 1 the Complainant can contact their Club Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) or an MPIO within the 12X12 Office. A member protection information officer can help a Complainant handle a complaint in an appropriate and consistent manner. MPIO’s do not investigate complaints but help the person with the concern to deal with what has happened.
Step 3:
After discussion with an MPIO the Complainant can determine how best to address the matter including making a “Formal Complaint or Grievance” in writing addressed to the President of 12X12.
General Grievances and Complaints
A General Grievance or Complaint relates to any serious matter that the Complainant feels should be brought to the attention of 12X12. The process for making a General Grievance or Complaint is as follows: A person making a written complaint (the Complainant) must consider the following:
- have tried to resolve the problem and failed where related to a Technical matter have first addressed the complaint to the relevant technical committee;
- the allegations are very serious;
- the allegations have been denied and you want to substantiate them;
- a complaint wants to request the complaint be investigated;
- a Complainant has been victimised for complaining;
- a complaint is being made against a senior person and an investigation will help to ensure the complainant is not disadvantaged;
- A written complaint must provide a detailed description on a factual basis of the incident(s) and provide all evidence of the allegations being made;
- This information may lead to an investigation being held or a mediation session convened;
- Any person part of an investigation or mediation are permitted to have a support person with them;
- Any information provided by the Complainant will be provided to the other party for the other party to respond to including the name of the Complainant;
- The relevant 12X12 Staff members will make contact with the Complainant and if the matter cannot be resolved, 12X12 may require further information to be provided;
- Where related to a Technical matter a 12X12 staff member may first ask the complaint to address the complaint to the relevant Technical Committee;
- On receipt of any further information a 12X12 staff member will investigate the matter and make a recommendation for consideration by the President of 12X12.
Implementation of the resolution
Where the complaint cannot be resolved through this process, the 12X12 President may refer the matter to independent mediation;
Grievance and Disputes brought under Section 9 of the 12X12 Constitution;
Formal complaints are grievances brought under Section 9 of the 12X12 Constitution and will be handled as per sections 9.1 through to 9.10 of the 12X12 Constitution;
Formal Complaints brought about under Section 7 of the GV Member Protection Policy shall follow the Complaint Handling Procedures as outlined in Part E of the GV Member Protection Policy.
This Policy was implemented / reviewed by the Committee of Management of 12×12 Gymnastics Ballina Incorporated
Date: January 2019
Review Date: January 2023
Reviewed 2023 – Approved by: Alyssa Steenson
President:
Secretary: