Member Protection
It is prudent for all sports to have a Member Protection policy in place before a complaint or grievance arises. This policy provides guidance on how to manage complaints and grievances. It also identifies the rights of individuals involved in the dispute.
Most state sporting organisations adopt policies drafted by their national sporting organisation (NSO). Check with the relevant state sporting organisation if the club is unsure which policies apply.
A Member Protection policy template is available from Sport Integrity Australia.
It is important that any complaint is dealt with appropriately and within a reasonable time period. Ignoring or mishandling the complaint is likely to exacerbate the issue.
The Play by the Rules website provides advice to assist in dealing with a complaint and offers a free online complaint handling course. When dealing with a complaint the club must follow the grievance procedure outlined in the Member Protection policy.
Member Protection Policy template
Online complaint handling course
Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) Training
Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs) are a proactive way of managing the rights of members in your sport. Having dedicated people who are well versed with your sport's member protection policy is a pre-emptive strategy in managing concerns, complaints and member protection matters.
Sometimes in sport there are incidents or concerns that need to be addressed. There are formal pathways to report, but often people feel most comfortable reporting an incident or concern to someone they know and trust.
MPIOs advise members on their rights and can provide guidance on complaint procedures. Every sport should have at least one trained MPIO in each region. Larger sports may require more.