Policies

The WA Flying Disc Association Inc (WAFDA) has legal and moral obligations to provide safe environments and responsibly govern flying disc sports in WA.

Policies assist the Committee to adequately meet these obligations and to maintain responsible behaviour and make ethical and informed decisions within the sport.

Policies serve to inform everyone of their legal and ethical rights and responsibilities and the standards of behaviour that are required. It also covers the care and protection of children participating in our sport’s activities.

The policies specify who it applies to but generally, this includes members, employees, board members, committee and sub-committee members, administrators, coaches, support personnel and players/athletes (and whether they are appointed, elected or selected to these roles); life members; parents, spectators and sponsors.

Below are the policies that the WAFDA adhere to, some of which are from the Australian Flying Disc Association.

Governance

• Financial Reporting Policy
• Refund Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Communications and Technology Policy
• Photography and Imagery Guidelines
• Social Media Guidelines

Player Protection

• Member Protection Policy
• WA Event Participation Agreement
• Code of Conduct
• Anti Harassment Policy
• Child Safety Framework

 Safe Play

• Concussion Policy
• Anti Doping
• General Drug Policy
• Hot Weather
• Lightning Policy
• Pregnancy Policy
• Responsible Alcohol Policy
  
• Sun Protection

Sport Administration

• Club Affiliation Policy
• WA Ultimate Events Policy
• WA Ultimate Tournament Management Policy

The complete list of AFDA policies, all of which are applicable here in WA, can be found here.

These policies are just some measures we have put in place to help us ensure that our sport is safe, welcoming and enjoyable. It provides assurances to all those involved and those wishing to be involved in our sport that improper conduct will not be tolerated.

These policies cover breaches of our codes of behaviour, any behaviour that brings or is likely to bring our sport into disrepute and other inappropriate behaviour whether that occurs at practise/training sessions, in the clubrooms, at meetings, at events and activities organised or sanctioned by the sport,
or away trips. It also clearly confirms that the following types of behaviour will not be tolerated:

• Child abuse
• Sexual assault and sexual misconduct
• Discrimination
• Bullying, harassment and vilification
• Physical assault and violence
• Verbal abuse and intimidation
• Actions that create a hostile environment
• Conduct that may cause psychological injury or distress.

Working with Children Check requirements

Underlying the policy is a range of laws that vary from state to state.  Despite some differences, there are some universal minimum standards that the law applies to persons involved in sporting activities.  These include anti-discrimination laws, criminal law and child protection laws. For people in our sport who work, coach, supervise or have regular unsupervised contact with people under the age of 18 years must obtain a Working With Children's (WWC) check.  

The WWC Check

The Working with Children Check (WWC Check) is a compulsory criminal check for many people who work with children under the age of 18 in WA.  It is administered by the Working with Children Screening Unit (WWCSU), Department for Child Protection. For more details please visit the official website.

Complaints

Our sport takes all complaints about inappropriate behaviour, both on and off-field, seriously. A range of steps has been set out in the Member Protection Policy for dealing with groups or individuals who engage in any of the behaviour prohibited by the policy. 
It provides guidance for those with a complaint or concern, those who have had a complaint made against them and, those who have responsibility for handling a complaint.

All complaints will be handled based on the principles of procedural fairness (natural justice), that is:

• confidentially will be maintained;
• both the person making the complaint (complainant) and the person the complaint is against (respondent) will be given full details of what is being said against them and have the opportunity to respond (give their side of the story);
• irrelevant matters will not be taken into account;
• decisions will be unbiased and fair; and
• any penalties imposed will be fair and reasonable.

Any person(s) found guilty of breaching the policy, including making a false or malicious allegation, may be sanctioned by a range of measures including a verbal warning up to expulsion from the sport. A group/body found guilty of breaching the policy could be suspended or expelled from membership of both the WA Flying Disc Association and the Australian Flying Disc Association Limited.