St Ives Football Club Communication Policy
Contents
1. PURPOSE
2. SCOPE
3. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CLUB, COACHES, MANAGERS, PLAYERS AND PARENTS
3.1. General Communication and Information
3.2. Communication from the Executive Committee to teams
3.3. Communication from Team Officials to Parents & Players
3.4. Communication from Teams to the Executive Committee
3.5. Communication from the Club to NSFA
3.6 Communication from External Provider engaged by the Club
4. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM COACHES, PLAYERS AND PARENTS
5. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM MANAGERS
6. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM TEAM OFFICIALS
7. COMMUNICATIONS WITH EXTERNAL PARTIES
8. SANCTIONS
9. DUTY OF DISCLOSURE
10. NOTICE AND RIGHT TO BE HEARD
11. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
12. TIMEFRAME
13. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all oral and written communications between participants within the Club and between the Club and external parties are transmitted efficiently; are clear, courteous and constructive; and are dealt with in a prompt and professional manner.
This Policy takes effect on the date it is approved by Committee .
2. SCOPE
This Policy applies to all Officials, Coaches, Managers, Players , Parents, External Parties engaged by SIFC and participants.
This Policy does not limit or restrict the application of any other Policies.
3. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN CLUB, COACHES, MANAGERS, PLAYERS AND PARENTS
3.1. General Communication and Information
Committee Members, Coaches, Managers (Team Officials), Players and Parents are each responsible for creating an environment where matters can be raised openly and resolved between them in an amicable fashion.
If Team Official has an issue with a Player and/or Parent, they must approach that Player and/or Parent and attempt to discuss the matter in a sensitive, objective and professional manner.
If a Player or Parent has an issue with a Team Official, they must approach that Team Official directly and attempt to discuss the matter in a sensitive, objective and professional manner.
If the matter cannot be resolved to everyone’s reasonable satisfaction, then the matter should be raised in accordance with clause 4 below.
3.2. Communication from the Executive Committee to teams
Teams to have at least one Team Official registered for the current season – this registration includes signing Working with Children declarations.
Nominated Team Officials have email / internet access and are able to open MS Office documents.
Nominated Team Officials are aware of their responsibility to distribute information to their team members (parents &/or players), either via email, web link or hard copy.
Each age group is represented by an Age Coordinator.
3.3. Communication from Team Officials to Parents & Players
SIFC will supply registered Team Officials with contact details of team members.
As early as possible after team formation, Managers ascertain from team members which method of information dissemination is preferable (email, website, hard copy) to ensure communication of club business to all team members throughout the season.
Any group email communication is performed using the ‘BCC’ (blind copy) option so that email addresses of individual recipients are not included in the message.
3.4. Communication from Teams to the Executive Committee
SIFC members communicate suggestions, issues or complaints to the Executive Committee only via their Team Official or appropriate Committee member/Age Coordinator – contact details available on the club website – www.stivesfootball.com.au
3.5. Communication from the Club to NSFA
NSFA Meetings are attended by Club President or Secretary or their nominated representative.
Apart from routine communication from the Club’s Committee members, all correspondence with NSFA is to be via the SIFC Secretary or President .
As per NSFA directive, club members are not permitted to contact NSFA Officials directly.
3.6 Communication from External Provider engaged by the Club
If External Provider has an issue with a Player and/or Parent, they must approach that Player and/or Parent and attempt to discuss the matter in a sensitive, objective and professional manner. The matter must also be raised with the Age Coordinator or Program Coordinator.
If a Player or Parent has an issue with an External Provider, they must first refer the matter to their Team Manager, Age Coordinator or Program Coordinator who will speak to the External Provider in a sensitive, objective and professional manner. Matters should also be raised with the Secretary or President.
4. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM COACHES , PLAYERS AND PARENTS
The Manager is the primary point of communication between the Club and Coaches, Players and Parents. If a Coach, Player or Parent has a matter he or she wishes to raise with the Club, he or she should raise the matter with his or her relevant Manager. The matter should be presented in a respectful and courteous manner with sufficient details to enable a reasonable person to assess the matter and form an opinion.
4.1. If the Coach, Player or Parent is not satisfied with the response of the Manager, he/she can insist the matter be raised with the Executive Committee and the Manager should do so as soon as reasonably practicable.
4.2. The Manager is responsible for:
(a) following up any matter escalated to the Secretary until that matter is resolved; and
(b) keeping the individuals that first raised the matter fully informed of the progress of the matter.
5. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM MANAGERS
The Secretary is the primary point of communication between the Club and the Manager of each team.
If a Manager has a matter he or she wishes to raise with the Club, or is required to raise with the Club pursuant to clause 4.3 above, he or she should raise the matter with the Secretary. The matter should be presented in a respectful and courteous manner with sufficient details to enable a reasonable person to assess the matter and form an opinion.
If the Manager is not satisfied with the response of the Secretary, he or she can insist that the matter be raised with the President and Executive Committee, and the Secretary should do so as soon as reasonably practicable.
The Secretary is responsible for:
(a) following up any matter he or she escalates to the President until that matter is resolved; and
(b) keeping the Manager that first raised the matter fully informed of the progress of the matter.
6. ESCALATION OF MATTERS FROM TEAM OFFICIALS
If a Team Official (Coach or Manager) has a matter he or she wishes to raise with the Club, or is required to raise with the Club pursuant to clause 5.3 above, he or she should raise the matter with the President. The matter should be presented in a respectful and courteous manner with sufficient details to enable a reasonable person to assess the matter and form an opinion.
If the Club Official is not satisfied with the response of the President, he or she can insist that the matter be raised with the Committee at the next scheduled Committee Meeting.
The decision of the Committee, in relation to any matter raised with it, will be final and binding on all Participants concerned.
7. COMMUNICATIONS WITH EXTERNAL PARTIES /PROVIDERS
The President and the Secretary are the primary points of communication between the Club and any External Parties or Providers including, for the avoidance of doubt, NSFA and Brazilian Art .
No other Participant is permitted to communicate with any External Party or Provider on matters relating to the Club without the prior permission of the Secretary (or President) at the relevant time.
In the event that the Secretary does give permission for another Participant to communicate with an External Party, that Participant should copy the Secretary on all written correspondence and brief the Secretary on all conversations that take place.
The St Ives FC website (www.stivesfootball.com.au ) is another official source of Club information, particularly during the pre-season.
During the season, the NSFA website http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=10116) is an important source of information, including draws, results. competition tables, wet weather information, calendar of events etc
8. SANCTIONS
Any Participant that breaches any provision of this Policy will be subject to sanctions as determined by the Club Committee.
The Club will determine the scope and duration of each sanction.
Any decision of the Club will be binding on the Participant.
9. DUTY OF DISCLOSURE
A Participant must promptly report to the Club any breach of this Policy or any unethical incident involving others who are bound by this Policy.
10. NOTICE AND RIGHT TO BE HEARD
The Club may enforce the terms of this Policy and invoke the sanctions only if it has given the party alleged to have breached this Policy:
(a) reasonable and sufficient notice of each and every particular of the alleged breach;
(b) notice of possible sanctions; and
(c) the opportunity to be heard and to make submissions in relation to that alleged breach.
11. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
If a Participant disputes the Club’s purported action taken under this Policy, that party must give notice to the Secretary:
(a) within 14 days after the date on which the purported action was taken; and
(b) specify the reason for the dispute and any relevant facts.
Any purported action taken by the Club under this Policy will not take effect until the Grievance Procedure has been terminated or exhausted.
12. TIMEFRAME
Unless exceptional circumstances can be established, an action for breach of this Policy must be brought within three (3) months from the time the subject matter of the breach was brought to the attention of the Club.
13. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
13.1. In this Policy:
Club means St Ives Football Club.
Club Official means: an employee, consultant, officer or director of the Club.
Coach means a person appointed by the Club from time to time to coach teams of Players. The name and contact details of all Coaches can be obtained from the Secretary.
Committee means the Committee of the Club. The members of the Committee are identified on www.stivesfootball.com.au .
External Parties means, NSFA , Football NSW, FFA or any other external party. For the avoidance of doubt, Participants are not External Parties.
External Provider means any party employed by the club to provide a service such as Development Coaching.
NSFA means the Northern Suburbs Football Association .
FFA means the Football Federation of Australia.
FNSW means the Football NSW
Grievance Procedure means the procedure that applies exclusively to facilitate the expeditious and fair resolution of disputes or grievances that arise between the Participants.
Manager means a person appointed by the Club from time to time to manage teams of Players.
Parent means a person that has parental responsibility for a Player who is under the age of eighteen years (18).
Participant has the meaning ascribed to it in clause 2.1 above.
Player mean a person registered to play football with the Club.
Policies means the Club’s constitution and by-laws and the rules and regulations, codes, policies and procedures as developed or implemented by the Club from time to time (current versions of which can be obtained on www.stivesfootball.com.au ) or by FFA, Football NSW or NSFA from time to time (as they each relate to the activities of the Club and its Participants) (current versions of which can be obtained on their respective websites), including the Laws of the Game.
President means the person appointed to the office of President of the Club. The name and contact details of the President are listed on www.stivesfootball.com.au
Vice President means a person appointed to the office of Vice President of the Club. The name and contact details of the Vice Presidents are listed on www.stivesfootball.com.au
Secretary means the person appointed to the office of Secretary of the Club. The name and contact details of the Secretary are listed on www.stivesfootball.com.au
Laws of the Game means the official Laws of the Game as promulgated by FIFA from time to time.
13.2. In this Policy:
(a) any use of the word ‘includes’ or words such as ‘for example’ or ‘such’ do not limit anything else that is included in general speech;
(b) ‘day’ means a day when the offices of Football Canterbury are ordinarily open for business; and
(c) all notices must be in writing and in English.
13.3. The Club will interpret all terms of this Policy and any other Policies and any such interpretation will be final and binding on each Participant. The Club may issue guidelines to assist in that interpretation.
13.4. The Club may vary this Policy from time to time or make such further rules as it deems fit.
