Requirements:
- volunteers with Girl Guide Youth Members less than 5 times in 12 months
- must scan the Casual Volunteer QR code on each occasion when Youth Members are present
- cannot be included in any overnight stays
- cannot assist if it is likely to result in unsupervised access to Youth Members
- not required to hold a compliant Blue Card
- not required to have a National Police Check
- not required to complete the Child Safe Child Friendly – Adults in Guiding E-Guiding module
- non-uniformed members
Casual Volunteers are those that assist on less than five occasions in any 12-month period at a Girl Guide activity where Youth Members are present. These occasions do not include any overnight stays or assistance that is likely to result in unsupervised access to Youth Members. Examples of the support a Casual Volunteer may provide, include assisting at a barbeque at a Girl Guide event or talking to Youth Members about a particular topic where they will be supervised by an Adult Member.
Regardless, prior to commencing, all Casual Volunteers are required to familiarise themselves with the GGA Code of Conduct.
When a Casual Volunteer is working in a Unit or a District, the Unit Leader or District Manager is responsible for advising the Casual Volunteer that they are expected to adhere to the GGA Code of Conduct.
Very occasionally, the nature of an activity does not allow for supervision of an adult by an Adult in Guiding. While this is generally avoidable with good planning, it may be unavoidable, and the adult will require screening as an Ongoing Volunteer prior to taking part in the activity. Examples of such activities include:
- a volunteer participating in a caving expedition or manning an orienteering station when Youth Members are completing the activity alone (and not as a group) and there is no line of sight to another Adult in Guiding
- when a water activity only provides for one Youth Member to be in the vessel with an adult and the water activity course is such that there is no line of sight to another Adult in Guiding
- where a person is providing First Aid for an event and is likely to be providing assistance to one Youth Member (without other Youth Members present) and not be within line of sight of another Adult in Guiding
As Casual Volunteers do not have an ongoing or regular role and are supervised when they are with Youth Members, they are not required to undergo any formal screening, recruitment, or induction.
If a Volunteer is participating in an overnight stay with Youth Members or may not be supervised when they are with Youth Members, then they must comply with the requirements of an Ongoing Volunteer as outlined in the Ongoing Volunteer section of this website.
All Girl Guide Queensland Guide Units are required to display the Casual Volunteer QR scan poster for Casual Volunteers to scan and complete the necessary fields.
Some Useful Tips for sharing the GGA Code of Conduct
It is suggested, the Girl Guide Australia Code of Conduct is visible on the wall of all Girl Guide meeting places.
If the volunteering is at a fundraising event, e.g., a fundraising barbeque, email the GGA Code of Conduct to all those helping prior to the event.
The GGA Code of Conduct could be included in the Welcome Pack to all new Guiding families.
Child Safe Child Friendly Framework
Guides Australia Guide Lines for Girl Guides and Girl Guide Volunteers
QPP.AD.01 Girl Guides Queensland Policy and Procedure
Requirements:
- volunteers with Girl Guide Youth Members five or more times in 12 months
- holds a compliant Blue Card
- obtains a National Police Check
- completes the Adults Membership application form
- completes the Code of Conduct form
- completes the Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure form
- completes the Child Safe Child Friendly – Adults in Guiding E-Guiding module
- can be included in overnight stays (Separate quarters for male volunteers)
- can assist with Youth Members without being supervised by an Adult Member of Girl Guides in accordance with the Supervision Ratio policy
- non-uniformed members
Ongoing Volunteers are those who volunteer with Girl Guiding in Australia on five or more occasions in any 12-month period at a Girl Guide activity where Youth Members are present, for any overnight stay, or who, due to the nature of the assistance to be provided, are likely to encounter Youth Members without being able to be supervised by an Adult Member of Girl Guides in accordance with the Supervision Ratio requirements.
Whenever the term Volunteer is referenced on its own (i.e., without including Casual or Ongoing) it is always referring to Ongoing Volunteers.
Interviewing applicants for Ongoing Volunteer roles including Adult membership
All potential Ongoing Volunteers must be interviewed for their potential position or role. It is important that any applicant accepts that Girl Guiding in Australia puts a high priority on child safety and wellbeing.
The interview process must be in line with the Girl Guides Australia interview screening process included in the Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Screening Interview. The questions included on the Girl Guides Australia forms, New Volunteer First Steps Form and the New Volunteer Child Safe Screening Interview Form, are designed to assess the candidate’s suitability to work with children and young people.
Reference checks for ongoing volunteers including Adult membership
Prior to becoming an Ongoing Volunteer, all applicants must undergo reference checking.
This may be carried out centrally by Girl Guides Queensland, however, if not, it is the responsibility of the person overseeing the recruitment to undertake these checks using the New Volunteer Record of Referee Interviews Form as a guide.
Before anyone can be approved as an Ongoing Volunteer, Girl Guides Queensland must obtain a positive and supportive reference from two independent adults with a history of working with, or supervising, the applicant in a volunteer or non-volunteer role.
The Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Reference Check will provide additional information.
All applicants for membership or engagement as an Ongoing Volunteer must hold a compliant Blue Card and will be required to obtain a National Police Check. If you already have a Police Check for other purposes, such as work, it must be less than 6 months old.
Once the applicant has successfully undergone the above process, they may be formally offered an ongoing volunteering role.
If there is reluctance to engage an Ongoing Volunteer for any reason, with or without evidence this must be discussed with the relevant Region Manager or State Commissioner.
Recruiting safe and appropriate Volunteers (Casual or Ongoing) and Adult Members MUST be prioritised over a person’s availability, enthusiasm, or personal connections.
if you are resident in the Australian Capital Territory, the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 (ACT) will apply to health information collected and handled by Girl Guiding in Australia.
See HERE for further information on the recruitment and screening of volunteers
Child Safe Child Friendly Framework
Guides Australia Guide Lines for Girl Guides and Girl Guide Volunteers
QPP.AD.01 Girl Guides Queensland Policy and Procedure
Requirements:
- volunteers who have NO contact with Youth Members
- completes the Support Group Application form
- completes the Code of Conduct form
- completes the Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure form
- must scan the Casual Volunteer QR code on each occasion when Youth members are present
- not required to hold a compliant Blue Card
- not required to have a National Police Check
- not required to complete the Child Safe Child Friendly – Adults in Guiding E-Guiding module
- non-uniformed members
Districts can operate with either a Support Group or a District Support Team to support Guiding. The District Manager is responsible for and is a Member of the Support Group or District Support Team.
A Support Group is a body of non-uniformed people within a District.
A District Support Team comprises Leaders and non-uniformed people within a District.
The Support Group or District Support Team have no responsibility for the running of Units or the appointment of Leaders, nor does it have a say on Unit funds.
The Support Group or District Support Team are a great source of strength and support to the District Manager, Leaders, and Units. The Support Group assists with the promotion of Guiding in the local community, helps financially and actively through projects along with participation in community events. All Leaders know and appreciate the contribution of a Support Group and can assist by encouraging parents and carers to take an active part in the Team.
The Support Group provides essential moral, practical and financial support within a District and should work together as a team to ensure the smooth running of the District. Members of the Support Team attend Leader and District meetings if invited by the District Manager. It is not responsible for setting rules and regulations in a District.
A Support Group member may hold a position or assist as per below:
President
- works closely with the District Manager to prepare a yearly plan.
- prepares, with the Secretary, an agenda for each meeting and conducts efficient meetings encouraging full participation.
- signs minutes of meetings as correct when they have been confirmed
- presents an annual report for the SG/DST at the Annual General Meeting
Vice-President
- assists the President - is part of the team
- chairs the meeting in the absence of the President and assumes the responsibility of any office bearer who is unavailable
Treasurer
- prepares an annual budget for the District
- pays all accounts by cheque and keeps a record of petty cash payments for audit purposes
- keeps current records of all financial transactions, prepares a written monthly financial statement and recommends all accounts for payment
- ensures that all financial books of the SG/DST are audited annually and, with the District Manager, prepares an audited annual statement
Secretary
- attends to correspondence
- notifies members and parents/caregivers of meetings
- keeps concise and accurate minutes of all meetings, highlighting who will action decisions
- completes the Annual General Meeting Report Form and sends with Annual District Report, Building Safety Checklist and Receipts and Payments Summary (Audit Report) and sends to the Region Manager by 31 March each year.
- retains an inventory of all District property and a key register
- maintains a list of names/addresses of parents/care givers, SG/DST members in the District and SG/DST application forms
Public Relations/Marketing/Promotions
- in consultation with the District Leader, initiates and supports public relations activities that will improve the Guiding image in the community
- in consultation with the District Leader, produces a regular newsletter
- keeps records of photographs, reports, newspaper items for the District history and sends copies to the Region Marketing Manager for use by Girl Guides Queensland
- ensures Talent release forms are signed by parents/care providers for publication of names and photographs
Fundraising
- in consultation with the District Leader, organise and participate in fundraising events such as sausage sizzles, to help raise funds for the District
Maintain Guide Huts and Campsites
- fix a fuse/tap/drain/leak
- change a lock
- clean gutters
- mow the grounds
These are some of the other practical ways Support Group members can assist:
- attend monthly meetings
- participate in activity days
- staff at Unit camps/Leaders' training
- bake a cake,
- staff a stall
- welcome parents
- accompany the District Manager to Promise ceremonies and to functions both within and outside Guiding
- be represent at Youth award presentations
- teach special skills or craft to the Guides
- assist with administrative work
- offer hospitality to visiting members
Child Safe Child Friendly Framework
Guides Australia Guide Lines for Girl Guides and Girl Guide Volunteers
QPP.AD.01 Girl Guides Queensland Policy and Procedure