What the Working With Vulnerable People Act means for parents who volunteer at college
Since the introduction of the Working With Vulnerable People Act, some parents and members of the Lake Tuggeranong College community have been expressing uncertainty about the need for volunteers to register with the Office of Regulatory Services to provide volunteer services to the college.
Volunteers who regularly work with students in classrooms or regularly make contact with students during other college activities will need to be registered. If you are unsure whether you need to be registered, please contact the principal, David Briggs, on 6142 3660 or David.Briggs@ed.act.edu.au
Some volunteers may choose not to register but to continue supporting the college by reducing the number of days on which they work so as to avoid exceeding statutory limits. There may also be opportunities for volunteers to participate in forms of work that are not considered education activities or involve contact with students and do not require volunteers to be registered.
Where this is not possible, it may be necessary to apply for a Working With Vulnerable People (WWVP) card. There is no cost for volunteers.
The new Working With Vulnerable People scheme has meant that all volunteers, new and continuing, will need to complete a new School Volunteer Nomination Form and to sign in each day they work at Lake Tuggeranong College.
We are strengthening protection for children, but we depend on our volunteers in a variety of ways and look forward to your continued support in whatever capacity you choose.
For more detailed information:
Working with Vulnerable People - Information for Volunteers and Visitors in Schools
Or the ORS website here: ORS (http://www.ors.act.gov.au/community/working_with_vulnerable_people) .