Bullying Policy

BULLYING POLICY

 

Gosnells Bowling Club is committed to providing a work and social environment free of any types of harassment, where individuals are treated with respect and dignity. Gosnells Bowling Club will not tolerate bullying under any circumstances and will take disciplinary action against anyone who breaches this policy.

This policy applies to all management, employees, officers, volunteers, coaches, members, guests and visitors of Gosnells Bowling Club.

This policy applies to behavior occurring both within Gosnells Bowling Club’s activities and events, and to members representing the club at external venues when the behavior involves individuals associated with Gosnells Bowling Club, and negatively affects relationships within the organisation’s sport, social and work environment.

DEFINITION

For the purpose of this policy, bullying is defined as;

“The use of coercion, force or threat, to abuse, aggressively dominate or intimidate a person or group of persons”

Bullying may include undue criticism, spreading misinformation or malicious rumors, setting tasks that are unreasonably below or beyond a person’s skill level, abusive, insulting and or offensive language or comments.

Bullying is divided into six basic types of abuse;

Individual

Physical

Verbal

Relational

Cyber

Collective

Examples of Bullying;

 

Individual

 Individual bullying tactics can be perpetrated by a single person against a target or targets and can be subjected by any of the following types of bullying.

 

Physical

 This is any bullying that hurts someone’s body or damages their possessions. Stealing, shoving, hitting, fighting, and destroying property all are types of physical bullying. Physical bullying is rarely the first form of bullying that a target will experience. Often bullying will begin in a different form and later progress to physical violence. In physical bullying the main weapon the bully uses is their body when attacking their target. Physical bullying will often escalate over time, and can lead to a tragic ending, and therefore must be stopped quickly to prevent any further escalation.

 

Verbal

 This is any bullying that is conducted by speaking. Calling names, spreading rumours, threatening somebody, and making fun of others are all forms of verbal bullying. Verbal bullying is one of the most common types of bullying. In verbal bullying the main weapon the bully uses is their voice. Verbal bullying, as well as social exclusion techniques, dominate and control other individuals and show their superiority and power.

 

Relational

 This is any bullying that is done with the intent to hurt somebody’s reputation or social standing which can also link in with the techniques included in physical and verbal bullying. Relational bullying is a form of bullying common amongst youths. Relational bullying can be used as a tool by bullies to both improve their social standing and control others. Unlike physical bullying which is obvious, relational bullying is not overt and can continue for a long time without being noticed.

 

Cyber

 Cyber bullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. When an adult is involved, it may meet the definition of cyber-harassment or cyberstalking, a crime that can have legal consequences and involve jail time. This includes email, instant messaging, social networking sites (such as Facebook), text messages, and cell phones.

 

Collective

 Collective bullying tactics are employed by more than one individual against a target or targets. Trolling behaviour on social media, although generally assumed to be individual in nature by the casual reader, is sometime organized efforts by sponsored astroturfers.

 

Examples of behaviours that may amount to bullying include;

  • Intimidation
  • Verbal abuse or threats, including yelling, screaming or offensive language
  • Excluding or isolating people from club activities
  • Assigning impossible tasks, meaningless tasks unrelated to the job, or giving someone the majority of unpleasant tasks
  • Undermining responsibility
  • Deliberately changing work rosters to inconvenience particular staff members
  • Withholding information essential to do a task properly
  • Copying emails that are critical about someone to others who do not need to know
  • Making threats or comments about job security without foundation
  • Spreading malicious rumours
  • Cyber bullying, and
  • Physical abuse.

 

The following behaviours do not constitute bullying;

  • Reasonable management practices, including performance management and disciplinary procedures
  • A direction to carry out reasonable duties and instructions, and
  • A direction to comply with the Club Constitution, By-laws, Code of Conduct, Rules, Resolutions and Policies.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Gosnells Bowling Club is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to prevent bullying and ensuring its position is widely known by all management, employees, officers, volunteers, coaches, members, guests and visitors.

Gosnells Bowling Club will ensure that appropriate procedures are identified to handle bullying complaints. It is further responsible for ensuring that specific members are identified to provide information and support ensuring that;

  • complaints are treated in an impartial, sensitive, fair, timely and confidential manner
  • bullying harassment reporting is encouraged, regardless of who the offender might be
  • widespread awareness and understanding of bullying harassment is promoted
  • the policy and procedures are monitored and reviewed regularly

DISCIPLINARY ACTION

Disciplinary action will be taken by Gosnells Bowling Club against anyone who is found to be in breach of this policy.

Disciplinary action will also be taken against anyone who victimises or retaliates against a person who has complained of bullying.

The discipline will depend on the severity of the case and may involve an apology, counseling, suspension, dismissal or other form of action.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Gosnells Bowling Club Management responsible for implementing this policy will keep confidential the names and details related to bullying harassment complaints, unless disclosure is necessary as part of the disciplinary or corrective process.

 

COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

The most effective complaint procedures offer a range of options for dealing with bullying harassment. Gosnells Bowling Club recognises that natural justice is the minimum standard of fairness to be applied in the investigation and adjudication of a dispute.

Bullying complaints can be handled through a variety of mechanisms. Gosnells Bowling Club recognises that, as a highly sensitive and complex matter, bullying harassment is best dealt with informally through discussion between the parties or with some assistance from an independent third party, so as to minimize its damaging and disruptive effects. An informal resolution is not always possible and it may be necessary to resort to formal procedures to resolve the complaint.

Gosnells Bowling Club encourages individuals who experience bullying harassment to inform the alleged harasser that the behavior is unwelcome, unacceptable and contrary to policy, and ask that the behavior stop. Individuals should also keep notes documenting incidents of the behavior, time, place and any witnesses.

If it is not possible to confront the alleged harasser, or if this course of action fails to stop the behavior, then the matter should be brought to the attention of your Club President for advice.

The role of the Club President as a first-line-of-contact, is to serve in an unbiased/impartial capacity to listen to the complaint, offer support, provide advice on procedures and refer to the Management when appropriate.

 

IT IS NOT THE ROLE OF CLUB PRESIDENT TO TRY TO RESOLVE A GRIEVANCE.

 

The role of the Management is to determine whether a complaint has substance, inform the person accused of harassment of the nature of the complaint, inform both parties of their rights and responsibilities in proceeding with a grievance, act as mediator/conciliator between the parties to resolve the complaint, follow up after a complaint has been resolved to ensure there is no recurrence and refer serious matters to management, or to an external agency.

It is the prerogative of the complainant to decide to proceed with, or dissolve a complaint.

Gosnells Bowling Club recognises the importance of providing a choice of reporting mechanisms to complainants in order they may feel comfortable to come forward to discuss or report on an incident. It also recognises that in some instances, the manager or supervisor may be too close to the problem to serve without bias.

The complaint may be resolved informally between the complainant and the alleged harasser through discussion, an apology, and a commitment to stop the behavior. In this case, the Harassment Grievance Officer (or manager, supervisor) assisting an informal resolution will establish a follow up date to ensure the behavior does not recur, otherwise no further action is necessary.

In the event that the complaint cannot be resolved informally, the complainant may lay a formal complaint. In this case, the complainant is required to prepare and sign a formal written complaint to the President who, in turn will ensure the alleged harasser is provided with a copy of the complaint.

Gosnells Bowling Club Management responsible for this policy is responsible for ensuring the complaint is investigated and mediated or conciliated professionally and confidentially, in an unbiased and prompt manner by a review panel.

The review panel will comprise three members, at least one female and one male. Decisions of findings and recommendations of disciplinary action are the responsibility of the review panel.

Gosnells Bowling Club will ensure that all steps in the complaint’s procedure are handled promptly, and that the period given to investigation, hearing and release of the decision does not exceed eight weeks.

 

RIGHT TO APPEAL 

 Both parties to a complaint have the right to appeal the decision and recommendation of a panel if a matter of procedure, bias, or fairness is called into question. An appeals-panel, made up of members other than those who formed the original review panel should handle formal appeals.

 

EXTERNAL ACTION

 Both complainant and alleged harasser may pursue advice or action from an external authority at any stage of the complaint procedure. In WA, Safe Work Australia is the authority responsible for receiving complaints of bullying.

 

 

Policy Review

 This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant to club operations and reflects both community expectations and legal requirements.

 

Signature

Signed: ____________________________ Signed: ____________________________
  Club President   Club Secretary
Date: 7th April 2022 Date: 7th April 2022

 

Next policy review date is 7th April 2023