VHC Policies

The Member protection Information Officer for VHC is Cath D'Hage.  Cath can be contacted on mcdhage@bigpond.com

Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO)

A club-level Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) is to strengthen our member-protection processes and align the club with Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia best-practice governance.

Role Overview

The Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) acts as a confidential and impartial first point of contact for members who have concerns or are unsure about their rights, responsibilities, or available options.

The role does not investigate or manage complaints, mediate disputes, or make decisions. Instead, the MPIO provides information and guidance and directs individuals to the appropriate pathways for resolution where required.

Why This Role Is Needed

Establishing an MPIO supports a safe and well-managed club environment, reduces risk for the club and its volunteers, and ensures members know where to seek guidance without issues escalating unnecessarily.

Alignment with Hockey Governance

The establishment of a club-level MPIO aligns with Hockey Queensland and Hockey Australia governance expectations and best practice, ensuring the club’s processes are consistent with those across the broader hockey community.

The Member Protection Officer (MPIO) for Hockey Queensland can be contacted by email at mwittmann@hockeyqld.com.au. As an MPIO, this individual provides information about rights, responsibilities, and options to those with concerns and serves as an impartial guide for the complaint process, but does not handle complaints or conduct investigations directly. 

         •       Role: The MPIO is a confidential first point of contact for members to discuss issues and concerns. They provide information on a person's rights, responsibilities, and options for resolving a situation.

         •       Limitations: The MPIO does not handle complaints, investigate grievances, mediate disputes, or act as a person in authority for complaints.

         •       Process: They guide individuals on the available options, but the formal complaint handling and investigation are managed by other relevant people or departments.

         •       Contact: The contact for Hockey Queensland's MPIO is mwittmann@hockeyqld.com.au.

         •       Alternative contacts: Other avenues for reporting concerns include the Hockey Australia Integrity Unit (integrity@hockey.org.au) or the Hockey Australia Integrity Hotline

https://cdn.revolutionise.com.au/cups/hockeyaus/files/m3a8sjouyvrawnnp.pdf

hosted/org/103/docs/a841e9e1/Working%20With%20Children%20policy.pdf

HA Code of Conduct.pdf

Valley Hockey Club has adopted the Hockey Australia Concussion Policy. That policy, and other useful documents, can be found at the links to the below:-

Late in 2023 Hockey Australia adopted the National Integrity Framework (NIF) which is a protocol designed to assist with creating a safe and fair sporting environment for all across a range of sports. The NIF is administered by a new organisation named Sport Integrity Australia which reports to the Minister for Sport. VHC has, in turn, adopted the five policies contained in the NIF, which can be found at the links below.