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PURPOSE
To outline the processes that North Melbourne Primary School- Errol Street Campus and Molesworth
Street Campus, follows to recruit, screen, supervise and manage volunteers to provide a child safe
environment, and to explain the legal rights of volunteers.
SCOPE
This policy applies to the recruitment, screening, supervision and management of all people who
volunteer at our school.
DEFINITIONS
Child-connected work: work authorised by the school governing authority/provider of a school
boarding services and performed by an adult in a school or school boarding premises environment
while children are present or reasonably expected to be present.
Child-related work: As defined by the Worker Screening Act 2020 (Vic), child-related work is work
that usually involves direct contact (including in person, over the phone, written and online
communication) with a child that is a central part of that person’s duties. It does not include work
that involves occasional direct contact with children that is incidental to the work.
Closely related family member: parent, carer, parent/carer’s spouse or domestic partner, step-parent,
parent/carer’s mother or father in-law, grandparent, uncle or aunt, brother or sister, including step or
half siblings.
Volunteer worker: A volunteer school worker is a person who voluntarily engages in school work or
approved community work without payment or reward.
School work:
School work means:
● carrying out the functions of a school council
● any activity carried out for the welfare of a school, by the school council, any
parents/carers’ club or association or any other body organised to promote the welfare
of the school
● any activity carried out for the welfare of the school at the request of the principal or
school council
● providing assistance in the work of any school or kindergarten
● attending meetings in relation to government schools convened by any organisation
which receives government financial support.
This is a broad definition and means that volunteers who participate in school community activities,
such as fundraising and assisting with excursions, are legally protected (i.e. indemnified) from action
by others in the event of an injury or accident whilst they are performing volunteer school work in
good faith.
POLICY
North Melbourne Primary School- Errol Street Campus and Molesworth Street Campus is committed
to implementing and following practices which protect the safety and wellbeing of children and our
staff and volunteers. North Melbourne Primary School recognises the valuable contribution that
volunteers provide to our school community and the work that we do.
The procedures set out below are designed to ensure that North Melbourne Primary School’s
volunteers are suitable to work with children and are well-placed to make a positive contribution to
our school community.
BECOMING A VOLUNTEER
Members of our school community who would like to volunteer are encouraged to email the school
and state their area of interest e.g. Stephanie Alexander Kitchen/Garden Program (SAKGP) etc.
SUITABILITY CHECKS INCLUDING WORKING WITH CHILDREN CLEARANCES
Working with students
North Melbourne Primary School values the many volunteers that assist in our classrooms, with
sports events, on camps and excursions, with the SAKGP and other school events. To ensure that we
are meeting our legal obligations under the Worker Screening Act and the Child Safe Standards,
North Melbourne Primary School is required to undertake suitability checks which in most cases will
involve asking for evidence of a Working with Children (WWC) Clearance and may also involve
undertaking reference, proof of identity, qualification and work history involving children checks.
Considering our legal obligations, and our commitment to ensuring that North Melbourne Primary
School is a child safe environment, we require volunteers to obtain a WWC Clearance and produce
their valid card to the relevant campus reception or the supervising staff member for verification, as
well as complete the NMPS Volunteer Induction Form, in the following circumstances:
● Volunteers who are not parent/carer/family members of any student at the school if
they are engaged in child-related work regardless of whether they are being supervised.
● Parent/carer/family volunteers who are assisting with any classroom or school activities
involving direct contact with children in circumstances where the volunteer’s child is not
participating, or does not ordinarily participate in, the activity.
● Parent/carer/family volunteers who assist with excursions (including swimming), camps
and similar events, regardless of whether their own child is participating or not.
● Parent/carer/family volunteers who regularly assist in school activities, regardless of
whether their own child is participating or not
Consultation with School Council occurred on August 20th, 2026
● Parent/carer/community school council members sitting on school council with student
school council members, regardless of whether their own child is a student member or
not.
● Pre-Service Teachers who must be supervised by a VIT-registered teacher at all times
while responsible for students.
In addition, depending on the nature of the volunteer work, our school may ask the volunteer to
provide other suitability checks at its discretion (for example, references, work history involving
children and/or qualifications). Proof of identity may also be required in some circumstances.
Non child-related work
On some occasions, parents/carers and other members of the school community may volunteer to
do work that is not child-related. For example, volunteering on the weekend for gardening,
maintenance, working bees, parents and friends coordination, fete coordination, or other fundraising
groups that meet in the evenings, during which children will not be, or would not reasonably be
expected to be, present.
Volunteers for this type of work are not required to have WWC Clearances or other suitability checks
as they are not engaged in child-related work and children are not generally present during these
activities. However, North Melbourne Primary School reserves the right to undertake suitability
checks, including requiring proof of identity and WWC Clearance, at its discretion if considered
necessary for any particular activities or circumstances.
School council members and volunteers on any sub-committee of School Council, will be asked to
provide evidence of a valid WWC Clearance. Whilst we acknowledge that these volunteers will not be
engaging in child-related work as part of their role, even when there is a student sitting on the School
Council, we believe that it is important that our volunteers who are involved in making important
decisions about our school which will have an impact on students do have a valid WWC Clearance.
TRAINING AND INDUCTION
Under the Child Safe Standards volunteers must have an appropriate induction and training in child
safety and wellbeing.
To support us to maintain a child safe environment, before engaging in any work where children are
present or reasonably likely to be present, volunteers must familiarise themselves with the policies,
procedures and code of conduct referred to in our Child Safety Induction Pack and ensure the actions
and requirements in these documents are followed when volunteering for our school.
Depending on the nature and responsibilities of their role, North Melbourne Primary School may also
require volunteers to complete additional child safety training.
MANAGEMENT AND SUPERVISION
Volunteer workers are expected to comply with any reasonable direction of the principal (or their
nominee). This includes the requirement to follow our school’s policies, including, but not limited to
our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, our Child Safety Code of Conduct and our Statement of Values
and School Philosophy.
Volunteer workers are also expected to act consistently with department policies, to the extent that
they apply to volunteer workers, including the department’s policies relating to Equal Opportunity
and Anti-Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Workplace Bullying.
The principal (or their nominee) will determine the level of school staff supervision required for
volunteers, depending on the type of work being performed, and with a focus on ensuring the safety
and wellbeing of students.
The principal has the discretion to make a decision about the ongoing suitability of a volunteer
worker and may determine at any time whether or not a person is suitable to volunteer at North
Melbourne Primary School.
PRIVACY AND INFORMATION-SHARING
Volunteers must ensure that any student information they become aware of because of their
volunteer work is managed sensitively and in accordance with the Schools’ Privacy Policy and the
department’s policy on Privacy and Information Sharing.
Under these policies, student information can and should be shared with relevant school staff to:
● support the student’s education, wellbeing and health
● reduce the risk of reasonably foreseeable harm to the student, other students, staff or
visitors
● make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the student’s disability
● provide a safe and secure workplace.
Volunteers must immediately report any child safety concerns that they become aware of to a
member of staff to ensure appropriate action. There are some circumstances where volunteers may
also be obliged to disclose information to authorities outside of the school such as to Victoria Police.
For further information on processes and practices for identifying and responding to child abuse,
refer to North Melbourne Primary School’s Child Abuse (including grooming) – Identification and
Response Policy and Procedures.
RECORDS MANAGEMENT
While it is unlikely volunteers will be responsible for any school records during their volunteer work,
any school records that volunteers are responsible for must be provided to the Principal to ensure
they are managed in accordance with the department’s policy: Records Management – Schools.
COMPENSATION
Personal injury
Volunteer workers are covered by the department’s Workers’ Compensation Policy if they suffer
personal injury in the course of engaging in school work.
Property damage
If a volunteer worker suffers damage to their property in the course of carrying out school work, the
Minister (or delegate) may authorise such compensation as they consider reasonable in the circumstances. Claims of this nature should be directed to the principal who will direct them to the Department’s Legal Division.
The department’s public liability insurance policy applies when a volunteer worker engaged in school
work is legally liable for:
● a claim for bodily injury to a third party
● damage to or the destruction of a third party’s property.
COMMUNICATION
This policy is communicated to our school community in the following ways:
● Available publicly on our school’s website
● Included in induction processes for relevant staff
● Made available in hard copy from school administration upon request
RELATED POLICIES AND RESOURCES
North Melbourne Primary School’s policies and resources relevant to this policy (available on school
website) include:
● Statement of Values and School Philosophy
● Visitors Policy
● Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
● Child Safety Code of Conduct
● Child Abuse (including grooming) – Identification and Response Policy and Procedures
● Inclusion and Diversity Policy
● North Melbourne Primary School Child Safety Induction Pack
Department policies:
● Child Safe Standards
● Equal Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination
● Privacy and Information Sharing
● Records Management – School Records
● Sexual Harassment
● Volunteers in Schools
● Volunteer OHS Management
● Working with Children and Other Suitability Checks for School Volunteers and Visitors
● Workplace Bullying
POLICY REVIEW AND APPROVAL
Policy last reviewed August 2026
Consultation Consultation with the School Council on August 20th, 2026.
Approved by Principal
Next scheduled review date August 2028