Assistance from parents
Volunteers
The regular meets at the LLA are run entirely by parent and carer volunteers. On a typical competition meet around 120 athletes arrive to participate in at least five events. We need about 40 officials each competition day to ensure the smooth running of the meet. This is easily accomplished if all parents do their share and the athletes appreciate the parents’ involvement.
LITTLE ATHLETICS IS NOT A CHILD MINDING SERVICE. Children participating in LLA regular meets, training and ACTLAA competitions must be accompanied by a parent or carer. In the situation that a parent or carer is unable to attend, the athlete must be supervised by another adult (over the age of 18 years). Children who attend regular meets or training without a responsible adult will be asked to sit out and not participate for the duration.
Parent roster
Parents can help out with their child’s age group field events. This can include marshalling (getting the children in a line ready to participate), recording results and measuring.
Assistance with track events can include starter, recording results, place judging and time keeping. An age group roster will be developed for the season with each age group providing a volunteer to fulfil one of these each week. This roster will be available from the first week of competition and on the notice board. There are a number of experienced parent helpers and Committee members that are only too happy to help you out. Committee members can be identified by their royal blue committee shirts. Rostered parent duties will be in addition to assisting with your child’s age group rotations.
Parent helpers are also required for set up and pack up. Each age group will be rostered on to assist with set up or pack up at least once during the season. There will be Committee members around to explain how to help. Age groups who are consistently not fulfilling their rostered track or setup/pack up duties, at the discretion of the Committee may have trophies withheld at the presentation day. If this is likely to occur it will be clearly communicated with the relevant age manager.
Age managers
Age managers take responsibility for taking their age group around the rotations at a regular competition meet. Generally each age group will have two age managers which alternate responsibility for the group. Age Managers encourage all athletes, coordinate parent helpers at field events, nominate athletes for the “Athlete of the week” award (in consultation with other parents) and nominate athletes for the end-of-year “Encouragement Award”.
Due to the Working With Vulnerable People requirements, it is essential that the age managers record their details as they sign out the team folder at the beginning of a meet.
Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP)
LLA is subject to compliance with Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (the Act) and the ACTLAA Policy on Working with Vulnerable People. The Act says that volunteers who deal with children in the ACT must be registered if they are involved in that activity for more than 3 days in any 4 week period and 7 days in any 12 month period. The following extract from this policy indicates who must have a WWVP card at the centre level:
- Committee members
- Coaches
- Anyone who is likely to be an age manager more than 3 times in a season
- Anyone who is likely to be an official more than 3 times in a season (e.g. starters, finish marshals, timing gate operators)
- Anyone who is likely to work in the canteen more than 3 times in a season
The following volunteers working at centre level would usually not need WWVP registration:
- Parents who accompany their own children in the course of competition or coaching, even if they are assisting a group under the supervision of age managers (e.g. by raking long jump pits, retrieving throwing implements, adjusting high jump bars). A parent in this position is exempt under section 12 of the Act, on the grounds that close relatives of all children taking part in the activity are also present, or should be present, during the activity, based on Little Athletics ACT policy; and
- People under 16 years old
WWVP details will be recorded on the registration form and compiled by the Competition Manager so that they can be provided at the request of the ACT Government.
