Employees are an integral part of GGiA and must:

• Be treated as equally and fairly as GGiA Members and Volunteers
• Be valued for their input, and called upon for their opinions
• Be consulted on all matters that substantially affect the performance of their work
• Have the opportunity to effect change within GGiA through their suggestions and involvement in planning and management as is appropriate to their role
• Be expected and supported to provide feedback and input to their supervisor regarding their work.

Prior to advertising to fill any GGiA employee position, the relevant Position Description must be reviewed to ensure that it is up-to-date, and accurately reflects the requirements and expectations of the position.

Advertisements to fill a position must include:

• An overview of the relevant SGGO and/or GGA
• The position title, and details of the selection criteria and duties statement
• An overview of the roles and responsibilities of the position
• An overview of mandatory screening processes, including: (i) a Working with Children Check; (ii) two Referee Checks; and (iii) a National Police Check.

All people seeking employment with a SGGO or GGA must submit a written application  and provide details of two people prepared to provide a reference for the applicant. The references are confidential.

The interviewing process must be conducted in a transparent manner. The interviewing processes must reflect the nature of the role.

Interviews must include questions that are designed to assess the applicant’s alignment with the GGA Code of Conduct and specifically the Child Safe Child Friendly values of the organisation as set out in the Child Safe Child Friendly Policy. It is important that all potential Employees accept that Girl Guiding in Australia puts a high priority on child safety and wellbeing. 

Please refer to the Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Screening Interview.

Prior to being offered employment, all applicants must undergo two referee checks. Before anyone can be approved as an Employee, GGA or the relevant SGGO must obtain a positive and supportive reference from two independent adults with a history of working with, or supervising, the applicant.

It is the responsibility of the person overseeing the recruitment to ensure these referee checks are completed. If an external recruitment firm is conducting the referee checks, they must provide the information required by GGiA to help determine the applicant’s suitability to working in an organisation which prioritises a child safe child friendly culture and which requires adherence to a Code of Conduct.

The Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Reference Check will provide additional information.

Prior to being offered employment, all applicants must provide a current Working with Children Check (WWCC).

It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange and pay for the WWCC. Information regarding how to obtain a WWCC can be provided on request.

Before anyone can be approved as an Employee, GGA or the relevant SGGO must hold a copy of their current WWCC/or WWCC number without restrictions or conditions.

Continued employment requires continued ability to provide an unrestricted/unconditional WWCC.

The Australian Institute of Family Studies has produced a Working with Children Checks Resource Sheet which provides information about WWCCs in each state and territory, including how frequently they need to be renewed.

GGA and SGGOs must maintain a system for monitoring the ongoing currency of all WWCCs for employees. If at any time GGA or an SGGO becomes aware of information that any person within Girl Guiding who holds a WWCC may have engaged in conduct inconsistent with holding a WWCC, a report must be made immediately to the entity that issued the WWCC.

Prior to being offered employment, all applicants must provide a National Police Check which must have been issued within the previous six months.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange for the National Police Check. Payment for the National Police Check will be in accordance with the policy of the respective SGGO (or GGA policy if the employer is GGA).

Before anyone can be approved as an Employee, GGA or the relevant SGGO must hold a copy of the disclosable outcomes of the applicant’s current National Police Check which indicates their suitability for employment in a Child Safe Child Friendly organisation, in particular there will be regard for the Mission, GGA Code of Conduct and/or the policies and procedures of WAGGGS, GGA and the respective SGGO.

At least every five years, all Employees must provide a renewed National Police Check which must have been issued within the previous six months.*

If at any time an Employee is:

• charged with a criminal offence involving violence or punishable by 12 months imprisonment or more; and/or
• convicted or found guilty of an offence punishable by imprisonment in Australia and/or overseas

they must inform the CEO of the relevant SGGO (or GGA) within seven days.

The Guidance Note – National Police Checks in Girl Guiding in Australia provides further information.

* Note: All existing Employees (as at 1 January 2022) are required to provide a National Police Check on the next occasion that their Working with Children Check is due to be renewed.

Once the applicant has successfully undergone the above process (and appropriate checking results provided), they may be formally offered the position.

If the person or persons with the responsibility of overseeing the recruitment still has reservations about employing a particular applicant after these checks have been undertaken, then an offer of employment should not be made.

Recruiting safe and appropriate Employees MUST be prioritised over a person’s availability, enthusiasm or personal connections.

GGA and each SGGO must collect and store details of their Employees including date commenced and date leaving the organisation. Employee details must be maintained with updated information.

Collection and analysis of this information allows SGGOs, and GGA, to be familiar with the diversity, skill base, and individual needs of their Employees, and informs ongoing review and improvement of Guiding.

While the details of all Employees is maintained at SGGO level (or by GGA for GGA staff), access to information about staff employed by Girl Guide organisations may occasionally be sought by the Chief Commissioner.

All personal information about Employees must be managed in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles, which outline how Australian agencies must handle, use, and manage personal information.

The GGA Information Sheet – Privacy in Girl Guiding summarises how the Principles are followed in Girl Guiding.

All Adults in Guiding must be familiar with, and follow, the Principles. Each SGGO may also have specific legislative provisions for their state or territory.

GGA and SGGOs will advise their employees where to access :

• the GGA Code of Conduct; and
• the policies and procedures of Girl Guides Australia and the respective State Girl Guide organisation.

The GGA Code of Conduct sets the standards and behaviours expected and required by all people who are involved in any way with GGiA.

Employees are required to act in accordance with the GGA Code of Conduct.

Employees are required to familiarise themselves with the Code of Conduct, and to ask for clarification if there is anything that they do not understand.

Agreement to adhere to the GGA Code of Conduct must be included in contracts of employment.

All Employees will have a specific role within GGA or a SGGO. All new Employees must be supported by their supervisor to understand what their formal roles and responsibilities are as set out in the relevant position description and selection criteria and may receive training or development opportunities from time to time to support them to meet those roles and responsibilities.

Within six weeks of commencing employment, all new Employees must complete the eGuiding module CSCF for Adults in Guiding. Employees may like to complete the eGuiding module CSCF for Leaders & Managers, if relevant to their role. The training modules are found on the eGuiding learning platform. Modified delivery of these trainings can be approved by a SGGO on an individual basis.

All Employees are entitled to supervision, training, development, and performance management in line with their role and responsibilities within GGA or a SGGO, and in line with Element 6 – Supervision and Training of Employees.

If anyone involved with GGiA thinks that any Employee has not followed any aspect of the GGA Code of Conduct, they must raise their concerns as soon as possible with their supervisor. The supervisor will raise the matter with the CEO of the relevant SGGO or GGA. Any action taken in this regard will be in accordance with the relevant contractual arrangement or industrial legislation.

If the breach of the GGA Code of Conduct relates in any way to a matter involving harm, risk of harm and/or child abuse and neglect a mandatory notification must be made immediately in line with the legislative requirements in the respective state or territory. Procedures for this reporting are included in Element 8.

Noting ‘harm’ is the kind of harm against which a child or young person is ordinarily protected.

If the concern is in relation to the supervisor, the employee must seek support from someone else in a senior leadership role.

Investigations into any alleged breaches of the GGA Code of Conduct must follow the investigation process outlined in GGA Complaints and Investigation Process.

GGA and SGGOs have the right, within appropriate legislative and policy constraints, to terminate any Employee.

If an Employee is to be terminated, the Employee will be provided with written notice.

If an Employee is discontinued, that information must be recorded in the record of employees maintained by the SGGO.

CSCF for Adults in Guiding – refer eGuiding learning platform

CSCF for Leaders & Managers – refer eGuiding learning platform

GGA Code of Conduct

GGA Information Sheet – Privacy in Girl Guiding

Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Reference Check

Guidance Note – Adults in Guiding Screening Interview

Guidance Note – National Police Checks in Girl Guiding in Australia

Australian Privacy Principles

Working with Children Checks Resource Sheet