This Code of Conduct is part of our Charity’s commitment to our duty of care to provide safe environments for all people and also fulfils our insurance obligations, health and safety, and other requirements for volunteers. It pertains to all volunteers.

This Code of Conduct is a statement of your commitment to your role with LCV, to your integrity and to your desire to maintain the highest ethical standards. This Code defines the standards of conduct that are expected from all our volunteers and guides them in making the best decisions when working for or performing services on behalf of LCV.

Every Volunteer is responsible for reading, understanding and abiding by this Code. Please note volunteers working directly with minors will also be required to agree to abide by an additional Code of Conduct.

While you are serving with LCV as a volunteer, you agree to the following:

Volunteers have an obligation to:

1. Act with integrity in accordance with the principles.

2. Treat others respectfully and kindly, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, socio-economic status or sexual orientation.

3. Be open to correction or direction and be willing to modify behaviours not in line with the values of LCV if asked to do so.

4. Work collaboratively with team members and other leaders to execute the Charity’s mission.

5. Make ethical and informed decisions.

6. Avoid the use of offensive language (e.g. vulgarities, sexual connotations, racial or religious slurs)

7. Refrain from using or being under the influence of any illicit substances.

8. Use caution when initiating or receiving physical contact with those they serve, including gestures of comfort. Such gestures can be unwanted or misinterpreted.

9. Communicate with integrity. This includes the use of electronic communication, which will be used wisely and never inappropriately.

10. Acknowledge when they do not possess the required skill set in a situation and seek help from oversight leaders.

11. Seek to believe and support any person who indicates that they have been abused in any way. Where the victim is a minor, they acknowledge that regardless of whether mandatory reporting laws apply to their role they have a moral responsibility to report. Where the minor discloses to them, or they have reasonable grounds to believe in good faith that abuse or a minor is occurring or like to occur, they will report the concern to a member of the Safe Ministry Team, Coordinator or Manager. If more information or clarity is required, they can also contact the Safer Communities Helpline (1800 070 511 9.00am- 5.00pm Monday – Friday).

12. Disclose professional or personal activities, situations or relationships, also known as “conflicts of interest,” that may suggest the appearance of unfairness, impropriety or bias.

13. Have integrity in their financial dealings. They must not seek financial gain from their role.

Safeguarding Confidential Information

Confidential information is information you acquire by virtue of your role as a Charity leader that is not known to the public. It includes but is not limited to, information that, if disclosed, could result in legal, regulatory or reputational harm to LCV, its volunteers, attendees, clients or contractors.

Volunteers have an obligation to:

1. Protect confidential information learned, accessed, developed or created while serving in your role.

2. Transmit confidential information only to authorised parties, and only in line with the Charity’s Confidentiality Policy, and only then on a ‘need to know’ basis.

3. Report incidents that may have resulted in the disclosure, theft or acquisition of confidential information by an unauthorised third party to the Coordinator, Manager or Board Member.

4. Not entertain destructive gossip.

Speaking Up

Volunteers have an obligation to:

1. Report instances of misconduct that are not aligned with the principles of this Code to the Coordinator, Manager or Board Member.

2. Take action to report genuine, immediate concern for the health, well-being or safety of any person at risk due to their involvement with the Charity to the Coordinator, Manager or a Board Member.

Communications with the Public

We take statements made to the public about and on behalf of LCV very seriously. Such statements impact our reputation in the community and the world. To that end, Leaders shall not provide, create, submit or facilitate the creation or submission of any statement on behalf of LCV to the public for dissemination in any manner without the prior written consent of the Manager (or delegate) or a Board Member. For more information, please refer to the Media Policy, or speak with the Coordinator, Manager or a Board Member.

Consequences of violating this Code of Conduct

Compliance with the Code of Conduct is a condition for being a Leader with LCV. Upon review of the relevant circumstances by the Manager (or their delegate) or Board, those who violate this Code may be subject to removal from their role and/or criminal penalties where applicable.