Why Do I Need a WWVP Card to Volunteer at Ramblers?

At Belconnen Ramblers Basketball Club, the safety and protection of our junior players are our highest priorities. As a community basketball club operating in Canberra, we strictly comply with ACT child protection laws (Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011) and national privacy principles.

Who Is Considered an Appointed Volunteer?

For the purposes of the ACT Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) framework, an appointed volunteer refers to anyone holding an official, designated role with a team or the club—specifically:

Head Coaches & Assistant Coaches
Official Team Managers
Appointed Club Officials, Coordinators & Committee Members

If you are appointed to one of these official roles, you must provide your WWVP registration details and verified photos (front and back) of your card before taking to the court, team bench, or managing team activities with junior players.

What is a WWVP Registration?

A Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) card is an official background check and risk clearance issued by Access Canberra under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011. The scheme ensures that anyone engaging in regulated activities with children undergoes background screening and continuous national monitoring.

? 100% Free for Volunteers: WWVP registrations for volunteer roles are completely free through Access Canberra and remain valid for 5 years.

Why Is It Mandatory for Appointed Club Personnel?

1. ACT Legal Requirement

In the ACT, junior sport is classified as a regulated activity. Under territory law, it is a statutory offence for any appointed volunteer aged 16 or over to coach, manage, or engage in regulated team activities with junior players without holding a valid WWVP clearance or an approved supervised pending status.

2. Protecting Volunteers & the Club from Fines

Access Canberra compliance officers conduct unannounced stadium spot-checks at ACT venues during game weekends. Under territory legislation:

For Individual Volunteers: Engaging in a regulated activity without proper registration or valid authorization carries individual statutory fines of up to $7,000.
For the Club: Engaging an unverified or expired volunteer without meeting legal compliance frameworks exposes the club to significant organizational penalties and regulatory action under Section 14 of the Act.

3. Creating a Safe Environment

Access Canberra continuously monitors cardholders across national databases. This gives parents, families, and team members total confidence that our basketball environment is safe and accountable.

Key Compliance Rules & Role Distinctions

To ensure clarity, ACT legislation and basketball competition rules make clear operational distinctions between roles and physical spaces on game day:

1. Team Bench Personnel (Coaches & Assistant Coaches)

Anyone serving as an appointed Head Coach or Assistant Coach directing players from the team bench must hold an active WWVP card, or have a formally logged and approved Supervised Pending Application (see below).

2. Team Managers (Admin & Player Support)

Team Managers often sit off the team bench (e.g., in the stands or nearby) to handle team administration, player drink bottles, and communication. However, because Team Managers exercise direct oversight and care responsibilities for junior players, they must hold a valid WWVP card to perform their role.

3. Score Table / Score Bench Duties (Statutory Parent Exemption)

Parents and close relatives who assist on an ad-hoc basis at the neutral score table / score bench—such as running the electronic scoreboard, updating the iPad scoring system, or flipping score tiles—do not require a WWVP card.

The Frequency Exemption: Under Section 12 of the ACT WWVP Act, individuals who engage in a regulated activity for fewer than 3 days in any 4-week period (or fewer than 7 days in a 12-month period) are statutorily exempt.
Note: If a parent steps into an official, ongoing role on the team bench (e.g., appointed Coach or Manager), the frequency exemption no longer applies and a valid WWVP clearance is required.

4. Application Pending & The Supervision Rule

An application screenshot or receipt alone is not a full WWVP registration. However, under ACT Government guidelines, a volunteer with a pending application may be permitted to begin coaching/managing only if ALL of the following conditions are met:

Named Club: Belconnen Ramblers Basketball Club is explicitly named on their Access Canberra application.
Executive Approval: The club executive explicitly approves the interim arrangement.
100% Direct Supervision: A fully registered, verified WWVP cardholder is physically present alongside the volunteer (e.g., on the team bench) providing continuous line-of-sight supervision at all times during the activity.
Clean History: The applicant has never received an interim bar, negative notice, or card cancellation in any state or territory.

If a verified cardholder is not physically present to provide constant supervision, a pending applicant cannot take the bench or coach.

5. Mandatory for Age 16+

WWVP registration is compulsory for appointed volunteers aged 16 and older. Junior volunteers under 16 years of age are statutorily exempt. For junior volunteers approaching 16, we recommend lodging the free application at 15 years and 9 months so they are fully cleared on their 16th birthday.

How We Store, Protect, and Manage Your Information

Belconnen Ramblers Basketball Club is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Why We Collect It: We collect your details and card photos solely to comply with the ACT Working with Vulnerable People Act 2011 and verify your eligibility to volunteer. We do not share your data with third parties unless legally required for statutory compliance audits.
Secure Storage: All volunteer records and card images are stored within our secure Microsoft cloud environment in protected, non-public folders accessible only by authorized Executive Committee delegates using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
Automated Compliance Tracking: Active volunteers can track their status through our secure internal database. The club system automatically issues advance renewal alerts prior to card expiry to ensure continuous coverage.
Data Retention: Personal identification documents are securely disposed of when you cease volunteering, while core compliance logs are archived in accordance with statutory record-keeping requirements under APP 11.2.

How to Apply or Submit Your WWVP Details

Step	Action	Description / Destination
1. Apply or Renew Online	Complete the online form via Access Canberra.	Select “Volunteer” during application so there is no fee.
2. Save Your Receipt	If your application is pending, save a copy of your confirmation.	Ensure Belconnen Ramblers Basketball Club is listed as your organisation on the receipt.
3. Submit to Ramblers	Submit your card photos or receipt to the club portal/email.	Provide high-resolution photos of the front and back of your physical card (or your official receipt), along with your full legal name, DOB, registration number, and expiry date.
4. Verification & Greenlight	Await confirmation from the Executive Committee.	Once verified in our backend system, you will be greenlit to coach or manage for the season!

Thank you for taking the time to keep our players safe and helping Ramblers stay fully compliant, protected, and focused on basketball!ing Ramblers stay compliant, protected, and focused on basketball!