Our commitment to children and young people
- feloughran
- 23 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Children and young people are a big part of life at Boat Harbour Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
From our youngest members taking their first steps into surf life saving, through to our teenagers developing skills, confidence and leadership, we want our Club to be a place where every child and young person feels safe, supported, and welcome.
That's why Boat Harbour Beach Surf Life Saving Club has formally adopted our Commitment to Safeguarding Children and Young People.
Endorsed by Club President Carolyn Hay and Child Youth Safety Officer Rebecca Roberts, the commitment sets out what children, young people and their families can expect from our Club.
What does the commitment mean?
At its heart, it's a promise about the kind of club we want to be.
We are committing to creating an environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe. Where they are listened to; concerns are taken seriously; inappropriate behaviour is challenged; and children of all backgrounds and abilities can participate in surf life saving in a fun and safe environment.
It also recognises that keeping children safe isn't the responsibility of just one person. We all have a role to play – our Club, members, volunteers, parents, and carers.
Why is it important?
Surf clubs are special places for young people. They're places to learn about the ocean, develop lifesaving skills, make friends, challenge yourself, become part of a team and, as you get older, take on greater responsibility and leadership.
We want those experiences to be positive ones.
And while we'd like to think that being a welcoming, community-focused club naturally makes us a safe place for children and young people, a strong child-safe culture doesn't just happen. We have to consciously create it.
That means making child safety part of our everyday Club culture – making sure people understand their responsibilities, children and young people know they can speak up, and families know their concerns will be listened to and taken seriously.
Our commitment also recognises the important role of parents and carers and commits us to communicating openly with families about the safety and wellbeing of their children.
A commitment we all share
Signing the commitment is an important step, but it's not the end of the work.
This isn't a document we want to sign and then put away in a folder. We want it to become part of our Club culture and the way we do things every day.
That means continuing to talk about child safety, listening to children and young people, and making sure our members and volunteers understand the role they play.
We thank Carlton Park Surf Life Saving Club for their support and assistance in helping us develop our commitment. Sharing knowledge and experience across the surf life saving community helps all clubs continue to strengthen the way we support and safeguard children and young people.
Most importantly, we want every child and young person who is part of Boat Harbour Beach Surf Life Saving Club to know that they matter, their voices matter, and their safety and wellbeing matter.
Read our Commitment to Safeguarding Children and Young People
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