Communication Policy

Our commitment

Electronic communication is essential for sharing Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated news and information with our members. Our communication will be timely, appropriate and related to Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated business.

Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated advises all Member Groups to obtain written permission for use of photographs from their members, for use on all social media, websites and marketing purposes.

What we will do

Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated uses a range of electronic tools to communicate with our members.

Our communication will protect members’ privacy, maintain clear boundaries and ensure that bullying and harassment does not occur.

Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Publicity Officer and Secretary will be appointed to provide accountability and control over material published on our Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated website and any related discussion groups or social media and website. Each Member Group will appoint a Communications Officer to provide accountability and control over material published on their Member Group website and any related discussion groups or social media and website.

Website

The primary purpose for our website is to present, share or display information or content for our Centre and Member Groups
No offensive content or photos will be published.
If we intend to publish a photo of a child, Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated or our Member Groups will first seek permission from his or her parent or guardian and take care not to provide identifying information.
We will seek feedback from members to improve the information available on the site.

SMS, email and Facebook Group Page

Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Board of Management, Member Group committee members and Member Group coaches may use SMS, email or the Facebook Group page to provide information about Member Group competitions, Member Group training, Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated sanctioned social events and other Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated business, however:

SMS messages should be short and about Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated matters
email communication will be used when more information is required
communication involving children will be directed through their parents or guardian
Facebook Group page can be used for global communication with all committee members.

Social media

We treat all social media postings, blogs and status updates as public ‘comment’.
Postings (written, photos or videos) will be family-friendly and feature positive Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated news and events.
No personal information about our members will be disclosed.
No statements will be made that are misleading, false or likely to injure a person’s
No statements will be made that might bring Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated into disrepute.
Abusive, discriminatory, intimidating or offensive statements will not be tolerated. Offending posts will be removed and those responsible will be blocked from the site.

What we ask you to do

We expect our members to conduct themselves appropriately when using electronic communication to share information with other members or posting material on public websites connected to Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated.

Electronic communication:

should be restricted to club matters
must not offend, intimidate, humiliate or bully another person
must not be misleading, false or injure the reputation of another person
should respect and maintain the privacy of members
must not bring Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated into disrepute

Non-compliance

Members may face disciplinary action for sending inappropriate electronic communication or posting online content or comments that harass, offend, intimidate or humiliate another member, Member Group or Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Board of Management as outlined in Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Code of Conduct Policy.

Cyber bullying (e.g. bullying that is carried out through an internet service such as email, a chat room, discussion group, instant messaging or website) is a criminal offence that can be reported to the police.

Members who publish false or misleading comments about another person in the public domain (social media platforms or third party websites) may be liable for defamation.

Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Social Media and Website Procedure

To guarantee the guidelines of this policy are respected the Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated Social Media and Website Procedure must be followed. Refer Sample SCRA Social Media and SCRA website procedure: Attachment 1

SCRA Social Media and SCRA Website Procedure

To guarantee the guidelines above are respected, the following procedure must be followed.

Procedure

1.1 A Board of Management Executive, Member Group Representative or Member Group Chairperson can request items (information, images etc) to social media outlets and the SCRA website. Unless the individual is the SCRA President, they cannot post items independently.

1.2 If a non-member group wishes to submit an item, they are subject to the same procedure.

1.3 It is expected that the Board of Management Executive, Member Group Representative or Member Group Chairperson submitting the item is certain that it follows the SCRA Communication Policy guidelines. The item must be sent to the SCRA Publicity Officer who then approves or rejects its addition to social media outlets and SCRA website.

1.4 The procedure excludes items that a group desires to be ‘shared’ by the SCRA social media outlet whereby it is made clear it is their original intellectual property. If this is the case, they can contact the SCRA Publicity Officer directly.

1.5 The Board of Management Executive, Member Group Representative or Member Group Chairperson must submit exactly what they desire to add to the social media outlet or the SCRA website. The SCRA Publicity Officer can only edit it for spelling mistakes and formatting.

1.6 What the SCRA Publicity Officer submits to the social media outlet or website must be identical to what was submitted and approved, they cannot add any more information independently without permission of the Board of Management Executive, Member Group Representative or Member Group Chairperson who proposed the item.

Conflicts

2.1 If it is the SCRA Publicity Officer who desires to add an item, they must also get approval from SCRA President or a SCRA Executive in President’s absence. Unless it is a minor edit (e.g. spelling mistake correction, formatting issue.)

2.2 If a Board of Management Executive declines any items to be added, they can request revisions to the individual who proposed the addition.

2.3 If the revision is refused, the item cannot be added to SCRA social media platforms or website.

Time Frame

3.1 It is expected that the item will be accepted within three (3) to five (5) days and added to the SCRA social media outlet or website within seven (7) to ten (10) days after it is proposed. Social media posts may be scheduled. Refer to Publicity Officer’s Perpetual Calendar.

3.2 If the item must be added before the seven-to-ten-day timeframe, the SCRA Publicity Officer can add it and then inform the Board of Management Executive of its addition who can then have it removed by the SCRA Publicity Officer.

3.3 It is expected that an urgent item is only a small addition to the social media outlet or website. E.g. a change of date.

3.4 If the SCRA Publicity Officer cannot add the item within seven (7) to ten (10), they must inform the Member Group of this fact and propose a new time frame.

Approved by Board of Management of Seacliff Community Recreation Association Incorporated August 2015

Revised May 2018, July 2021, July 2024