Welfare

Welfare

Support when you need it

Our welfare program and commitment to our members

Sporting clubs are more than just a place for people to play games. They are an integral part of the community, and play an important role in developing and supporting their members.

This role has been very important for our club recently with a number of our members involved in the Hunter Valley Bus Tragedy. As a sporting club we have been at the forefront of community recovery by providing critical support systems for members’ physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing.

Warrandyte Cricket Club is committed to continue to build on its already well established culture of friendship and care by creating a club that not only provides a safe and welcoming environment for all members, but also by providing a framework of support for its members, particularly members who are struggling due to uncertainty, financial hardship, loneliness and trauma.

The Warrandyte Cricket Club endorses and adopts:

  • Australian Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Australian Cricket’s ‘Looking After Our Kids’ Code of Behaviour for Affiliated Associations and Clubs
  • Australian Cricket’s Commitment to Safeguarding Children and Young People
  • Cricket Victoria’s Member Protection Policy
  • Cricket Victoria’s Reporting and Complaints Policy

For full policy details, visit: Child Safe and Member Protection – Cricket Victoria

For child safety concerns, contact our Child Safety Officer:

Rachel Watts

cso@warrandytecc.org.au – 0400 683 430

If you have any any complaints or concerns about member wellbeing or member protection, please contact our Welfare Team:

Complaints Manager: Rachel Watts

welfare@warrandytecc.org.au – 0400 683 430

Programs

Good Sports

Good Sports is Australia’s largest community health sports program. It’s run by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF) and is committed to building strong communities and limiting the harm caused by alcohol and other drugs. WCC is accredited by Good Sports, which means members and volunteers can come along knowing it’s a welcoming and safe environment to socialise and participate in the sport they love. Warrandyte Cricket Club has Level 3 Accreditation (the highest level)

Love the game

The Love the Game Program is an initiative of the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation. The program aims to reduce the exposure of young people to sports betting promotions and to disrupt the ‘normalisation’ of betting on sport. Sport is enjoyable on its own and it has lots of benefits, among them the development of physical skills, leadership ability, strategic thinking, teamwork and just having fun. Warrandyte Cricket Club is a member of Love the Game Program.

Stop… one punch can kill

SOPCK began after the tragic death of David Cassai on NYE 2012 from a senseless, unprovoked violent attack ending his life with a ferocious one punch. WCC is proud to support SPOKC and raise awareness of the impact senseless acts of street and social violence in an effort to work towards creating a safer community and to raise awareness that one punch can and DOES kill. Harm prevention through education and awareness are important factors in changing attitudes towards violence, particularly with the many young men in sporting clubs.

SALT – sport and life training

SALT is a not-for-profit mental health and wellbeing organisation that delivers high quality education sessions into sporting clubs, workplaces and schools. Our aim is to help build mentally resilient people with healthy values who provide positive influences on their teams, workmates, classmates and their broader community. Our courses cover many different topics such as mental health and wellbeing, leadership, healthy masculinity, female empowerment, equality and respectful relationships, positive parenting, and coaching.

Leadership development

A program facilitated by Leading Teams and targeted towards our emerging leaders. The focus is centred on working to create high performing teams and in the process, nurturing and creating high performing leaders – people who are able to use the leadership skills that we model and teach and apply them in all walks of life. The program encourages our leaders to explore what else it offers as a significant community stakeholder to club members and the Warrandyte community.

Mental Health and wellbeing

WCC is committed to exploring ways of supporting members’ mental health and wellbeing. This includes children, adolescents, young adults, older adults, women and men, girls and boys. The club is aware of the impact of the pandemic on members’ mental health and wellbeing and will be making wellbeing a critical focus going ahead into the future. It is planned that key members of the club will receive Mental Health First Aid training, and leaders will be involved in integrating emotional and social wellbeing programs across the club. Rachel Watts, a local Clinical Psychologist, is supporting the WCC to strengthen its response to the mental health needs of players and the wider WCC community.

Thursday night meals

Thursday Night Meals have been a mainstay of the WCC for many years. These nights offer an opportunity for connection, conversation and friendship.

Mental Health and wellbeing counselling support

WCC has partnered with DS Psychology in Ringwood to fund 3 counselling sessions for any current playing members (including juniors) and their family members. This funding has been made possible through a generous grant from the Bendigo Bank in Warrandyte.

Simply contact DS Psychology on (03)98726255, speak to their receptionist and arrange an appointment. You will need to mention that you are part of the WCC in order to access this funded service. DS Psychology will then invoice the club and the club will pay for up to 3 counselling sessions. It is important to note that the invoicing is anonymous and that at no time will the club know any individual’s name, just that someone from the club has used this service.

Once you’ve taken the important step of accessing counselling, you may find that you want to continue for more than just 3 sessions. There are a few ways that you can continue counselling with DS Psychology.

• Getting a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP. Medicare will fund up to 20 sessions per calendar year with a psychologist or mental health social worker. There are usually some out of pocket expenses incurred.

• Some private health insurance policies cover psychological services. In this instance, a Mental Health Care Plan is not required, but the out of pocket expenses are usually higher.

Or you may be able to access EAP counselling services through your workplace. Ask your manager or HR Department about how to access EAP services.

Issues related to:

• Stress and anxiety

• Relationships

• Work/life balance

• Anger and Violence

• Managing Change

• Addiction and substance misuse

• Family challenges and parenting

• Depression

• Suicidal thoughts

• Bereavement, grief and loss

• Trauma and conflict

• Gambling

• Loneliness and isolation

• Bullying and harassment

• Playing in the 8th XI

WCC hopes that in some small way this program supports club members to get the mental health support they need. However, there are services available for help and support right now:

 

Beyond Blue,

Lifeline

(or call on 13 11 14 for short-term support if you are feeling overwhelmed or have immediate concerns for your safety)

Headspace, Black Dog Institute, Reach Out & Mental Health Foundation Australia.

If you have any questions about this counselling program, please contact Rachel Watts on 0400 683 430 or haywatt@bigpond.net.au or anyone from the wellbeing team.

Join the community

Become part of our community, join our mailing list.