SAFE SPACES & GRIEVANCE PROCESSES
When you join a club, you agree to adhere to the club's rules, its consitution, the safe spaces agreement, and the Guild & Curtin University's values.
Grievance Process for Members & Students
Members and students engaging with Guild-registered clubs and societies can refer to this process when raising grievances or complaints. This is also referred to in The Safe Spaces Agreement which members agree to follow when attending club activities and upon membership sign-up.
-
Step 1: If you feel safe to do so, address the person(s) directly to make them aware of your grievance, and explain the impact their words/actions have had on you. Perhaps have a witness or support person.
-
Step 2: Provide the person(s) an opportunity to respond, apologise, and/or rectify their behaviour accordingly.
-
Step 3: Should the person’s response be unsatisfactory (i.e. failure to apologise, continued poor behaviour / language), please lodge a formal written complaint to the club president outlining your grievance. This should be sent to the club’s published central contact email, and addressed “To the Club President”. (Note: if the matter is serious in nature or you wish for this not to be notified to the club, an alternative is to email clubs@guild.curtin.edu.au and attention “To the Clubs Officer” as they oversee Guild clubs at Curtin. Alternatively, you can book a confidential meeting with Guild’s Student Assist team.)
-
Step 4: The club president should then review the situation & address the issue(s) with the person(s) involved. This will typically involve seeking further information from both parties about their recollection of the incident(s), and then making recommendations and/or setting guidelines for one or both parties moving forward. If requested by either party, the club may arrange for both parties to attend a meeting with the club at which the issues can be discussed and a resolution sought.
-
Step 5: Once the president has investigated the matter and sought comment and context from both parties, they will advise you of their findings and expectations moving forward. Should the accusation(s) not be mediated or resolved after discussion with both parties, an appropriate first step will often be that the club president issues a formal warning to the accused person(s) against their behaviour, outlining expectations for their conduct at all future club events and platforms (i.e. social media); and explaining the consequences should the person not meet these requirements moving forward.
-
Step 6: If you are unsatisfied with the club president’s response, please inform them of this, and provide an opportunity for them to respond and/or revise their findings.
-
Step 7: If you are still unsatisfied with the club’s response, please report the matter to the Curtin Student Guild’s Club Support team (clubs@guild.curtin.edu.au).
-
Step 8: The Guild will review the steps taken so far, speak to the relevant parties, and will then make a determination as to whether the actions taken so far by the club have been appropriate or whether further action is recommended.
-
Step 9: Should further action be deemed necessary, the Club Support team will initiate the process accordingly. A likely starting point will be a meeting with all parties separately, which will then inform the next steps.
The Safe Spaces Agreement
As a member of a club, you are required to follow The Safe Spaces Agreement. This will assist clubs to confidently address issues on the spot should a member fail to adhere to the rules in order to keep their spaces safe at all times.