Policies creates a framework for the way you do your work and set the standards for the agency (Bullen 2006). You need policies so:
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people in your agency don't have to keep on discussing and rediscussing the same issues every time they arise – one thought out decision can be applied to many similar cases. (Bullen 2006)
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staff and management are clear about their roles and responsibilities. This can add strength to the position of both if legal actions arise.
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that your agency provides services in a consistent and transparent way.
Your policies should be in keeping with:
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your mission / vision statement (eg. as outlined in your constitution)
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NSW & Commonwealth laws such as occupational health & safety laws, anti discrimination laws and industrial relations laws
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the Funding Agreement between your agency and its funding body
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Service Standards produced by your funding body. (Eg. DoCS has “Good Practice Guidelines” for all services funded by DoCS including CSGP and SAAP services. Available at www.community.nsw.gov.au.
Who should draft your policies?
The person who drafts your policies can be a staff member, management person, consultant or someone else. What is important is:
- they must be a clear communicator in plain English (written and spoken)
- they must consult with all affected staff, and at least some volunteers, young people and other affected people
- management must take the time to carefully approve all policies.
Process for developing your policies
Policy development has a number of stages:
Planning
- identify the issues and what needs to be achieved
- identify who will use the policies
- appoint someone to write or review the policies
Research
- collect similar policies to build on
- consult with staff and others
- identify the aims to be met by the policies
Development
- prepare draft policies and circulate for comment or discuss at a meeting
- modify the drafts
Implementation
- formally adopt the policies
- set a date for implementation and a date for review and write this on each policy
- train your paid and volunteer staff
Evaluation
- regularly monitor the policies
- review the policies to ensure that they are complete, accurate, up-to-date and appropriate
One way to get started
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Meet with staff and management together to brainstorm and prioritise a list of the policies needed at your service.
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Decide on a process for developing policies and who will develop which policies, eg. the manager or a particular staff member.
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At your staff meeting brainstorm possible issues, case studies and actions for a particular policy. You do not need to resolve any issues at the first meeting.
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Read other agencies' policies on the same topic. Ask other workers in your youth network for a copy of their policy manual or see YAPA's policies (see below). These must be adapted to suit your service.
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Draft a policy.
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Take the policy to your staff meeting for discussion and amendment. Some policies may generate a lot of discussion and a variety of viewpoints amongst staff. This can be challenging but extremely beneficial. By discussing your various viewpoints and approaches you can build your understanding of different working styles among staff and ultimately build a common goal and vision of how different tasks are to be achieved. Staff should be actively involved in suggesting what the policy could be.
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Once staff have agreed on the contents of the draft it should be presented to the management for formal approval.
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If the management makes changes to the policy then staff should have the opportunity to re-comment prior to the final approval. However the final decision about the policy content is the responsibility of management.
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On approval the date should be recorded and the policy should be made available to all staff. For example a folder of policies in the staff room or on your computer network. All new staff and management should be provided with a copy of the policies. Volunteers should be provided with a copy of policies relevant to them.
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Regular review of policies is important. Review one policy as a standing item on your staff and management meetings. This is a good way of reminding staff about their responsibilities and entitlements.
Tips
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Use simple language so that everyone can understand what is required.
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Your policies must apply to all staff and be applied consistently. If there are exceptions these should be recorded as part of the policy.
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If a breach of a policy occurs this should be discussed with staff promptly.
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If your service hasn't been applying policies consistently then:
1. review the policy with staff to see if amendments are needed
2. let staff know that the policy will now be applied consistently.
Information for clients
Some policies should be made available to young people you work with and other community members such as parents. These include:
- The rules of your project, ie who is allowed to use the service, what standards of behaviour are required and what happens behaviour standards are not met
- Your complaints policy
- Your code of ethics or code of conduct for staff.
Use parts of your policies to inform young people and parents about your service and activities. For example, include part of your duty of care policy in information about a camp or include your vision statement in your service brochure.
Further advice and assistance
YAPA has produced Model Policies on working with young people, for non residential youth services in NSW. www.yapa.org.au/youthwork/modelpolicies
You can also see YAPAs Internal Policies (on administration and management issues such as annual leave, student placements, time in lieu, petty cash etc) and adapt them for your own use. www.yapa.org.au/yapa/internalpolicies.
Contact your peak body, eg:
- NSW non-residential youth services: YAPA
- NSW youth SAAP services: Youth Accommodation Association (YAA) (02) 9698 5833 yaa@yaa.com.au
- NSW residential care services: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies (ACWA) (02) 9281 8822 acwa@acwa.asn.au
- NSW Out of School Hours (OOSH) services: Network (02) 9212 3244 network@netoosh.org.au
- Youth service peak bodies in other states
Advice or assistance on how to develop your policies:
- NCOSS Management Support Unit (02) 9211 2599 www.ncoss.org.au/msu
- Paul Bullen, Management Alternatives (a consultant) has some good resources on his website www.mapl.com.au
- Management Support Online www.managementsupportonline.com.au
- YAPA can provide names of consultants in NSW.
Published: 2006
Be careful! YAPA and the authors took reasonable care to ensure that this information was correct at the time of publishing. However health information, and government regulations, laws and standards are complex and changing. The authors may not have health, safety, or legal qualifications, and information provided is general - it is not specific health, legal or professional advice. Do not rely on it - check with other publications and authorities and if necessary get qualified, medical, legal or professional advice for your situation.
