School Community Work

Policy

This policy sets out the requirements for students undertaking school community work.

Summary

• Students may participate in school community work, if it is on a voluntary basis.
• Students must not receive any remuneration or reward for this work.
• The community must directly benefit from the school community work.
• Schools offering school community work opportunities to students must follow the guidance on school community work, available on the Guidance tab, to ensure any arrangements meet legislative and Department policy requirements.

Details

School community work/volunteering work is community work undertaken by students which:

• supports students' learning and career development
• directly benefits the community
• is organised by the school
• is approved by the principal of the school as school community work.

Students must undertake school community work voluntarily and they must not receive any remuneration or reward for this work.

School Community Work Arrangements

All school community work arrangements must comply with the Department policy and guidance and the relevant arrangement forms must be used, available on the Resources tab.

Child Safe Standards

To create and maintain a child safe organisation, all Victorian schools must comply with Ministerial Order 1359 – Implementing the Child Safe Standards – Managing the risk of child abuse in schools (PDF).

The Child Safe Standards require schools to develop and implement risk management strategies to ensure students’ safety in the school environment.

The school environment includes workplace learning environments where students undertake:

• work experience
• structured workplace learning
• school community work/volunteering, and
• School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

For more information, visit the department PROTECT page.

Definitions

School community work
Community work undertaken by a student which

• supports their learning and career development
• directly benefits the community
• is organised by the school, and
• is approved by the principal of the school as school community work.

Related policies

• Structured Workplace Learning
• Work Experience

Relevant legislation

• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)