1. Our Commitment to Child Safety
EpicYou is committed to the safety, wellbeing and participation of all children and young people who engage with our programs. We recognise that children and young people have a right to be safe and to be heard, and we take our responsibilities under Tasmania's Child and Youth Safe Organisations Framework seriously.
EpicYou delivers career discovery and DISC-based self-awareness programs to Year 9–12 students. In doing so, we are committed to creating an environment in which every young person feels respected, valued and safe.
This policy applies to all EpicYou activities, contractors, volunteers and partners who work with or have access to children and young people in the delivery of our programs.
2. Legislative and Regulatory Framework
This policy gives effect to Tasmania's 10 Child and Youth Safe Standards established under the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023 (Tas) and reflects the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety.
The 10 Standards addressed by this policy are:
- Standard 1: Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
- Standard 2: Children and young people are informed about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them, and are taken seriously
- Standard 3: Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing
- Standard 4: Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
- Standard 5: People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safe values and practices
- Standard 6: Processes to respond to complaints and concerns are child-focused
- Standard 7: Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe
- Standard 8: Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed
- Standard 9: Implementation of the child safe standards is continuously reviewed and improved
- Standard 10: Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe
3. Scope
This policy applies to:
- All EpicYou program delivery activities (in-school workshops, facilitated sessions, online content)
- All persons engaged by EpicYou in a delivery capacity, including the founder, contractors, and guest facilitators
- All partner organisations through which EpicYou delivers programs (schools, community organisations)
This policy applies regardless of whether activities are conducted in-person or online, in Tasmania or interstate.
4. Screening and Suitability of Personnel
EpicYou requires all persons who work directly with children and young people to hold a current Working with Vulnerable People (WWVP) registration under the Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Act 2013 (Tas) prior to engaging in any delivery activity.
The Founder currently holds a valid WWVP registration. Any contractor or partner engaged to deliver EpicYou programs must provide evidence of their current WWVP registration before commencing delivery.
EpicYou will maintain a register of WWVP registrations and conduct periodic checks to confirm ongoing currency.
5. Code of Conduct for Working with Young People
All persons delivering EpicYou programs must:
- Treat all young people with dignity and respect at all times
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries in all interactions
- Deliver sessions only in approved school or organisational settings
- Avoid one-on-one contact with a student outside of a supervised group setting
- Not communicate with students via personal social media, personal mobile numbers or personal email accounts
- Use only EpicYou-approved communication channels for any follow-up with school staff or students
- Not photograph or record students without explicit written consent from the school and parent/guardian
- Report any disclosures, concerns or observations immediately in accordance with Section 7 of this policy
6. Safe Physical and Online Environments
In-person delivery
- EpicYou sessions are delivered within school premises and under school supervision protocols
- A teacher or school staff member must be present in the room at all times during delivery
- EpicYou facilitators do not conduct private one-on-one sessions with students
Online delivery
- Any online delivery will use school-approved or EpicYou-approved platforms only
- No private messaging, breakout rooms or one-on-one virtual sessions with individual students
- Session recordings are not made without school and parent/guardian consent
Data and content
- Student data collected as part of program delivery (including DISC assessment responses) is stored securely and not shared with third parties without consent
- EpicYou complies with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) in handling participant data
7. Reporting Concerns and Disclosures
7.1 Responding to a Disclosure
If a young person discloses abuse, harm or a safety concern to an EpicYou facilitator, the facilitator must:
- Listen calmly and without judgement
- Reassure the young person they have done the right thing by speaking up
- Not promise confidentiality — explain that you may need to tell someone who can help
- Not investigate or ask probing questions — your role is to listen and refer
- Report immediately to the school's designated child safety officer or principal
- Document the disclosure in writing as soon as practicable, noting the student's exact words where possible
7.2 Mandatory Reporting
EpicYou acknowledges mandatory reporting obligations under Tasmanian law. Where a facilitator has reasonable grounds to believe a child is at risk of abuse or harm, they must follow the school's child safety procedures and escalate to relevant authorities where required, which may include:
- Tasmania Police (000 for immediate risk)
- Child Safety Services, Department for Education, Children and Young People
7.3 Reportable Conduct Scheme
As an organisation working with children and young people, EpicYou is subject to the Reportable Conduct Scheme under the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023. The Founder, as head of entity, is responsible for:
- Reporting any allegation of reportable conduct by a worker or volunteer to the Office of the Independent Regulator
- Conducting or cooperating with any required investigation
- Maintaining records of any allegations and actions taken
8. Complaints and Feedback
EpicYou encourages children, young people, families and school staff to raise any concerns about the safety or conduct of our programs or facilitators.
Complaints can be made by:
All complaints will be treated seriously, handled promptly and in a manner that is respectful of the complainant. EpicYou will keep records of all complaints and outcomes.
9. Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety
EpicYou acknowledges the Universal Principle for Aboriginal Cultural Safety as required under the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023. We are committed to ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people feel culturally safe in our programs.
In practice this means:
- Acknowledging and respecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural identity in program delivery
- Ensuring program content does not stereotype or marginalise Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students
- Seeking guidance from school staff and community where Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students are participating
- Continuously learning and improving our approach to cultural safety
10. Equity and Inclusion
EpicYou is committed to delivering programs that are inclusive of all young people regardless of ability, background, gender, cultural identity, sexuality or socioeconomic status. Program materials and facilitation approaches are designed to be accessible and affirming for diverse groups of young people.
11. Training and Awareness
The EpicYou Founder and any persons engaged in delivery will:
- Complete child safety training relevant to the Child and Youth Safe Standards prior to commencing delivery with young people
- Maintain awareness of current obligations under the Child and Youth Safe Organisations Act 2023
- Participate in any updates to training as this policy is reviewed
12. Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or earlier if:
- There is a change in relevant legislation or regulatory requirements
- A reportable concern or incident occurs that warrants policy review
- EpicYou materially expands its delivery model or partnerships