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WWVP and Police Check Renewals
To ensure the people we support are surrounded by people of suitable character, our members, volunteers and employees must meet Character Check Requirements.
The St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn has a Character Check Policy endorsed by the Territory Council and reviewed in 2017. This policy recognises that the Society needs to have reasonable confidence that members, volunteers, and employees, are of suitable character and do not expose these persons to unacceptable risk and/or damage the reputation of the Society. This is particularly relevant to those who have access to vulnerable persons we give a ‘hand up’.
This policy aligns with Federal and State/Territory legislative requirements that require certain background checks for particular circumstances. Our Character Check Policy is also consistent with the Child Protection Framework developed by Territory council.
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia operates under the provisions of The Rule, as approved by the International Council General of the Society in Paris and the National Council of Australia. The core unit of the Society is the "conference", who seek to live their faith by helping those in need in their community. There are 49 conferences within the boundaries of the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. Each conference elects a president, and the conference presidents together form a regional council. There are 6 regional councils in Canberra/Goulburn. The regional council presidents convene to form the Canberra/Goulburn Territory Council and elect a president for that Council. The Council president is also permitted to appoint up to four vice presidents to the Council to strengthen overall governance. The Council president is a member of the National Council along with the presidents of the States and the Northern Territory. The Territory Council generally meets quarterly to monitor performance, set strategy, and endorse policy.
Members form the heart of our conferences, and up to date records are essential for good governance of the Society. Membership records are the formal recognition that an individual is a Member of the Society and thus has the full rights and obligations under the provisions of The Rule.
The Society uses this membership information to have an accurate record of our members and their service. Collectively, it gives us valuable information about the number of people serving the Society in various capacities. Membership numbers are used for insurance, training, and legislative compliance. The Society does not share your details with any other persons, groups, or organisations outside the Society.
As such, it is essential that each member maintains the relevant character check/s for their state/territory and position within their conference as follows:
- All NSW members are required to hold a Criminal History Background Check. See below for further details on completing a Background Check.
- All ACT members are required to hold a valid Working With Vulnerable Peoples (WWVP) card. See below for further details on applying for your WWVP Card.
- ACT Office Bearers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary) and Credit Card holders must complete an additional Criminal History Background Check which is to be renewed every three (3) years. See below for further details on completing a Background Check.
All ACT members who have any contact with Companions or Companion records are required by legislation and the Society’s Territory Council to obtain a valid WWVP card. The card must be in the Member's possession during all visits and/or interviews. A copy of the card (front and back) is required to be sent to the Conference Support Team. If you do not have a card, please apply online or visit any Access Canberra office.
The ACT Government will send you an email or letter the month before your WWVP card expires. This letter provides you with your WWVP registration number and Renewal ID. You will need these to renew your card.
Please Contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 if you do not receive a letter one month before your WWVP Card expires.
Once you have received your letter, it is easy to renew your card online. Please visit https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/working-with-vulnerable-people-wwvp-registration-tab-overview to renew your card and update any personal details. See our ‘How-To Apply for a WWVP Card’ document for the necessary details to complete your application or renewal.
If you cannot renew your WWVP Card online, please contact Access Canberra on 13 22 81 to discuss in-person or postage renewal options.
Once you obtain your new card please provide a copy/picture of the front and back of your card to the Conference Support. A copy of the WWVP Card can be sent via email to Conferences.CG@vinnies.org.au, via post to Conference Support Team P.O. Box 51 Deakin West ACT 2600 or in person at the Rheinburger Centre in Yarralumla.
All Members in NSW, all office bearers, and all credit card holders must complete a Police Check every three (3) years. This is in line with the Society's Character Checks Policy and the Society will bear all costs for the check.
If you need to renew or obtain a Criminal History Background Check, please contact conferences.cg@vinnies.org.au for the relevant link to complete your check online. The Conference Support Team will be glad to provide any necessary assistance in completing the check.
Once the Conference Support Team has processed your application the Society will receive a National Police Check Certificate. A Police check will be returned with or without disclosable court items. A disclosable court item is any pervious offence that has come before the courts. Unfortunately, in past years some items such as speeding offences and parking fines were listed as court items. Such minor offences may appear on the Police check.
If the certificate does not show a disclosable court item(s) then the following steps will occur:
- Member records will be updated to reflect completion of the check.
- The original Certificate will be sent to the Member for their records.
- The returned certificate will be destroyed. The Society will only keep the reference number and issue date for the certificate.
If a Police check returns a disclosable court item(s) the following steps will occur:
- A risk assessment of the offence will be considered by the Territory President. Such assessment looks at the nature of the offence, the time of the offence occurred and its impacts on the Society.
- The Member will be contacted if the risk assessment is deemed by the Territory President as having a negative effect upon the Society and those we assist. No contact will be made to the member if the disclosable court item has little to no effect upon the Society and its works.
- Member records will be updated to reflect completion of the check.
- The original Certificate will be sent to the member for their records.
- The returned certificate will be destroyed. The Society will only keep the reference number and issue date for the certificate.
- The risk assessment record will be securely stored by the Society.
Members will be given access to all records held by the Society that relate to their Membership upon request. Example of such records are Membership form, Membership renewal forms, Risk assessments, past Character checks, Certificates of Service, trainings, tests, and certificates.
Part of the assessment for a WWVP registration would include the ACT Government obtaining a police check, but the Society does not receive a copy of that document.
It is possible that a WWVP registration will be granted even if you have convictions, because the assessment only considers offences relevant to working with vulnerable people.
- Some offences are ignored when assessing the registration.
- For some relevant offences a risk assessment will determine whether to grant the registration.
- For example, a conviction of fraud does not automatically disqualify a person from WWVP registration.
Holding a WWVP card is not proof that you have no criminal history.
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