Member protection policies and procedures

For play, active recreation and sport organisations

These policies have been developed to help clubs and organisations promote wellbeing and deliver quality experiences that encourage lifelong involvement in play, active recreation and sport.

They’re living documents – and will be updated to reflect best practice, legislative changes and feedback from across the sector

Who are these member protection policies for?
These policies are designed for all organisations in play, active recreation and sport. They support organisations to:
- recognise everyone’s right to a safe, inclusive, and positive experience
- take responsibility for creating environments that protect and respect all participants
- review and strengthen their own member protection policies, plans and training needs
- connect staff with training and resources to build capability
- equip staff and volunteers to apply good practice in their work.
What’s not covered in these policies
These policies do not:
- replace existing member protection policies, procedures, or training if what’s already in place is current and working well
- provide full implementation guidance — not every policy will suit every organisation. Instead, they offer principles to build from
- include member protection policies developed by the Sport Integrity Commission.
Getting the most out of these policies
These policies are designed as an interactive tool to support your organisation’s member protection journey. You can tailor them by adding details specific to your context, and explore linked resources for deeper guidance.

To make them work for you:
- take time to understand the purpose behind each policy
- consider how each one applies to your organisation’s people, practices and environment
- focus on how the policies can be implemented in real-life situations - not just on paper.
This is about building a safer, more inclusive experience for everyone involved in play, active recreation, and sport.
Feedback

These policies will be reviewed regularly to stay aligned with legislative changes and global best practice. Your feedback plays a key role in helping this suite of policies evolve and continue supporting a safe, fair and inclusive system. Please send your feedback to integrity@sportnz.org.nz
Disclaimer

These template policies are provided as a helpful resource and should be tailored to your organisation’s specific needs, existing policies and procedures. Adoption of any policy is subject to your organisation’s constitution or governance rules and must follow internal processes as required.

While content aligns with New Zealand law, it does not constitute legal advice. Organisations may need to obtain legal advice in implementing the policy templates.

For key member protection policies, go to Sport Integrity Commission’s website