• Program design
• Grants, GST and acquittals
• Program management
• Community coach placement
• Program monitoring
• Research
• Recognition

Schools and Out of School Hours Care Services (sites) participating in the Active After-school Communities (AASC) program are required to continually meet a set of program parameters and requirements to maintain the involvement in the AASC program. As such, regional coordinators regularly monitor program quality during the duration of programs at each site to ensure both sites and community coaches are working towards achieving outcomes established in the Engaging Children and Pathways action plans.

Appraisals

Regional coordinators undertake two appraisals per term on selected schools sites. When an appraisal is undertaken the Site Appraisal form is completed by the regional coordinator in consultation with the site coordinator or nominated program coordinator.

Program parameters and requirements are reflected in the Site Appraisal form as ‘program management’ and ‘program delivery’ and are considered mandatory when conducting the Active After-school Communities program. The section on ‘program enhancement’ provides an opportunity to outline a site’s achievements above and beyond the program’s parameters and requirements. 

Managing unsatisfactory performance

If an issue is identified via an appraisal, discussions will be undertaken between the regional coordinator and site coordinator to collaboratively develop a plan for raising the performance to an acceptable level. An appraisal outcome letter (first warning letter) will be forwarded to the site summarising the points discussed.

The regional coordinator will follow up with the site regarding the agreed action plan and confirm a next appraisal date. If the following appraisal is satisfactory the site will be notified.

If however, the appraisal is not satisfactory a discussion will be undertaken again with the site coordinator that the performance problem has not been satisfactorily resolved and a plan will be developed to help the site reach and sustain the standard required. An appraisal outcome letter (final warning letter) will be forwarded to the site summarising the points discussed.

If the follow up appraisal is still unsatisfactory then AASC initiated withdrawal procedures will begin.

Site initiated deferral and withdrawal

There are various reasons why sites are unable to continue the AASC program.

Site coordinators should contact their regional coordinator if they are considering deferring or withdrawing their site from the AASC program to assist with the process.

A site that has withdrawn from the AASC program and re-enters at a later date is considered to be a new site and must complete all requirements again as a new site.

Recognition

Super Site Award

The Super Site Award recognises the outstanding contribution made by schools and Out of School Hour Care Services (sites) in the coordination and delivery of the AASC program.

The Super Site Award has been established to promote best practice and recognise outstanding site achievement.

There is one annual Super Site Award per state/territory which is announced in Term 4  each year. Sites may be nominated for the award by their local regional coordinator throughout the year.

Volunteer Recognition

The AASC Volunteer Recognition Program (VRP) seeks to recognise the contribution volunteers make to the AASC program.

Volunteers are defined, for this process, as community members who assist with elements of the AASC program not directly related to working with children and delivery of sessions (eg: afternoon tea assistants) and those who have completed the requirements for inclusion in the AASC program (community coaches, site supervisors and site coordinators), but receive no remuneration for coaching however, may be reimbursed for expenses incurred while volunteering (honorarium).

The latter group remains eligible for 5 Star Community Coach Award and Super Site Award nominations in addition to being recognised for their voluntary services.

Those recognised will be awarded a certificate acknowledging the substantial amount of time they have contributed to supporting, coaching, coordinating and/or supervising sessions in the AASC program.

Certificates may be awarded at any time of the year, however a more concentrated approach will occur at the end of Term 3/beginning of Term 4 as other recognition processes also occur at this time of the year.

Note: In addition to localised recognition, long term volunteers may also be nominated for existing state government volunteering awards in the appropriate categories.