According to the Commission for Children and Young People, all volunteers and certain paid employees who work with children or young people in the following categories of employment must apply for a ‘blue card’.

Volunteers are classified as “a person employed by another person or organisation who is not paid or other than being reimbursed for out-of pocket expenses”.

• residential facilities (includes Residential College)

• schools

• childcare

• churches, clubs and associations providing services mainly directed towards or involving children

• counselling and support services

• private teaching, coaching, tutoring

• education programs conducted outside of schools

• child accommodation services including homestays

• religious representatives

• sport and active recreation

• school crossing supervisors

All Committee of Management members, staff, students and volunteers will receive notice from the Commission when their Blue Card is due for renewal. It is the responsibility of the individual to ensure that this is attended to promptly. This process is now undertaken online through the Blue Card Services Applicant Portal - https://my.bluecard.qld.gov.au/login. If you come to us wth a blue card from another organisation, that card must be linked to the Citipointe organisation before you are allowed to serve. To comply with legislation and to work towards keeping our kids safe, Citipointe requires you to hold a current, approved Blue Card before you are allowed to serve with children or high-schoolers.

A volunteer whose application for a blue card is rejected must immediately inform the department head(s) and must either cancel their nomination for volunteering or if they are a current volunteer and they must tender their resignation from volunteer work in the Department(s) effective immediately. If you have ever been convicted of a child related offence, you cannot volunteer with us or any other organisation. The Commission of Children and Young People will issue you with a fine of $50,000 or 5 years imprisonment for signing, or trying to apply for a Blue Card, or for trying to volunteer without a Blue Card.

If you need to apply for or link a blue card to Citipointe, please go back to Being On Team to point 4 and head over to our Blue Card site.