Use of services and your responsibilities

The National Indigenous Science Education Program (NISEP) takes the protection of participants and presenters in our online events very seriously. In participating in one of our online events, you understand and acknowledge that NISEP and its collaborator presenters and moderators have the authority to take action when dealing with participant misconduct. Offensive behaviour will result in us disabling the offending participant’s audio or video input, or both, where applicable. If any misconduct persists, the presenter/moderator will remove the offending participant from the online event and where applicable, the parent or guardian of the participants will be notified in the case of participants who are minors. If anything serious is posted or spoken by any participant, NISEP reserves the right to remove that participant from the online event and work with relevant authorities on a case by case basis. NISEP reserves the right to, but is not limited to, enabling privacy and security settings within the chosen platform to prevent uninvited connections, inappropriate media being shared, or personal information being shown.

Our online sessions and events will be delivered either via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. You may wish to refer to Zoom’s and/or Microsoft Teams’ terms and conditions. You will need a reliable internet connection, with a minimum speed of 1Mpbs for both upload and download. NISEP is not responsible for any deficiencies in service delivery directly caused by Zoom, Microsoft Teams or your internet service provider.

In the case where Zoom Meetings or Microsoft Teams is used for an online event, you understand and acknowledge that during the session, the participant(s) will be visible and audible to presenters/moderators and other participants. It is possible to turn audio and video on and off at the participant’s own discretion, although participant interactions will be greatly reduced when audio and/or video are turned off.

In the case of participants who are minors, you understand that as a supervising adult, you are responsible for the protection of the participant’s identity through either muting their video or audio settings and for ensuring that participant’s last name, phone number, home address or any other personally identifiable information is not broadcast publicly. You acknowledge that the NISEP presenters/moderators are not substitutes for on-site supervision. As a supervising adult, you acknowledge that you are responsible for the supervision of the participant(s) and for their behaviour.

Online Child Protection

Regarding NISEP employee and volunteer conduct:

• All employees/volunteers must hold current Working With Children Checks (or their state equivalent based on location in which they reside).
• All employees/volunteers must ensure that no inappropriate image(s) or video(s) or personal information is visible to the children. Inappropriate materials include content of a sexual, violent, dangerous or potentially harmful nature.
• All employees/volunteers must use appropriate language throughout the delivery. Employees/volunteers are not to use profanities, sexually explicit language, or offensive language.
• Employees/volunteers are not to encourage dangerous acts that children can easily imitate. A warning not to perform dangerous activities or the need for professional or adult supervision must accompany any science experiment content presented.
• Employees/volunteers must not engage in emotionally-distressing behaviour that would encourage cyberbullying, or target individuals for abuse, humiliation, or violence.
• The same principles which regular child protection policy require apply to interactions online. Where possible employees/volunteers must ensure any interactions or correspondence with children online are visible to two or more parties, and recorded in an unalterable manner.
• Employees/volunteers must not knowingly initiate first contact privately with children online via email, instant messaging apps or social media.

Regarding the prevention of potential misconduct by other parties, NISEP employees/volunteers will:

• Look out for and minimise cyberbullying behaviour, take action, and where possible, record (without identifiable images of individuals) and report incidents to designated personnel.
• Clearly outline expectations to the audience, and consequences of misconduct during online interactions with children.
• Any participation of children visible or audible to other parties must be voluntary and have consent from the child’s parent or legal guardian before featuring them in visual online content.
• Private interactions such as direct messaging without supervision will be disabled where possible, or minimised.
• Where comments apply to online interactions with children, these shall be moderated to filter and review submissions and will be flagged and reported to designated personnel if deemed inappropriate.