Last year, we announced that we had created an online non-medical reporting process. We will continue to support this form with help from our Youth Protection Department, and we have made some updates to make the process easier on the reporting end as well as the response end. Use of this form is not restricted to incidents that occur at events. It can be used to report issues during any FIRST-related activity.
We have also added some wording to better highlight how this is used. Below are some examples of what you should report as well as a few things that are not reportable.
Youth Protection Concerns that you should report:
- Any violations of the FIRST Code of Conduct
- Concerns of sexual or physical assault
- Concerns of bullying, hazing, and/or harassment
Volunteer Role Concerns that you should report:
- Any violations of the FIRST Code of Conduct
- Any instance of volunteer misconduct or rude behavior
Other Event Related Concerns that you should report:
- Non-urgent concerns that may arise at an event including safety hazards and concerns regarding parking, bathrooms, lack of seating, wiring issues, etc.
Event Related Concerns you should not report using the online form:
- Feedback about game play, rule changes, or award descriptions, etc,.These should instead be reported by sending an email to firstroboticscompetition@firstinspires.org. Please note that match results and award results are final, and that we will not review match videos.
- Concerns that are more urgent and can only be addressed at the event, such as immediate safety issues or event rules violations like seat saving
The paper forms will still be available for use at events, if you happen to be at an event and if you feel that would be the best way to report an incident. Using the online form ensures the information is sent directly to someone at FIRST HQ faster than the paper form, as paper forms must be collected by hand and mailed to FIRST. That being said, online forms are not monitored continuously, and they may not be reviewed until several days after the report.
If you have an event-related issue that needs resolution in the short term, the best way is through a conversation. If a team or individual is engaging in problematic behavior, try to have a friendly conversation with them.it does not immediately solve the problem. It’s very possible they are not aware of the rule being violated. If the issue is not related to an individual or a team, go to pit admin and ask to speak to event management for assistance. However, please keep us informed by filling out an incident report after the fact and letting us know if the incident was resolved to your satisfaction.
FIRST strives to maintain a culture where concerns can be raised and addressed. If anyone feels threatened or uncomfortable because of verbal abuse, inappropriate contact, or other negative behaviors that are not following the FIRST Code of Conduct or event rules of FIRST, we ask that you complete a Non-Medical Incident Report. FIRST cannot do anything about a situation if we are unaware and we want to make sure all of our students, mentors, parents, spectators, and volunteers have a way to be heard.
Please help us make sure all participants feel welcome and let us know if any issues occur. Good luck this season!