GOSPORT BOROUGH YOUTH FOOTBALL CLUB

CLUB & COMMITTEE HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to Gosport Borough Youth Football Club Club Structure

Team Officials’ Charter

Player’s Charter

Adults’ Charter

Policies

Child Protection Policy

Child Protection Best Practice Policy

Equality Policy

Volunteer Recruitment Policy

Coach Recruitment and Development Policy

Football Photographs and Video Policy

Player Recruitment Guidelines

Mission Statement

Our aim at Gosport Borough Youth Football Club is to create an environment where football can be played and enjoyed by all, regardless of age, gender, ability or Disability.

We want to provide facilities and coaching of the highest standard to ensure that those playing and watching are proud to be a part of Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

We aim to be recognised as the leading football club in Hampshire and we will strive for excellence not only on the pitch but also through our coaching, volunteering and reaching out to the local community.

At Gosport Borough Youth we want to nurture our players and ensure excellent retention levels by developing a club that has good facilities, outstanding coaching and a fun social environment.

In this era of professional football it is easy to focus on the riches of the sport but it is essential that we remain focussed on being a grassroots football club for our past, present and future players, committee members, volunteers and spectators.

Club Ethos

Respect

Essentially, Gosport Borough Youth FC promotes integrity, good behaviour and mutual respect between players, opponents, parents/guardians, match officials, our coaching staff and other volunteers. We also strive to be good local members of the community, mindful of the fact that many of our pitch venues are located within close-knit communities around the Gosport, Portsmouth and Southampton area’s.

We reinforce the emphasis on respect through practising what we preach, whether it’s on the touchline, at the training ground or in Committee Meetings.

Actions speak louder than words.

Development

We aim to provide age-appropriate coaching to support the longer-term development of our players and to help them achieve their true potential. We strive to offer a challenging but supportive environment where children can learn from their mistakes without undue pressure and anxiety. This applies to the way we coach and the way we run teams on match days.

Our Coaches and Managers are volunteers who possess a valid enhanced FA DBS check. Coaches and Managers regularly attend Emergency First Aid and Safeguarding courses in fulfilment of their role with the Club.

Enjoyment

This is something that doesn’t need to be mentioned but so often forgotten about in children’s football and well worth a special mention. We believe that children learn more quickly and powerfully when they are enjoying themselves.

As a Club, we support all our players in trying their best and make the most of their abilities. We encourage them to compete fairly on the pitch and to learn quickly from their mistakes. However, above all, playing for Gosport Borough youth FC is about enjoyment, forging new friendships, learning something new and exciting and yes, even having some fun in the process!

Welcome to Gosport Borough Youth Football Club

Our Club was founded in 1990, initially as Gomer Football Club then re-named Gosport Borough Youth FC in 1997. We provide safe, structured football for boys and girls from the ages of four to eighteen. We also have adult teams.

Gosport Borough Youth FC is based at Sultan polo fields and enjoys strong links with the senior club often providing match day mascots,

Gosport Borough Youth FC achieved FA Community Standard Chartership in March 2010. This is an endorsement from the Football Association that the club meets all criteria of providing safe, structured coaching and training, is well run and organised, sustainable and financially well managed and that the Club is committed to the on-going development of both players and coaches.

I have been involved with Gosport Borough Youth since 2010, team manager, level one coach. I hope to continue the good work completed over the last 28 years by giving young people of all ages the opportunity to benefit from good quality coaching, organised training and competitive football in a safe and enjoyable environment.

Neal Standley

Club Chairman

Constitution and Club Rules

1. The Club

The club shall be called Gosport Borough Youth Football Club (the “Club”)

Copies of the Constitution, Club Rules, the Club Structure, various policy documents as are in force from time to time, various codes of conduct as are in force from time to time, the Team Structure and other documents determined by the Management Committee will constitute the “Club Handbook”.

The Constitution and Club Rules section will only be amended and approved at the AGM.

However, changes to Policies, Charters, Codes of Conduct and other sections of the Club Handbook as may be required from time to time, may be brought to and approved at any member’s meeting.

2. Objectives

The objectives of the Club shall be to provide facilities, promote the game of Association Football, to arrange matches and social activities for its members and community participation in the same.

The Club will maintain and develop the relationship with Gosport Borough Football Club, where this remains of mutual benefit to both parties.

3. Status of Rules

These rules (the “Club Rules”) form a binding agreement between each member of the Club.

4. Rules and Regulations

The members of the Club shall so exercise their rights, powers and duties and shall, where appropriate use their best endeavours to ensure that others conduct themselves so that the business and affairs of the Club are carried out in accordance with the Rules and

Regulations of The Football Association Limited (“The FA”), Hampshire Football Association to which the Club is affiliated (“Hampshire FA”) and Competitions in which the Club participates for the time being in force.

In the event of any conflict between the Club Rules and the rules of the Hampshire FA, the rules of the Hampshire FA shall prevail. In the event of any conflict between the Club Rules and the rules of The FA, the rules of The FA shall prevail.

The Club will abide by the Child Protection Policies and Procedures, Codes of Conduct and the Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discrimination Policies as described in the Club Handbook. These policies will be updated as advised by The FA from time to time.

5. Club Membership

Definition

A member is defined as an adult volunteer associated with the Club. This includes Club Officers,

Team Managers, Assistant Managers, Coaches and other roles decided by the Management Committee. It does not include players or Parent Representatives, other than the Senior Parent Representative.

Junior members are those players, whose parent/guardian have signed the Club Registration Form and where the appropriate fee has been received.

The members of the Club from time to time shall be those persons listed in the register of members (the “Membership Register”) and in the lists for each age group. Both of which shall be maintained by the Club Secretary.

Any person who wishes to be a member must apply on the Membership Application Form and deliver it to the Club Secretary either in person or via email. Election to the membership shall be at the discretion of the Management Committee and granted in accordance with the anti-discrimination and equality policies, which are in place from time to time. An appeal against the refusal may be made to the Management Committee in accordance with Complaints Procedure in force from time to time.

Players may join the Club as Junior members by gaining the agreement of the appropriate team manager and their parent/guardian completing the Club Registration Form and paying the appropriate fee.

Membership shall be effective upon signing the Club Membership Agreement for the current season and, if applicable, the applicant’s FA DBS Disclosure Number being entered in the Membership Register or confirmation of the applicant being accepted by the FA DBS organisation and this noted in the Membership Register.

Junior membership shall be effective upon receipt of the Club Registration Form and the appropriate fee.

All Club Membership, other than Club Officers, will lapse at the end of the AGM. Membership can be renewed upon signing the Club Membership Agreement for the forthcoming season. All membership renewals MUST be completed within one calendar month of the AGM.

Junior membership will cease at the end of the current playing season or upon transfer to another club and again can be renewed at the AGM if they so wish.

If membership is not renewed, then the member will be considered to have resigned from the Club.

Any former member, unless elected to the Management Committee or as a Parent Representative, will not be entitled to attend any meeting, except an AGM or EGM, as a parent. They will not be recognised by the Club as acting for the Club in anyway, including, but not limited to, running training sessions or deputising for any Team Official at matches or other events. Managers must ensure that only Club members deputise for them or other

Team Officials. Former members must not present themselves as representatives of the Club in any official capacity.

In the event of a member’s resignation or expulsion, his or her name shall be removed from the Membership Register as listed in the clubs handbook.

If any Junior member resigns or is expelled from the Club, the appropriate League will be informed.

The FA and Hampshire FA shall be given access to the Membership Register on demand.

6. Registration, Membership and Tournament Fees

Club members do not have to pay any membership fee, subject to Rule 6.b.

The Management Committee shall have the authority to levy an annual fee or other subscriptions from the members as reasonably necessary to fulfil the objects of the Club.

Junior Members will pay a registration fee to join Gosport Borough Youth FC. In addition, they will pay a monthly membership fee. The fee is levied to allow the player to remain a member of Gosport Borough Youth FC. The Club will provide kit as described in Section 15, ALL training fees and match entries, except tournament entries, at no extra cost.

Parents are not expected to pay any additional payments to the Club, except tournament entry fees. There is no charge for training sessions during June, July and August, or for playing friendly matches.

However, parents may wish to contribute towards extra kit, such as tracksuits, waterproof jackets, or to ‘save’ for team outings, parties, etc. This is viewed as a private arrangement between the parents and the Manager. Any money collected must be managed separately to any monies collected on behalf of the Club, such as fines, monthly membership fees, etc. All Managers are expected to inform the Management Committee of any such arrangements. The Club accepts no responsibility for any payments into such a scheme.

League Registration Fees

First League Registration

Mini-Soccer £20.00

9 versus 9 £20.00

11-a-side £20.00

Subsequent Registration

All players £5.00

Club Membership Fees

All players £20.00 per month

When players are registered with two Gosport Borough Youth FC teams, they will pay full Club Memberships Fees relating to one team and a reduced Membership Fee of £5.00 per month for the second team.

When players join the club between 1^st June and 31^st January, they will pay the appropriate League Registration Fee. The monthly membership fee becomes payable on the 1^st day of the following month.

However, additional payments may be requested after this date to cover any earlier missed payments.

Players may pay by cash direct to their Team Manager or by Standing Order direct to Gosport Borough Youth FC. The standing order may be arranged to be paid on any day of the month, on the understanding that it is in payment for the fee due on the 1^st of the month.

Monthly membership fees are payable from 1^st September through to 1^st august . However, additional payments may be requested during this period to cover any earlier missed payments.

If a player leaves the Club, any paid membership fees will not be reimbursed, unless agreed by the Management Committee.

Players under 6 years of age will pay £3.00 per training session attended at HMS Sultan Playing Fields know as “Development” held on Saturdays 9-10am.

d) No players are allowed to fall into arrears regarding fees, unless agreed with the Management Committee. The Management Committee may, at its discretion, suspend a player from matches and training until such time as the arrears are cleared. All players must make good on any outstanding fees, if they leave the club. Any exceptions must be agreed by the Management Committee.

7. Resignation and Expulsion

A member shall cease to be a member of the Club if, and from the date on which, he/she gives notice to the Management Committee of his/her resignation. A member whose annual membership fee or other subscription is more than two (2) months in arrears shall be deemed to have resigned.

The Management Committee shall have the power to expel a member when, in its opinion, it would not be in the interests of the Club for them to remain a member. An appeal against such a decision may be made to the Management Committee in accordance with the Complaints Procedure in force from time to time.

A member who resigns or is expelled shall not be entitled to claim any, or a share of any, of the income and assets of the Club (the “Club Property”).

8. Management Committee

The Management Committee shall consist of, as a minimum, the following Club Officers:

Chairperson, Treasurer, Secretary with the addition of the following where possible: ViceChairperson, Club Welfare Officer, Registration Secretary, Fixtures Secretary Mini-Soccer Secretary, RESPECT & Recruit Officer, Managers Representative and Senior Parent Representative elected at an Annual General Meeting and up to five other members.

Each Club Officer and Management Committee Member shall hold office from the date of appointment until the next Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) unless otherwise resolved at an Extraordinary General Meeting (“EGM”). The Management Committee shall be responsible for the management of all the affairs of the Club. Decisions of the Management Committee shall be made by a simple majority of those attending the Management Committee meeting. The Chairperson of the Management Committee meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of a tie. Meetings of the Management Committee shall be chaired by the Chairperson or in their absence the Vice-Chairman. The quorum for the transaction of business of the Management Committee shall be three.

Decisions of the Management Committee at meetings shall be entered into the Minutes of the Club to be maintained by the Club Secretary.

Any member of the Management Committee may call a meeting of the Management

Committee by giving not less than seven (7) days’ notice to all members of the Management Committee. The Management Committee shall hold not less than four (4) meetings a year.

In addition to the above, the Management Committee will call, not less than four (4)

Managers’ Meetings during the year. These meetings will discuss and vote on general, nonconfidential Club matters. The quorum for this meeting shall be 3 members of the Management Committee plus, not less than, 33% of the remaining membership.

Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

An outgoing member of the Management Committee may be re-elected. Any vacancy on the Management Committee, which arises between AGMs, shall be filled by a member proposed by one and seconded by another of the remaining Management Committee members and approved by a simple majority of the remaining Management Committee members.

Save as provided for in the Rules and Regulations of The FA, Hampshire FA and any applicable Competition, the Management Committee shall have the power to decide all questions and disputes arising in respect of any issue concerning the Club Rules. In addition, it shall have jurisdiction over all matters concerning the Club, including any not provided by the Club Rules.

The position of a Club Officer shall be vacated if such person is subject to a decision of The FA that such person be suspended from holding office or from taking part in any football activity relating to the administration or management of a football club.

All Club Officers elected to the Management Committee shall sign and date, at the AGM, the Club’s Management Committee Code of Conduct.

9. Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings

An AGM shall be held in each year to:
1. Hear the minutes of the last AGM;
1. Receive a report of the activities of the Club over the previous year;
1. Receive a report of the Club’s finances over the previous year;
1. Elect the members of the Management Committee;
1. update and approve any changes to the Constitution and Club Rules as they appear in the Club Handbook; and
1. Consider other business.

Nominations for election of members as Club Officers or as members of the Management Committee shall be made in writing by the proposer and seconder, both of whom must be existing members of the Club, to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the AGM. Retiring Officers seeking re-election do not require nomination. Notice of any resolution to be proposed at the AGM shall be given in writing to the Club Secretary not less than 21 days before the meeting.

The Club Secretary may decide to waive these requirements, if they believe that it is in the general interest of the Club as a whole.

Any late resolution will be communicated to the floor.

An EGM may be called at any time by the Management Committee and shall be called within 21 days of the receipt by the Club Secretary of a requisition in writing signed by not less than five members stating the purposes for which the Meeting is required and the resolutions proposed. Business at an EGM may be any business that may be transacted at an AGM.

The Secretary shall send to each member, by email or post, notice of the date of a General Meeting, (whether an AGM or an EGM) together with the resolutions to be proposed at least 14 days before the meeting.

The Club Secretary may decide to waive these requirements, if they believe that it is in the general interest of the Club as a whole.

Any late resolution will be communicated to the floor.

The quorum for a General Meeting shall be three Club Officers and at least 51% of the remaining members.

The Chairperson, or in their absence a member selected by the Management Committee, shall take the chair. Each team will be entitled to be represented at a General Meeting by one Manager, one assistant manager/coach and one Parent Representative. Each representative will be entitled to one vote, with a maximum of three votes per team. Proxy votes are not allowed. Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority. In the event of a tie, the Chairperson of the Meeting shall have a casting vote.

Parents are welcome to attend General Meetings, but are not allowed to vote, unless they are Team Parent Representative.

The Club Secretary, or in their absence a member of the Management Committee, shall enter Minutes of General Meeting into the Minutes of the Club.

10. Club Teams

The Club will make all necessary arrangements to enter one team at each mini-soccer age group and one team at each 11-a-side age group, from Under 7 up to and including Under 18 into the appropriate Hampshire Youth Football affiliated leagues for Saturday and/or Sunday football.

Where demand is sufficient and resources allow, the Club may enter additional teams into the appropriate age group(s), subject to the agreement of the Management Committee.

At its first meeting following each AGM, the Management Committee shall appoint or re-affirm a Club member to be responsible for each of the Club’s football teams. The appointed manager shall be responsible for managing the affairs of the team.

Each manager is responsible for identifying an Assistant Manager and a Parent Representative. Prospective Assistant Managers must apply using the Membership Registration Form; their application will be dealt with under Rule 5.b.

The appointed managers shall present to the Management Committee at its last meeting prior to an AGM a written report of the activities of the team.

11. League and Club Registrations

League registrations will only be accepted, if accompanied by a correctly completed League registration form, a completed Club registration form ,a completed standing order mandate relating to Club Membership Fees and two passport photographs. All registrations must be received by the Club Secretary before the 17^th July each year. If required, proof of date of birth must be provided before the registration process can commence.

12. Club Finances

A bank account shall be opened and maintained in the name of the Club (the “Club

Account”). Designated account signatories shall be the Club Chairperson, Vice-

Chairperson, Club Secretary and the Treasurer. A club debit card will be used for all club matters which will be held by the club treasurer. No sum shall be drawn from the Club Account except by cheque or debit card cheques to be signed by two of the four designated signatories.

The Club Property shall be applied only in the furtherance of the objects of the Club. The distribution of profits or proceeds arising from the sale of Club Property to members is prohibited.

The Management Committee shall have the power to authorise the payment of remuneration and expenses to any member of the Club (although a Club shall not remunerate a member for playing) and to any other person or persons for services rendered to the Club.

In addition to any expenses, the following honoraria will be paid:

Club Secretary – 650.00 per annum
Treasurer – £500.00 per annum
Fixture Secretary – £350.00 per annum
CWO – £250.00 per annum
Assistant CWO – £100.00 per annum

The honorarium is paid in recognition and appreciation of the time and effort required to fulfil these posts.

Honoraria will be paid at the end of each term of office, unless the Management Committee agree otherwise.

The Club may provide sporting and related social facilities, sporting equipment, coaching, courses, insurance cover, medical treatment, away match expenses, post-match refreshments, and other ordinary benefits of Community Amateur Sports Clubs as provided for in the Finance Act 2002.

The Club may also in connection with the sports purposes of the Club:
- Sell and supply food, drink and related sports clothing and equipment;
- Employ members (although not for playing) and remunerate them for providing goods and services, on fair terms set by the Management Committee without the person concerned being present;
- Pay for reasonable hospitality for visiting teams and guests; and
- Indemnify the Management Committee and members acting properly in the course of the running of the Club against any liability incurred in the proper running of the Club (but only to the extent of its assets).

The Club shall keep accounting records for recording the fact and nature of all payments and receipts so as to disclose, with reasonable accuracy, at any time, the financial position, including assets and liabilities of the Club. The Club must retain its accounting records for a minimum of six years.

The Club shall prepare an annual “Financial Statement”, in such format as shall be available from The FA from time to time. The Financial Statement shall be verified by an independent, appropriately qualified accountant and shall be approved by members at general meeting. A copy of any Financial Statement shall, on demand, be forwarded to The FA.

The Club Property, other than the Club Account shall be vested in not less than two and no more than four custodians, one of whom shall be the Treasurer (“the Custodians”), who shall deal with the Club Property as directed by decisions of the Management Committee and entry in the Club Minutes shall be conclusive evidence of such a decision.

The Custodians shall be appointed by the Club in a General Meeting and shall hold office until death or resignation or removed by a resolution passed at a General Meeting.

On their removal or resignation, a Custodian shall execute a Conveyance in such form as published by The FA from time to time to a newly elected Custodian or the existing Custodians as directed by the Management Committee. The Club shall, on request, make a copy of any Conveyance available to The FA. On the death of a Custodian, any Club Property vested in them shall vest automatically in the surviving Custodians. If there is only one surviving Custodian, an EGM shall be convened as soon as possible to appoint another Custodian.

The Custodians shall be entitled to an indemnity out of the Club Property for all expenses and other liabilities reasonably incurred by them in carrying out their duties.

As part of the Club’s development, all members are encouraged to attend training sessions to help their own personal skills development, e.g. specialist or higher level coaching courses, or to help run the Club efficiently, such as courses for Chairpersons or Club Secretaries, or specialist courses such as Volunteer Recruitment or Child Welfare.

The cost of any such courses should be met initially by the member taking the course, unless agreed by the Management Committee. The Club will then automatically reimburse the member, however payment will not be made until six months following the completion of the training. This will help ensure that the Club benefits from its investment in its volunteers.

Any member who leaves the Club within six months must request reimbursement from the Management Committee. The Management Committee will then approve/reject the request, as it deems appropriate.

13. Dissolution

A resolution to dissolve the Club shall only be proposed at a General Meeting and shall be carried by a majority of at least three-quarters of the members present.

The dissolution shall take effect from the date of the resolution and the members of the Management Committee shall be responsible for the winding up of the assets and liabilities of the Club.

Any surplus assets remaining after the discharge of debts and liabilities of the Club shall be transferred to another Club, Competition, Hampshire FA, or The FA for use by them for related community sports.

14. Aims

The Club shall arrange such fund raising and social activities as is appropriate throughout the year to support the Club’s financial and community objectives.

The Club will endeavour to hold an Annual Mini-Soccer & 11-a-side Tournament prior to the start of the season.

The tournament will be used to raise funds for the benefit of The Club.

The tournament will be by invitation only.

A “Head of Events & Fundraising” person will be appointed as early as practicable to arrange and organise the tournament.

The Club will also aim to hold “half term camps”. The camp can be held at either HMS Sultan playing fields for a 3 day camp. Fees and dates for this camp will be organised by the “Head of Events & Fundraising person” Volunteer coaches for this day will be payable at £100 per day, per coach. The discretion of how many coaches is held and voted on by the committee once supply and demand is understood from initial bookings.

15. Club Kit & Equipment

Home kit

Away kit

Each player will be issued with a home kit upon joining the Club, or at the start of each new season.

Kit is to be maintained to the highest possible standard. Any player that loses kit or allows it to be damaged beyond normal wear and tear may be invoiced for the cost of a replacement item. Any damage caused during a match or training session should be notified to the Club Secretary in writing at the earliest opportunity (email acceptable).

The Club will arrange for a full kit to be available for each team each season. This kit will not necessarily be new but will be of good to excellent condition. It will also put into place a kit replacement process such that all teams benefit from a new kit on a predetermined schedule, subject to funds being available. Details of this schedule can be obtained from the Club Kit Coordinator.

The Club will provide each team with the following at the start of each season:

Full playing strip (shirts, shorts and socks) for all members of the squad (Goalkeepers have to supply their own gloves) (Socks are chargeable after first free pair)
Goals and nets, if required
and 10 training balls, appropriately sized
1 Fully stocked First Aid Kit

All kit supplied shall remain the property (“Club Property”) of Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

All players MUST wear shin pads for all training sessions and matches.

Boots are to be checked by a Team Official before each match or training session for wear or damage. Any player with worn or damaged boots will be prevented from participating.

All orders for kit or equipment must be authorised by the Club Chairman, Secretary, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer or Kit Coordinator prior to purchase.

No Team Official is permitted to buy equipment or kit without prior authorisation.

The Kit Coordinator will annually review all existing and potential suppliers on the grounds of service, quality, and cost. He/she will then recommend to the Management Committee, one or more preferential suppliers. The Management Committee may approve the recommendation, or appoint their own supplier.

The Kit Coordinator and all members of the Management Committee must declare any personal interest in any of the proposed suppliers before they are approved. Members with such interests will be excluded from the approval process. If the Kit Coordinator has declared such an interest, the Management Committee must take this into consideration.

The Club’s official stockist are Macron Fareham

All receipts for sundry purchases, i.e. washing powder, drinks, referees’ fees, etc. are to be kept and made available for audit.

Requests for additional or higher cost purchases, including those made as a result of sponsorship, must be made on a Club Purchase Form. This should be sent to and then approved by the

Management Committee prior to any purchase being made. Purchases made without approval may not be reimbursed.

16. Complaints Procedure

Any complaints concerning Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, its officials, players or anyone involved with the Club should be reported to the Club Secretary or other member of the Management Committee (contact details can be found in the Club Structure section).

All such complaints will be dealt with under the Club’s Complaints Procedure.

17. Team Officials

Team Officials are all Managers and Assistant Managers, but do not include Parent Representatives.

All Team Officials must agree to and abide by the Club Codes of Conduct and relevant Charters.

Managers are responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date accounts relating to all income and expenditure for their team. Managers must notify the Treasurer of these accounts regularly and to make the accounts available for audit by the Management Committee if requested.

Managers are responsible for ensuring that results cards are received by the relevant Leagues, within the designated timeframes.

Team Officials are expected to attend all Club Meetings. If an official is unable to attend a meeting, they should send apologies to the Club Secretary prior to the meeting.

Any team that has not been represented at two consecutive meetings will be expected to explain the reasons why to the Management Committee.

Team Officials are to ensure that players and parents are kept informed of match/training arrangements and relevant social events related to the Club.

18. Fines

Each charge sheet will be accompanied by a letter from the Club Secretary explaining the reason for the fine, when it was imposed and when it must be paid by. All fines must be paid in full by the player, parent/guardian, or their representative before the date the Club stipulates. This date will be a minimum of 10 – 14 days from the date of the letter.

Details of League imposed fines can be found in the relevant League documentation.

Players, or players with parents, who owe fines will not be eligible for future team selection or training until outstanding fine is cleared. Any player in which a fine is not cleared within 21 days could be permanently removed from the Club upon Committee vote.

Club Structure

President – Mr Steve Wakely

Live President – Mr Chris Kelly

Management Committee

Neal Standley – Chairman

Provide leadership and direction for the club.
Oversee the work of the Club Committee.
Chair meetings of the club.
Advocate of the football club for the local community.
Work with the Vice Chairperson and Club Development teams.

Mark Ayre – Vice Chairman

Support the Chairperson.
Support all other committee members with their roles.
Be prepared to step into the role if the Chairperson is absent.
Work with the Chairperson and Club Development team.

Audrey Standley – Secretary / Treasurer / Head CWO

Secretary role – Main duties:

Produce Agendas for AGMs, EGMs and managers meetings
Record minutes of every committee and manager meeting
Act as a conduit for messages from the FA and Leagues to Team Managers and Coaches of all age groups
Hold an up-to-date database of teams, managers/coaches (including tel. no, FA no. and date of birth), grounds, leagues, training arrangements
Ensure there is club representation at all League meetings, either through attending personally or ensuring another volunteer at the club attendsAct on behalf of the club to vote on rule changes, seeking consultation from the General Committee and Management Committee
Distribute League Meeting Minutes; Handbooks and other materials to all Managers and Coaches
Complete submissions for Cup competitions.

League Registration:

Complete Team Information forms for all teams in all age groups and submit to League on time (start of July) – details include team name, ground, directions, manager details
Complete Club Affiliation Form(s), sign (Secretary and Chair) and submit to league(s), including Affiliation no.; Club Secretary details; Chairperson details; Club Welfare Officer details –

Whole Game System Administration:

Update Club Officials, Team Officials and Teams
Review and check teams
Review team officials Qualification Report
Chase outstanding qualifications e.g. FA Level 1 Coaching; Criminal Record Check; Emergency First Aid; Safeguarding.
Deal with red cards and suspensions:- ● Lodge claims against red card if appropriate
Advise FA of matches to be missed where suspensions apply
Complete Club Safeguarding Commitment
Create an annual registration form after the club’s AGM (to be completed by all new and renewing club members) which will require any information that the club should need about its members, in line with all data protection and safeguarding policies ● Maintain a password protected club registration database.
Update and add club members to the club’s Whole Game System (WGS)

Treasurer Role –

Manage and administer finances of the club
Create annual income and expenditure sheets
Create an annual overall balance sheet
Ensure all payments and fines are paid on time and recorded

Head CWO role –

Be clear about the club’s responsibilities when running activities for children and young people. This involves:
Ensuring these responsibilities are well understood by members of the club
Working with the League Welfare Officer/s if there is one
Working with the Hampshire FA Welfare Officer (CWO)
Promoting the FA’s Respect Programme and helping to develop best practice in all of our volunteers
Gain references from other clubs on potential new coaches that join Gosport Borough Youth Football Club

● Put in place and update:

a safeguarding children policy, anti-bullying policy and equality policy
responsible recruitment processes including the taking up of references and submitting FA Criminal Record Checks (CRCs)
The FA Respect Programme codes of conduct

● Understand:

what the Respect Programme aims to do
the benefits of implementing the Respect codes
the quick wins to be gained by using The FA’s safeguarding children best practice guidance (e.g. Travel, Trips and Tournaments, Photography guidelines, Anti-bullying Policy and Safeguarding Children Policy Template)
why certain roles require an FA CRC and how the process works
how to refer a concern about the welfare of a child

● Communicate with:

club officials about the Respect Programme and its aims
parents/spectators and get them to sign up to the Respect codes
coaches and managers about the importance of being consistent role models for their players
your League Welfare Officer/s – introduce yourself, find out how they can support you and let them know what you are doing to safeguard children in your club
your County FA Welfare Officer (CWO) if you need help or advice

● Ensure:

coaches, team managers, first aiders/medics to complete The FA’s Safeguarding Children Workshop
Coaches and team managers to listen to their players thoughts, ideas and views
Coaches/Managers to make use of the Respect Barriers provided by the club.

● Monitor:

repeated incidents of poor behaviour and liaise with the club’s CWO team (and where necessary League Welfare Officer or County FA Welfare Officer)
volunteers’ CRC, Safeguarding and First Aid certificate expiry dates and pre-warn them in advance to renew

Rachael Standley – Head of development / Head of Website, Social Media & Press

Head of Development –

Responsible for the upkeep of HMS Sultan playing fields during development/training/matches.
Ensuring development sessions are active and maintained.
Ensuring enough volunteering coaches are available for sessions.
Socialising with parents of development children.
Be the face of the club from GBYFC development sessions towards potential new players and newly formed teams.
Liaise with the Head of Team Recruitment and be aware of potential newly formed teams coming out of Development.

Head of Website, Social media & Press role –

Maintain the club website by publishing up to date information and any relevant club news
Update and publish weekly content on the club’s Facebook and Twitter accounts to share important club information, connect with the club’s members and also the wider community
Actively promote playing opportunities through posters in local community centers, schools and other community venues
Advertise for volunteers when needed. Promote opportunities through the website, social media, posters, leaflets and local media

Jade Sparkes – Assistant CWO

Assist and offer support to the Head CWO in regards to all Safeguarding issues.
Be available for potential safeguarding issues.
Launch investigations into complaints within the allocated groups.
Aid other Assistant CWO’s with other investigations.
Act upon the decisions made by the Head CWO.
Be available for meetings with coaches for fact finding objectives as part of investigations.
Spot checking training sessions to ensure compliance with qualifications and correct individuals are coaching.
Monitor WhatsApp groups for potential safeguarding issues that could arise.

Steve King – Managers Rep

Assist all coaches/managers for any issue they may have.
Be available for support on the day to day running of a team if required.
Offer assistance to coaches & managers when dealing with conflict or difficult conversations with parents that could have adverse effects in relation to protecting the image of the Club.
Advise on any safeguarding issues that could be caused.
Hold meetings with coaches if facing Disciplinary action to establish defence but at risk of putting the Club in a legal predicament.

Matt Fishwick – Parents Rep

Be the go to person for parents to go to if they need advice on issues.
Offer solutions to the rest of the committee to resolve conflict between club and parent.
Try to find answers that will leave the parent(s) satisfied on their issues that do not have adverse effects on the Club.
Understand what parents would like to know about for newsletter release.

Matt Currie – Head of Events & Fundraising

Plan events & fundraisers to bring to the Committee to vote on.
Always find ways to introduce new possible events that benefit the kids of our club and the club itself.
Advise on things that need to be in place for events to run smoothly.
Run the events with a clear plan.
Ensure events are run with the correct resources.
Run cost & profit analysis for events ran as a way to monitor the success of the events.

Matt Gladwell – Maintenance

Lease with all parties of the club to understand maintenance work that needs to be complete
Undertake maintenance tasks and complete to ensure safety of all users is a priority.
Provide a cost analysis of all jobs to be undertaken and report to the Chairman for approval.
All large scale maintenance work that equals the sum of £250 will be brought to the committee for vote approval.
Responsible for all GBYFC equipment and Goals and the inspection and maintenance.
Conduct pitch Inspections and advise on improvements ● Conduct site Inspections and advise on improvements.

Anthony Penton – Housekeeping

● Undertake all aspects of Housekeeping ensuring sites are safe and tidy. ● Liaise with Committee and coaches to understand requirements ● Site Inspections and advice on improvements.

Pete Johns – Club Auditor

Liaise with Chairman, Vice Chairman & Treasurer to ensure financial accounts are in place
Review policies set out by the Club.
Identifying risks of Clubs decisions and committee voted outcomes ● Ensure compliance to FA rules and regulations.
Recommending club improvements and developing plans to take the Club forward.

Andy Wilkins – Head of Team Recruitment

Responsible for creating teams from development sessions.
Liaise with the Head of development.
Create team plans and training sessions to build and develop the team(s)
Gauge parent interest to make a step up to coach and take our the team created.
Startup WhatsApp group for team parents
Guide and coach new coaches to absorb responsibility of new teams.
Assist new coaches with new teams until they are comfortable with running it themselves.
Liaise with CWO/Assistant CWO’s to ensure new coaches undergo the correct vetting processes in the form DBS checks and correct qualifications are achieved.

Aaron Haggard – Committee Member

Stuart Norris – Committee Member

Assistant CWO’s –

Assistant CWO’s are responsible for the specific age ranges, any outcome or important decisions are held by the Head CWO. Additional role requirements for this is to monitor the WhatsApp groups relevant to the allocated age ranges. Any issues for anyone to raise will follow the representative allocated to the age group in question to raise an investigation and gather the facts. These are then to be brought to the attention of other Assistant CWO’s in the sub group. Ultimately, the decision is to be made by the Head CWO.

If an age group falls within a team you coach then investigations must be completed by another Assistant CWO to avoid a conflict of interest and for an unbiased conclusion.

Under 7’s & Under 8’s (Matt Gladwell)
Under 9’s & Under 10’s (Kiefer Oldfield)
Under 11’s & Under 12’s (Jade Sparkes)
Under 13’s & Under 14’s (Rachael Standley)
Under 15s and above (Steve King)

Any potential CWO claim/complaint is to be written and submitted to the club’s email address to be logged onto the CWO complaint log. Once the complaint has been logged, it is then passed down to the assistant CWO responsible for the age group in question to start an investigation.

Any face to face meeting must be represented by 2 Assistant CWO’s. Any coach under investigation must be given notice of a meeting and under what grounds they are meeting for, If the coach wishes for the “manager rep” to be available this must be organised by the coach under investigation. An investigation must have started within 48 hours of the complaint being made and logged.

Throughout the investigation the assistant CWO leading can seek advice and help from the CWO team.

A suggestive closing point must be made for the Head CWO to review and finalise for delivery of the final outcome. All outcomes must be in writing and presented to the recipient in question signed off by Assistant CWO and Head CWO.

Assistant CWO role –

Assist and offer support to the Head CWO in regards to all Safeguarding issues.
Be available for potential safeguarding issues.
Launch investigations into complaints within the allocated groups responsible for.
Aid other Assistant CWO’s with other investigations.
Act upon the decisions made by the Head CWO.
Be available for meetings with coaches for fact finding objectives as part of investigations.
Spot checking training sessions to ensure compliance with qualifications and correct individuals are coaching.
Monitor WhatsApp groups for potential safeguarding issues that could arise.

Club Meetings

The Club will meet, at least, bi-monthly. The meeting will discuss Club matters as raised by the Management Committee and as Any Other Business by Club members.

In addition, the Management Committee will meet approximately one week before the Club meeting to discuss and arrange the agenda for the forthcoming meeting.

In addition, additional ad-hoc meetings may be arranged as called by the Management Committee or requested by Club members.

The Annual General Meeting will be held in June or July of each year.

Code of Conduct for Football surrounding our club

Community

Football, at all levels, is a vital part of a community. Football will take into account community feeling when making decisions.

Equality

Football is opposed to discrimination of any form and will promote measures to prevent it, in whatever form, from being expressed.

Participants

Football recognised the sense of ownership felt by those who participate at all levels of the game. This includes those who play, those who coach or help in any way, and those who officiate, as well as administrators and supporters. Football is committed to appropriate consultation.

Young People

Football acknowledges the extent of its influence over young people and pledges to set a positive example.

Propriety

Football acknowledges that public confidence demands high standards of financial and administrative behaviour within the game, and will not tolerate corruption or improper practices.

Trust and Respect

Football will uphold a relationship of trust and respect between all involved in the game, where they are individuals, clubs or other organisations.

Violence

Football rejects the use of violence of any nature by anyone involved in the game.

Fairness

Football is committed to fairness in its dealings with all involved in the game.

Integrity and Fair Play

Football is committed to the principle of playing to win consistent with Fair Play.

Code of Conduct for Coaches, Team Managers and Club Officials

On and off the field, I will:

Show respect to others involved in the game including match officials, opposition players, coaches, managers, officials and spectators. ● Adhere to the laws and spirit of the game.
Promote Fair Play and high standards of behaviour
Always respect the match officials’ decisions
Never enter the field of play without the referee’s permission
Never engage in public criticism of the match officials
Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting or abusive language or behaviour.

When working with players, I will:

Place the well-being, safety and enjoyment of each player above everything, including winning.
Explain exactly what I expect of players and what they can expect from me
Ensure all parents/carers of all players under the age of 18 understand these expectations
Never tolerate in or tolerate any form of bullying
Develop mutual trust and respect with every player to build their self-esteem
Encourage each player to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
Ensure all activities I organise are appropriate for the players’ ability level, age and maturity
Cooperate fully with others in football (eg officials, doctors, physiotherapists, welfare officers) for

each player’s best interests

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any/all of the following actions may be taken by my Club, County FA, League or The FA.

I may be:

● Required to meet with he Club, league or County welfare officer ● Required to meet with the Club Management Committee ● Monitored by another Club coach ● Required to attend a FA education course ● Suspended by the Club from attending matches ● Suspended or fined by the County FA ● Required to leave or be sacked by the Club ● If a member of FACA, the membership will be withdrawn

Code of Conduct for Youth Players

When playing I will:

Always play to the best of my ability
Play fairly – I won’t cheat, complain or waste time
Respect my team-mates, the other team, the referee or my coach/manager
Play by the rules, as directed by the referee
Shake hands with the other team and referee at the end of the game
Listen and respond to what my coach/manager tells me
Talk to someone I trust or the Club Welfare Officer if I’m unhappy about anything at my Club

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any/all of the following actions may be taken by my Club, County FA or The FA

I may:

Be required to apologise to my team-mates, the other team, referee or team manager
Receive a formal warning from the coach or the Club Management Committee
Be dropped from the team for a period of time
Be suspended from training
Be required to leave the Club

In addition:

My Club, County FA or The FA may make my parent or carer aware of any infringements of the Code of Conduct.

The FA/County FA could impose a fine and suspension

Code of Conduct for spectators and parents/carers

I will:

Remember that children play for FUN
Applaud effort and good play as well as success
Always respect the match officials’ decisions
Remain outside the field of play and within the Designated Spectators’ Area (where provided)
Let the Coach do their job and not confuse the players by telling them what to do
Encourage the player’s to respect the opposition, referee and match officials
Avoid criticising a player for making a mistake – mistakes are part of learning – no one makes a mistake on purpose
Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting, or abusive language or behaviour

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any/all of the following actions may be taken by my Club, County FA, League or The FA.

I may be:

Issued with a verbal warning from a Club or League Official
Required to meet with the Club, League or County FA Welfare Officer
Required to meet with the Club Management Committee
Obliged to undertake a FA Education Course
Obliged to leave the match venue by the Club
Requested by the Club not to attend future games
Suspended or have the Club membership removed
Required to leave the Club along with any dependents

Gosport Borough Youth

Football Club

Management Committee Officer Code of Conduct and Agreement

I ………….…………………….having been elected to the position of …………………

within the Management committee of the above Club, confirm that I will abide by the rules and regulations of Gosport Borough Youth FC, the Leagues, the County Football Association and the Football Association at all times.

In addition I agree to adhere to the following:

Confidentiality

All details relating to meeting discussions, voting outcomes, confidential information and meeting decisions must be treated as confidential and not discussed outside of the meeting unless specifically instructed to do so by the Committee or until the appropriate person has released the information specific personnel.

Officers must accept and endorse Management majority decisions and where necessary endorse such decisions to the membership.

Expected standard of behaviour

All officers of the management committee are expected to behave in an appropriate manner

as befitting their position and to set an example to the membership at all times. All correspondence must remain civil and appropriate irrespective of the level of provocation.

Additionally, officers must not use foul or abusive language at any time in Club business. Officers are not exempt from Club rules.

Charter Standard & RESPECT

All officers must endorse and promote any and all FA campaigns in dealings with the membership once the committee have endorsed said campaigns.

Breach of this agreement

Any officer proven to have breached this agreement by the management Committee or a sub-committee appointed to investigate any alleged breach shall be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the procedure contained within the handbook.

All breaches of this agreement shall be advised in writing to the Officer concerned and their observations sought prior to any charge being formally issued and then dealt with in accordance with the procedures contained in the handbook.

Print name…………………………….

Signed…………………………………

Dated…………………………………..

Team Officials’ Charter

This charter applies to all team officials, whether a Manager or an Assistant Manager acting as the Manager’s deputy.

In my role as the appointed Manager or Assistant Manager, I will:

Agree to abide by the Club Rules, Policies, Codes of Conduct, Best Practices and other rules and regulations, as they apply to my role, that are contained in the current Club Handbook.

I understand that if I breach any of these rules, I may be asked to leave Gosport Borough Youth Football Club and may also be subject to additional sanctions or repercussions from the League, The FA or even the Police.

Hold the appropriate Coaching award, or I will obtain it within 12 months of being appointed to this team.

Have completed the mandatory FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure and provided the Club with my Disclosure number.

Ensure that a First Aid trained person is in attendance at all matches and training sessions.

Ensure that all players wear appropriate shin-pads during matches and training sessions.

Ensure that all players wear appropriate and undamaged footwear at matches and training sessions.

Select, or recommend the selection of, the most able players for all competitive games.

However, players owing fines or who have not attended the requisite training sessions will be unavailable for selection. In exceptional circumstances*, players may be considered for selection. If they are selected, I will ensure the reasons why are noted in the Team Factfile. This will enable me and the Management Committee to explain the reasons for such a decision.

*The only circumstance where an ineligible player could be selected would be where the team could not field a full-strength (6, 7 or 11 players) side from its remaining eligible players.

Select, or recommend the selection of, the less able players for friendly matches.

Ensure that all weekly subscriptions are collected and logged in the Team Factfile, in accordance with the Club Rules.

Ensure that all results cards are completed accurately and delivered to the relevant League representative in time not to incur any fines.

Pay any fines incurred by the Club because of any error or mistake on my part.

Ensure that all relevant (as advised by the Management Committee) sections of the Team Factfile are accurate and up-to-date. I understand that the Factfile may be used as a basis for auditing the team finances, as well as a record and justification of decisions made by the Team Officials.

Ensure that a match report is submitted to the Club Secretary by 6pm on the day of the match, for inclusion on the Gosport Borough website and for reporting to The News.

Attend all Club meetings. If I am unable to attend I will ensure that my apologies are sent to the Club Secretary prior to the meeting. If my team is not represented at Club meetings on two consecutive occasions, I will be prepared to explain the reasons why to the Management Committee.

Make all requests for equipment or kit to the Kit Coordinator according to the Club Rules. I will make requests for additional purchases to the Club Secretary for approval by the Management Committee. I understand that if I make any purchases, other than for receipted sundry items, I may not be fully reimbursed by the Club for such purchases. This includes purchases made from funds obtained from team sponsorship.

Ensure that any financial sponsorship is made by cheque payable to Gosport Borough Youth Football Club or by bank transfer directly to the Club Account.

Ensure that every player receives a copy of the Player’s Charter, and every parent/guardian receives a copy of the Parent’s Charter. I will also ensure that every player and/or their parents understand that adherence to these charters is a condition of the player remaining at Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

Ensure that every player and/or their parents understand the player’s position within the squad and the age group within Gosport Borough Youth Football Club. This may involve explaining that the player may not play every game or may be asked to transfer up or down the age group. Guidelines are provided in the Team Structure section of the Club Handbook.

Ensure that all written communications, including emails, other than general match or team information, for example, flyers, newsletters, etc. are approved by the Club Secretary before distributing. All letters, including attachments to emails, will be on headed Club paper or template, which are both available from the Club Secretary.

Ensure that all communications are addressed to or are with the player’s parent or guardian.

Not approach any player from another squad or age group directly, but will contact the Team Officials in the first instance.

Ensure that no smoking occurs amongst Club players or officials during matches or training sessions.

Develop an appropriate working relationship with each and every player in my squad, based upon mutual trust and respect.

Place the well-being and safety of Club players above all other considerations.

Not exert any undue influence or pressure on any Club player or their parent/guardian in order to obtain any personal benefit or reward.

Declare any pecuniary or personal interest in any company, supplier or other party involved in any way with Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

Ensure team selection is based on merit and rules

Breach of this agreement

Print name…………………………….

Signed…………………………………

Dated…………………………………..

Player’s Charter

This charter applies to all players, whether playing at Under 5 or up to 11-a-side Under 16s:

As a player representing Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, I will:

Agree to abide by the Club Rules, Policies, Codes of Conduct,

Best Practices and other rules and regulations, as they apply to me, that are contained in the current Club Handbook.

I understand that if I breach any of these rules, I may be asked to leave Gosport Borough Youth Football Club and may also be subject to additional sanctions or repercussions from the League, The FA or even the Police.

Play by the rules.

Never argue or question the referee or the referee’s assistant’s decision, and will never talk back to them.

Always control my temper. I will not use foul or abusive language.

Ever get involved in any conflict with an opponent. It is the referee’s job to deal with any incidents that may arise. I will report any grievance with an opponent or official to my team manager.

Always be a good sport, even if defeated. I will applaud good play, whether by my team or my opponents.

Treat all players as I would like to be treated. I will not interfere with, bully or take unfair advantage of any players.

Work hard for my team. Football is a team game, which requires the input from all players to enable the team to benefit.

Not wear jewellery or watches at training sessions or matches. The Club accepts no responsibility for loss, damage or injury that may result from the failure to observe this rule.

Not eat during training sessions or matches.

wear shin-pads at all training sessions and matches.

ensure that my boots are clean and well-maintained. I will not play in boots that are damaged.

Only wear my Gosport Borough Youth Football Club kit for matches or Club approved events, for example presentation evenings, attending Gosport Borough Football Club matches, etc.

The kit is the property of the Club, I will look after it, and make sure that it is not damaged or lost through my own fault. If my kit is damaged during a match then I will report this to my team manager straight away. I understand that I or my parents may have to pay for a replacement kit, if I allow it to be damaged or lost.

Cooperate with and respect my team managers and any coaches assigned to my team. They have given up their time to help me develop as a player, without them I would not have a team.

Remember that the aim of the game is to have fun, improve my skills and feel good. I will not show-off.

Remember that if I bring the good name of the Club into disrepute, either on or off the pitch, whilst under the jurisdiction of a Club Official, I will face possible disciplinary action and may be asked to leave the Club, regardless of my footballing skill or ability.

Print name…………………………….

Signed…………………………………

Dated…………………………………..

Adults’ / Parents Charter

This charter applies to all parents, guardians, spectators, and supporters, when they are involved with Gosport Borough Youth Football Club. This applies to parents/guardians, who are encouraging and supporting their children to play football, either at home, or on the sidelines and it applies equally to spectators and supporters, who are associated with Gosport Borough Youth Football Club players.

Your behaviour at matches, training sessions or other Club events may have a direct bearing on your child being able to continue to play for Gosport Borough Youth Football Club. In addition, fines may be imposed upon you, and failure to pay them will again influence any decision to allow your child to continue to play for Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

As an adult associated with Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, I will:

not force an unwilling child to participate in sport. Children should be involved in sport for their enjoyment, not mine.

encourage my child(ren) to play by the rules, in good spirit and for the good of the team as a whole.

teach my child(ren) that honest effort is as important as victory so that the result of each game is accepted without undue disappointment. I will help turn defeat into victory by helping my child(ren) to work towards skill improvement and good sportsmanship.

support and encourage the team as whole .

not try to instruct the players on what to do. This is the Team Officials’ job.

applaud good play by both teams.

not publicly question any official’s judgement, honesty or character.

Remember that I am a representative of Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, and I will not bring the name of the Club into disrepute. I will pay any fine that the Club has imposed upon it, which has been brought about through my actions or behaviour. I understand that if I refuse to abide by this rule, my child(ren) may be told to leave the Club, regardless of their skill or ability.

support every effort to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth football.

ensure that my child(ren) arrives on time for all matches and training sessions. I will ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for my child(ren) to make their way home. I accept that the Club accepts no responsibility for my child after the end of a training session or match.

ensure that if my child(ren) cannot attend a match or training session, that the Team Officials are informed as soon as possible. I will also inform the Team Officials of any injury, allergy or illness that may be affecting my child(ren). I will also ensure that the Team Officials are

aware of any medication that my child(ren) may require, for example, inhalers.

recognize and appreciate that all Team and Club Officials are volunteers, who give up their own time and resources to enable my child(ren) to have a recreational activity in which to develop their football skills.

Print name…………………………………

Signed……………………………………..

Dated………………………………………

Policies

Child Protection Policy

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any club football activity. We subscribe to The Football Association’s child protection and best practice policy and procedures and endorse and adopt the policy statement contained in that document.

The key principles of The FA Child Protection Policy are that:

The child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration
- All children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, culture, language, racial origin, religious beliefs or sexual orientation
- All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be take seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately
- Working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents or carers is essential.

We acknowledge that every child or young person who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse. Gosport Borough Youth Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that The Football Association’s child protection regulation (see The FA Handbook) applies to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity. This includes those who are a volunteer, match official, helper on club tours, football coach, club official or medical staff.

We endorse and adopt The FA’s Child Protection and Best Practice Guidelines for Recruiting Volunteers and will:

Develop a role profile
- Request identification documents
- As a minimum meet and chat with applicant(s) and where possible conduct interviews before appointing
- Require an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure where appropriate in line with FA guidelines.

All current Gosport Borough Youth Football Club members with direct access to children and young people will be required to complete a CRB Enhanced Disclosure via The FA CRB Unit. If there are any concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, guidance will be sought from The Football Association. It is noted and accepted that The FA will consider the relevance and significance of the information obtained via The FA CRB Unit Enhanced CRB Disclosure and that all decisions will be made in the best interests of children and young people.

It is accepted that The FA aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children PR young people and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club supports The FA’s ‘whistle blowing’ policy. Any adult or young person with concerns about a colleague can ‘whistle blow’ by contacting The FA Child Protection Manager on 0207 745 4771, by writing to The FA Case Manager at The Football Association, 25 Soho Square, London W1D 4FA or by going direct to the police, social services or the NSPCC. Gosport Borough Youth Football Club encourages everyone to know about it and utilise it if necessary.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in line with The FA’s role profile and required completion of the child protection and best practice workshop. The post holder will be involved with designated person’s training by The FA. The CWO is the first point of contact for all club members and parents or guardians regarding concerns for the welfare of any child or young person. They will liaise directly with the CFA CPO and will be familiar with the procedures for referring any concerns. They will also play a proactive role in increasing an awareness of poor practice and abuse amongst club members.

We acknowledge and endorse The FA’s identification of bullying as a category of abuse. Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players, parents or guardians should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly. Incidents need to be reported to the CWO, a member of the committee or, in cases of serious bullying contact the CFA CPO.

Codes of conduct for players, parents, officials and coaches have been implemented by Gosport Borough Youth Football Club.

In order to validate these codes of conduct the club has clear sanctions to deal with any misconduct at club level and acknowledges the possibility of potential sanctions, which may be implemented by leagues or the CFA in more serious circumstances. All prospective members will be informed of these codes.

Further advice on child protection matters can be obtained from: ● The County Football Association’s Child Protection Officer (CFA CPO), whose details can be found in the County Handbook
- The Football Association/NSPCC Child Protection 24-Hour Helpline 0808 800 5000 ● www.TheFA.com/Goal
- The FA child protection team on 0207 745 4649.

Child Protection Best Practice Policy

All adults, whether Managers, Assistant Managers, Parents or Officials, involved in youth football should:

avoid spending time alone with one child away from others.

never take part in rough, physical or sexually provocative games – including horseplay – with any child.

never share a room with a child

never allow or take part in any form of inappropriate touching

never allow children to use inappropriate language, always challenge this behaviour

never make any sexually suggestive comments, even in fun

never reduce a child to tears as a form of control

never allow allegations to go unchallenged or unrecorded.

never do things of a personal nature for children or vulnerable young people that they can do for themselves

never accept bullying, rule violations or the use of prohibited substances

Any infringement of these guidelines or suspicion of infringement should be reported to the Club’s Child Welfare Officer in the first instance.

Equality Policy

As the governing body of the game, The Football Association is responsible for setting standards and values to apply throughout the game at every level. Football belongs to, and should be enjoyed by, anyone who wants to participate in it.

The FA’s commitment is to eliminate discrimination whether by reason of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability.

The FA is also committed to promoting equality by treating people fairly and with respect, by recognising that inequalities may exist, by taking steps to address them and by providing access and opportunities for all members of the community.

The following policy is at the heart of our club’s activities.

Equality Policy

The aim of this policy is to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect and that Gosport Borough Youth Football Club is equally accessible to them all.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club is responsible for setting standards and values to apply throughout the club at every level. Football belongs to and should be enjoyed by anyone who wants to participate in it.

Our commitment is to confront and eliminate discrimination whether by reason of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability and to encourage equal opportunities.

This policy is fully supported by the Club Officers who are responsible for the implementation of this policy.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club, in all its activities will not discriminate, or in any way treat anyone less favourably, on grounds of gender, sexual orientation, marital status, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability. It means that Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will ensure that it treats people fairly and with respect and that it will provide access and opportunities for all members of the community to take part in, and enjoy, its activities.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will not tolerate harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation of an individual, which for the purposes of this policy and the actions and sanction applicable is regarded as discrimination. This includes sexual or racially based harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal. Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate action in whatever context it appears.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club is committed to taking positive action where inequalities exist, and to the development of a programme of ongoing training and awareness – raising events and activities in order to promote the eradication of discrimination and promote equality in football.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club is committed to a policy of equal treatment of all members and requires all members to abide and adhere to these policies and the requirements of the relevant equalities legislation – Race Relations Act 1976, Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as well as any amendments to these acts and any new legislation.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club commits itself to the immediate investigation of any claims, when it is brought to its attention, of discrimination on the above grounds and where such is found to be the case, a requirement that the practice stop and sanctions imposed as appropriate.

Club Complaints Procedure

In the event that any member feels that he or she has suffered discrimination in any way or that Club

Policies, Rules or Codes of Conduct have been broken they should follow the Club Complaints Procedure.

Volunteer Recruitment Policy

The first stage of any recruitment process involves planning. Club officials will draw up a role profile, which highlights the main areas of the identified voluntary role. They will also decide upon the skills and experience that an individual will need to fulfil the requirements of the role and draw up a person specification. The Club’ recruitment process must be implemented in such a way that it treats every applicant in a fair and consistent manner.

Advertising

In order to attract new volunteers it may be necessary to advertise outside the Club itself, for example, on a sports hall notice board, a local school, shop/community hall, or newspaper.

The advertisement will reflect the Club’s Child Protection Policy and it will contain the skills and experience required and the duties to be undertaken. However, it will not discriminate in terms of age, race, gender, or disability.

Membership Application Form

The Club will use the Membership Application Form to collect information on each applicant. Each applicant’s information is then collected in a consistent way.

More than one official will look at the application forms to ensure that a fair and equitable scrutiny is completed. The Club will ask for identification documents to confirm the identity of the applicant, for example, a passport or driving licence.

Meeting/Interview

At least two Club Officials will meet with all applicants prior to any recruitment decisions being made. The meeting/interview will enable the Club to explore further the information provided in the application form. The questions to be asked will be prepared in advance and will provide the applicant with the opportunity to recount previous experiences and give examples of how they have or would handle situations.

Whilst it is important to elicit information regarding an applicant’s technical capabilities it is also necessary to explore his or her attitudes and commitment to child welfare. Listed below are examples of questions that could be used to discover this information:

Tell us about any previous experience you have working with children or young people. ● Give a child related scenario and ask the applicants what they would do. For example, ‘It is a winter evening, and the training session has finished. A parent has not arrived to pick up their child. What would you do?’ The applicant would be expected to say that they would stay with the child and contact the parents to find out where they were.
Is there anything we should know that could affect your suitability to work with children or young people?

Criminal Record Checks (CRC) Disclosures

CRB/DBS checks are another tool in the recruitment procedure. A CRB/DBS Enhanced Disclosure tells The FA about a person’s recorded offences. It can indicate that a person is not a suitable person to work with children, for example if they have a history of sexual offending. It may also tell The FA that further investigations are required, for example if the person has a history of drug dealing or racist offending.

Volunteers and others in football should be assured that The FA would take into account the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and only consider offences, which are relevant to the care, supervision, and training of children.

The FA is not allowed to tell the club or County FA about the actual offending and so applicants can be assured of confidentiality. The FA will however tell the club and County FA whether or not the person is considered suitable to work with children.

Applications for DBS checks will be dealt with by the Club’s designated person for Child Protection. If an applicant claims to have an FA CRB Unit Enhanced Disclosure the Club may seek advice from The FA DBS Unit or the Goal website on how to proceed.

Further information can be found by visiting www.TheFA.com/Goal

Recruitment Decisions

The Club will consider all the information they receive via the application form, confirmation of identity, the outcome of the take up of references and the FA DBS Unit Enhanced Disclosure. This information will then be considered alongside the outcome of the meeting/interview to make an informed decision as to whether or not to accept the applicant into the Club.

Post Recruitment

It is important that once a new volunteer has been recruited follow up action is taken, for example:

Any qualifications will be substantiated, for example, requesting photocopies of coaching certificates
New volunteers will be made aware of and sign up to the club’s child protection policy and procedures, best practice guidelines and any codes of conduct
Any training needs will be established and actioned and a statement of the roles and responsibilities of the new volunteer will be prepared
Initially, a period of supervision/observation or mentoring may be introduced to support the new volunteer.

Summary

Child protection is about putting in place the best possible practices and procedures; this will protect not only the child but also the adults involved with the Club.

If you have any comments on this guideline or require any further support or guidance relating to children and young people, please contact The FA Equality and Child Protection Department.

Guidelines issued by The FA Equality and Child Protection Department. Revised January 2006. For further information or advice, please contact:

The FA Equality and Child Protection Department

The Football Association

25 Soho Square

London W1D 4FA

Telephone: 0800 085 0506

Coach Recruitment and Development Policy

Qualified Coaches

It is imperative for the development of the game that all coaches at all levels within clubs hold a recognised FA qualification or are working towards becoming qualified.

Recruitment of suitable Coaches

Research has consistently shown that the major factors, which motivate individuals to become involved in coaching, are:

A desire to continue their involvement in sport after playing and continue to meet their competitive needs

A desire to help young people to develop sport, particularly their own children

A desire to put something back into sport.

When recruiting new coaches Gosport Borough Youth Football Club may contact the Hampshire Football Association Football Development Officers or Local Authority Sport Development Officer to seek advice. When the Club is recruiting, it will follow the advice from the Child Protection and Volunteer Recruitment Policies.

Finding new coaches is not an easy task; however, it is a good idea to target the following group of individuals:

Ex-players or players who are coming to the end of their playing career

Students, particularly those studying Physical Education or Sports Degrees, A-Level Physical Education, G.N.V.Q Leisure and Tourism, C.S.L.A students, Junior Football Organisers and Step into Sport
Parents/Carers.
Young players to work towards taking a qualification, working alongside more experienced coaches.
Advertising within the local community. Following The Football Association recommendations for the safety and welfare of coaches and players, the following measures are adopted when recruiting coaches:
The Club will follow The FA Best Practice and Procedures
Coaches will be required to complete an application form identifying experience, qualifications and references. Coaches will be required to be interviewed
Coaches will be required to sign up and adhere to the Club’s Codes of Conduct and Charters ● Coaches should be required to work in pairs wherever possible.

Coach Development

Helping coaches to become qualified and develop is a key factor in the development of clubs. The Football Association provides a range of courses for coaches at all levels. (See www.TheFA.com/GrassrootsNew/FALearning/), Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will encourage all coaches to take further courses to develop their skills.

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club recommends that all coaches join the Football Association Coaches Association (FACA) and their local county coaches association to keep themselves up to date. FACA provides the following services and support to coaches; Continued Professional Development, regular coaches magazine (Insight), insurance cover and access to resources.

sportscoachUK also provide an extensive range of supporting courses, such as, ‘Working with Children,’ ‘Fitness and Training’ and many others.

Social Media Policy

Whilst using social media we must ensure that we adhere to the FA’s social media policy

The following guidance is provided not as an obstacle but to support clubs and leagues to manage their safeguarding responsibilities effectively.It aims to ensure children, young people, coaches, referees and adults in a position of trust are not subjected to improper online behaviour or improper allegations.

If a club decides that the most effective way of communicating to young people is via a social networking site then the club is strongly advised to set up an account in the name of the club and explicitly for use by named club members, parents and carers solely about football matters e.g. fixtures, cancellations and team selection.

Coaches, referee mentors, club officials and others in a position of trust in football need to act responsibly both on and off the field and this includes the use of electronic communications.

Therefore The FA would suggest that as a general principle coaches, managers etc should avoid using social networking sites as the primary way of communicating with players. Children and young people should be advised by their coaches, parents/carers and CWO to always tell an adult they trust about communications that make them feel uncomfortable or where they’ve been asked not to tell their parent/carer about the communication. The following is best practice in relation to social networking.

ensure all the privacy settings are locked so that that the page(s) are used explicitly for club or league matters and are not used as a place to meet, share personal details or have private conversations
nominate a club/league official to monitor the club/league social networking page regularly and remove access for anyone behaving inappropriately
make sure everyone within your club knows who is responsible for monitoring the content of the social networking areas and how to contact them
provide all users with The FAs best practice guidance on using social networking sites • gain written parent/carer permission before access is given to U18s
inform the CWO if you have received inappropriate communications online, keeping a record of any inappropriate, threatening or offensive material as this may be needed as evidence.

Don’t

Unless a child/young person is a direct relation, the coaches, managers, referees, medics and club officials should not:

accept as a friend, players or referees U18 on social networking sites they are members of or share their own personal social networking sites with children or young people involved in youth football
make contactwith children or young people known through football outside of the football context on social networking sites
use internet or web based communications to send personal messages of a non football nature to a child or young person
engage in any personal communications, ‘banter’ or comments.

Further guidance is available from you CWO or https://www.hampshirefa.com/about/rules-andregulations/safeguarding-and-welfare

Football Photographs and Video Policy

There has been much talk about whether it’s safe to take pictures of under 18s playing sport. Following The FA guidance, Gosport Borough Youth Football Club would like to assure parents, carers, coaches, spectators, players, and local media that it encourages the taking of appropriate images of children in football.

Potential risks

The FA has developed this guidance to help avoid the following:

The inappropriate use, adaptation or copying of images for use on child abuse websites on the internet (often referred to as pornography sites);

The identification of children when a photograph is accompanied by significant personal information that will assist a third party in identifying the child. This can lead, and has led, to children being ‘groomed’; and

The identification and locating of children in inappropriate circumstances which include:
- where a child has been removed from his/her family for their own safety;
- where restrictions on contact with one parent following a parental separation exist e.g. in domestic violence cases;
- in situations where a child may be a witness in criminal proceedings; or (iv) other child protection concerns.

The majority of images taken are appropriate and taken in good faith. If we take the following simple measures, we can help to ensure the safety of children in football. Common sense considerations to ensure everyone’s safety:

Do

The Club will share The FA’s guidance on taking images with all parents, carers and members when they join the club;

The Club will ensure that it has parental consent to use a player’s image if it is to be used in the public domain e.g. club website or newspaper article. This is essential in relation to point 3 below;

The Club will ensure that any child in the Club, who is under care proceedings, is protected by ensuring that their image is not placed in the public domain. This will be done by using an annual consent form, so that parents/carers can identify if this applies to children in their care;

The Club will encourage photographs and videos that focus on the activity rather than the individual;

The Club will ensure all those featured are appropriately dressed (a minimum of vest or shirt and shorts);

The Club will encourage others to take pictures, which represent the broad range of youngsters participating safely in football e.g. boys and girls, disabled people, ethnic minority communities.

The Club will report any instances of inappropriate images in football to The FA Case Manager or the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). Contact details can be found on the following page.

Don’t

The Club will not publish photographs with the full name(s) of the individual(s) featured unless it has the written consent to do so and it has informed the parents as to how the image will be used;

The Club will not use player profiles with pictures and detailed personal information on websites;

The Club will not use an image for something other than that for which it was initially agreed, e.g.

published in local press when initially produced for a clubhouse commemorative picture; and

The Club will not allow images to be recorded in changing rooms, showers, or toilets – this includes the use of mobile phones that record images.

Remember

It’s not an offence to take appropriate photographs in a public place even if asked not to do so;

No one has the right to decide who can and cannot take images on public land;

If the Club has serious concerns about a possible child protection issue relating to the recording of images then it will contact the police. This action should only be taken where the Club believes that someone may be acting unlawfully or putting a child at risk;

The land or facility owner can decide whether or not photography and/or videoing of football activities will be permitted when carried out on private land. However, the Club will make this known before allowing individuals access to the private property. If they do not comply then the Club may request that they leave; and

The Club will try not to use images that include individuals wearing jewellery (as wearing jewellery whilst playing is contrary to the Laws of the Game as well as being a health and safety issue).

Commissioning professional photographers and the local media

If the Club commissions professional photographers or invites the press to cover a football activity, it will ensure that they are clear about the Club’s expectations and the Club will ensure it is clear about their expectations. Remember the key is to plan ahead and communicate early on.

The Club will provide a clear brief about what is considered appropriate in terms of content and behaviour;

The Club will inform them of its commitment to safeguarding children and young people and establish who will hold the recorded images and what they intend to do with them, e.g. place on a website for sale, distribute thumb nails to the club to coordinate sales;

The Club will issue or ensure that the professional photographer has identification, which must be worn at all times;

The Club will inform participants and parents or carers prior to the event that a professional photographer will attend and ensure that the Club has established that no under 18s will be compromised due to child protection concerns if their image is taken. This will be done by using the consent clause on the Player Registration Form at the start of the season.

To report potentially unlawful materials on the internet please contact:

The Internet Watch Foundation

Email: report@iwf.org.uk Telephone: 08456 008844 Fax the hotline: 01223 235921 www.iwf.org.uk

FA Case Management

Email: ComplianceQueries@TheFA.com www.TheFA.com/Goal

Gosport Borough youth Football Club Safeguarding children policy

Gosport Borough youth Football Club acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person and is committed to providing a safe environment for all. We recognise that a child is anyone under the age of 18 and subscribe to The Football Association’s (The FA) Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures.

Gosport borough youth Football Club endorses and adopts the following key safeguarding principles:

the child’s welfare is, and must always be, the paramount consideration;
all children and young people have a right to be protected from abuse regardless of their; age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital status or civil partnership, race, nationality, ethnic origin, colour, religion or belief, ability or disability, pregnancy and maternity;
all suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately; and
working in partnership with other organisations, children and young people and their parents/carers is essential. We acknowledge that every child or young person who plays or participates in football should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse.

Gosport borough youth

The Football Club recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club.

Gosport borough youth Football Club has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying. It is noted and accepted that The FA’s Safeguarding Children Regulations (see The FA Handbook TheFA.com/football- rules-governance/lawsandrules/fa-handbook) apply to everyone in football whether in a paid or voluntary capacity, including coaches/managers, volunteers, match officials, helpers on club tours, or medical staff or other club officials/helpers.

We endorse and adopt The FA’s Safer Recruitment guidelines and we will:
Specify what the role is and what tasks it involves;
Request identification documents;
As a minimum meet and chat with the applicant(s) and where possible interview people before appointing them;
Ask for and follow up with 2 references before appointing someone; and
Where eligible require an FA- accepted DBS enhanced with barred list Check, in line with The FA’s current Safeguarding Children Policy and Regulations.

All current Gosport Borough youth Football Club members working in eligible roles with children and young people, such as coaches/managers and physiotherapists, are required to hold an in-date FA accepted DBS enhanced with barred list check as part of safer recruitment practice.

If there are concerns regarding the appropriateness of an individual who is already involved or who has approached us to become part of Gosport Borough youth Football Club, guidance will be sought from the County Football Association (CFA). It is noted and accepted that The FA will consider the relevance and significance of the information obtained via the DBS process and that all suitability decisions will be made in accordance with legislation and in the best interests of children and young people.

It is accepted that The FA aims to prevent people with a history of relevant and significant offending from having contact with children or young people and the opportunity to influence policies or practice with children or young people. This is to prevent direct sexual or physical harm to children and to minimise the risk of ‘grooming’ within football.

Gosport Borough youth Football Club supports The FA’s Whistle Blowing policy (as described in this paragraph) which requires any adult or young person with concerns about an adult in a position of trust within football can ‘whistle blow’ by contacting The FA Safeguarding Team on 0800 169 1863, by writing to The FA Case Manager at The Football Association, Wembley Stadium, PO Box 1966, London SW1P 9EQ, by emailing Safeguarding@TheFA.com or alternatively by going direct to the Police, Children’s Social Care or the NSPCC. Gosport Borough youth Football Club encourages everyone to know about The FA’s Whistle Blowing Policy and to utilise it if necessary.

Gosport borough youth Football Club has appointed a Club Welfare Officer (Youth Teams) (“CWO”) in line with The FA’s role profile who has completed the Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officers Workshop by the CWO. The post holder will be involved with ongoing Welfare Officer training provided by The FA and/or CFA. The CWO is the first point of contact for all club members regarding concerns about the welfare of any child or young person. The CWO will liaise directly with the CFA Designated Safeguarding Officer and will be familiar with the procedures for referring any concerns. The CWO will also play a proactive role in increasing awareness of respect, poor practice and abuse amongst club members.

We acknowledge and endorse The FA’s identification of bullying as a category of abuse.

Bullying of any kind is not acceptable at our club. If bullying does occur, all players and parents/carers should be able to access our anti- bullying policy and know that incidents will be dealt with appropriately. Incidents need to be reported to the CWO and in cases of serious bullying the CFA Designated Safeguarding Officer may be contacted.

Codes of conduct for Players, Parents/ Spectators, Officials and Coaches (as required by the

CPSU Safeguarding Standards) have been implemented by Gosport borough youth

Football Club. In order to police these codes of conduct the club has clear actions it will take regarding repeated or serious misconduct at club level and acknowledges the possibility of potential sanctions which may be implemented by the CFA in more serious circumstances.

In this Club, safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and we know that inaction is not an option. If anyone is worried about a child, it is important that they report their concerns to the CWO, who will deal with reported concerns as follows:

i. Our CWO will manage poor practice and where necessary seek advice from the CFA Designated Safeguarding Officer (CFA DSO). ii. Our CWO will make referrals about more serious concerns to the CFA DSO, or in an emergency contact the Police or Children’s Social Care.

iii. We will ensure that if the child needs immediate medical treatment that we take them to a hospital or call an ambulance and tell them it is a child protection concern. iv. Our CWO will keep records of the actions taken and keep the CFA DSO informed.

v. If at any time our Club Welfare Officer is not available, or the matter is clearly serious, all our members should be aware that they can:

Contact the CFA DSO directly;
Contact The FA’s Safeguarding Team on 0800 169 1863 or Safeguarding@TheFA.com;
Contact the Police or Children’s Social Care; and/or
Call the NSPCC 24-hour Helpline for advice on 0808 800 5000 or text 88858 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Gosport Borough youth Football Club Committee understands and accepts our collective responsibility to adhere to our safeguarding children policy and procedures.

We commit to ensuring our members are aware of and have access to our policies.

Player Recruitment Guidelines

Identifying a Club’s Needs

It is essential to identify a club’s recruitment needs in order to select the appropriate group to target. Factors, which may affect target group selection in order to develop the club, i.e. Mini-Soccer, junior, youth or senior players are as follows:

Demand from the local community

Existing playing opportunities (e.g. Local Authority/Football in Community schemes/other local clubs)

Existing league opportunities available (e.g. Mini-Soccer, Girls/Boys League, County League etc)

Local Schools or Colleges who are able to provide new players.

Methods of Recruitment

There are numerous methods of attracting players to clubs. Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will develop links with the Local Authority, Sports Development Officers, and Football in the Community Officers, County Schools’ Associations, County Football Associations, and Football Development Officers, in order to organise in partnership, activities designed to recruit new players.

Recruiting in partnership with existing football providers will ensure the Club gains maximum promotion opportunities and that every potential player is aware that the Club is looking to develop and enhance its existing team structure.

The Club will place all advertisements for new players. Individual managers are not expected to advertise for players for their team. Requests will be based upon age groups, but can be targeted to specific positions. For example, GBYFC are looking for strikers for its Under 9 age group.

All new players will be trialled according to the New Player section of the Team Structure and Player Development section of the Club Handbook.

Player Recruitment Ideas

Come and Try It, Introductory Coaching Sessions

Taster Days

Kick Start Coaching Schemes (Active Sports)

Coaching Courses

Top Sport Community Football Clubs

Mini-Soccer Centres

Coaching Weeks/Holiday Courses

Festivals/Tournaments

Club Open Day/Parents Meeting

Taster Sessions in Schools

Posters/Flyers/Adverts

Press Releases

Local Business/Sports Centre Competition

Youth Games

Club Information Leaflet (See FA Resources Leaflet)

Recreational Games

Veterans

Gosport Borough Youth Football Club will keep records of all players once they have been recruited to the Club in case of emergencies etc. It will also ensure that all newly recruited players are issued with the Club’s Code of Conduct.

Insurance

All football clubs are urged to obtain adequate insurance cover for their players in case of injury or accident whilst playing or travelling to matches.

This may even be mandatory for some competitions or County Football Associations. Clubs must also protect themselves by obtaining suitable public liability insurance and coaches’ personal insurance. For further information, please contact your County Football Association

ANTI-BULLYING POLICY

Statement of Intent

We are committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all our members, so they can participate in football in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at Gosport borough youth Football Club. If bullying does occur, all club members and parents/carers should be able to tell their club about this and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively by the club.

We are a TELLING club. This means that anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell the Club Welfare Officer or any committee member. Gosport borough youth Football Club is committed to playing its part to teach players to treat each other with respect.

What is Bullying?

Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face-to-face or through cyberspace, and comes in many different forms:

Verbal:

Name calling
persistent teasing
mocking
taunting
threats.

Physical:

Any form of physical violence,
intimidating behaviour,
theft or the intentional damage of possessions. This includes hitting, kicking and pushing.

Emotional:

Excluding
tormenting
ridiculing
humiliation ● setting people up
spreading rumours.

Cyberbullying:

The misuse of digital technologies or communications to bully a person or a group, typically through messages or actions that are threatening and/or intended to cause offence, anxiety or humiliation. Examples of cyberbullying include:

Abusive comments, rumours, gossip and threats made using digital communications and/ or technologies – this includes internet trolling.

Sharing pictures, videos or personal information without the consent of the owner and with the intent to cause harm or humiliation.

Hacking into someone’s email, phone or online profiles to extract and share personal information, or to send hurtful content while posing as that person.

Creating dedicated websites that intend to harm, make fun of someone or spread malicious rumours.

Pressuring someone to do something they do not want to do such as sending a sexually explicit image.

Gosport borough youth Football Club commits to ensure our social media accounts are being used appropriately and any online bullying will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately in line with procedures detailed in this policy.

People can be targeted for any reason, but people who bully others often target ‘difference’ and bullying can be a form of wider discrimination. For example, bullying behaviour may be:

Racist: Targeted at ethnicity, skin colour, and language, religious or cultural practices.

Homophobic, biphobic and/or transphobic: Targeted at actual or perceived sexuality and/or gender.

Sexual and/or sexist: Sexual and/or sexist behaviour that is intended to cause offence, humiliation or intimidation.

Disablist: Targeted at an impairment or special educational need.

Targeting any ‘difference’: Bullying behaviour can also be targeted at ‘looks’, weight and height, colour of hair, wearing glasses or braces, acne, psoriasis and eczema, scars, marks or conditions of the face or body, body odour, poverty, gifts and talents or family situation (e.g. divorce, bereavement, homelessness).

Everybody has the right to be treated with respect and no one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Individuals who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving. Gosport borough youth Football Club recognises its responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

PROCEDURES

Report bullying incidents to the Club Welfare Officer or a member of the club’s committee.
In cases of serious bullying, the incidents will be referred to the County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer for advice and possibly to The FA Case Management Team.
Parents/carers should be informed and will be asked to come in to a meeting to discuss the problem.
If necessary and appropriate, the police will be consulted.
The bullying behaviour or threats of bullying must be investigated and the bullying stopped quickly.
An attempt will be made to help the bully (bullies) change their behaviour.
If mediation fails and the bullying is seen to continue the club will initiate disciplinary action under the club constitution.

RECOMMENDED CLUB ACTION

If the club decides it is appropriate for them to deal with the situation they should follow the procedure outlined below:

1. Reconciliation by getting the parties together. It may be that a genuine apology solves the problem. 2. If this fails/is not appropriate, a small panel (composed from the Chairperson, Club Welfare Officer, Secretary, committee members) should meet with the parent/carer and child alleging bullying to get details of the allegation. Minutes should be taken for clarity, which should be agreed by all as a true account. 3. The same three persons should meet with the alleged bully and parent/carer and put the incident raised to them to answer and give their view of the allegation. Minutes should again be taken and agreed.

If bullying has in their view taken place, the individual should be warned and put on notice of further action i.e. temporary or permanent suspension if the bullying continues. Consideration should be given as to whether a reconciliation meeting between parties is appropriate at this time.
In some cases the parent/carer of the bully or bullied player can be asked to attend training sessions, if they are able to do so, and if appropriate. The club committee should monitor the situation for a given period to ensure the bullying is not being repeated.
All coaches involved with both individuals should be made aware of the concerns and outcome of the process i.e. the warning.

In the case of adults reported to be bullying anyone within the club under 18

The County Designated Safeguarding Officer must be informed and will advise on action to be taken where appropriate. This may include action by The FA Safeguarding Team.
It is anticipated that in most cases where the allegation is made regarding a team manager, official or coach, The FA’s Safeguarding Children Education Programme may be recommended. 3. More serious cases may be referred to the Police and/or Children’s Social Care.

PREVENTION

• The club will have a written constitution, which includes what is acceptable and proper behaviour for all members, of which the Anti-Bullying Policy is one part. • All club members and parents/carers will sign to accept the constitution upon joining the club. • The Club Welfare Officer will raise awareness about bullying and why it matters, and if issues of bullying arise in the club, will consider meeting with members to discuss the issue openly and constructively.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Signature of club chairman

Neal Standley

Signature of club secretary Audrey Standley