Dear Volleyball England Coaches,
Could you please inform your clubs of the below information, from our previous communications we have had very little response. We can’t stress enough the importance of these courses, any clubs who currently cater for junior members (under 18’s) must have a CWO, if your club does not have one appointed 3 months before the start of next season, your affiliation with Volleyball England may be suspended.
Last year was the first season that it was mandatory for clubs to have a registered Club Welfare Officer and, as we come up to renewal season, we wanted to make you aware of a few key updates.
The new training programme will include a safeguarding workshop, followed by a Time to Listen Course. There are some exceptions which are highlighted below, but all clubs must meet the minimum requirement before they can register for the 2016/17 season.
Thank you to everyone who has provided us with valuable feedback. We have listened to your thoughts and suggestions and we have proposed a number of changes to the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), which have been agreed.
CHANGES:
Terminology
There has been some inconsistency in the use of the correct terminology for the role, so from this season onwards, the safeguarding and welfare role will be called the Club Welfare Officer. All literature and documentation will be amended to reflect this.
Changes to course attendance requirements
Adult-Only Clubs
We have received a number of queries from adults only clubs on whether they need to attend the course as they do not run, or have intentions to run a junior element. Therefore the commitment to attend the relevant courses seemed unnecessary.
Our team has consulted with the CPSU for clarification on the position of adult only clubs in relation to welfare and safeguarding.
The CPSU has changed the requirements for clubs who only cater for adults only. There is still a requirement to undertake some form of training. The Sports Coach UK Safeguarding and Protecting Children Workshop must be completed by a representative from every club, but this can be done either face to face or online. This will reduce the cost and time commitment required but still satisfies the national framework.
Please note, this is just applicable for adult-only clubs.
The CPSU has confirmed that other safeguarding courses from other sports or professional capacities are acceptable as long it was a face to face course. Club Welfare Officers will be required to upload their course details onto their online profile for authentication.
Changes to the training for clubs with Junior members
If the above doesn’t apply to your club, then the following training is a requirement for club registration.
Stage One) Safeguarding overview
Club Welfare Officers are now required to either attend a face to face Safeguarding and Protecting Children Workshop or upload a previous details of a similar face to face workshop. The workshop is vital in order to help you raise your awareness of the tell-tale signs of abuse and poor practice, and it will give you the tools you need to deal with any issues sensitively, appropriately and effectively.
This will then be followed by a second stage of training, the Time to Listen course.
Stage 2) Time to Listen Courses
Throughout March and April Volleyball England will be running stage two of the training for Club Welfare Officers through regional Time To Listen courses.
Time To Listen (TTL) is a volleyball-specific workshop designed to support Club Welfare Officers. The workshop uses easy to follow, practical volleyball-related examples and case studies to enable you to fully understand your role in the club, and Volleyball England, and help you to effectively safeguard young people in your care. TTL has been developed by the Child Protection in Sport Unit of the NSPCC.
Further details can be found HERE.
Key dates:
7th March 2016, 18:00 – 21:00 – Essex County Cricket Ground
14th March 2016, 18:00 – 21:00 – SportPark, Loughborough
21st March 2016 18:00 – 21:00 – Wolverhampton University
30th March 2016 18:00-21:00 – University of Leeds
4th April 2016 18:00 – 21:00 – Richmond upon Thames College
25th April 2016 19:00 – 22:00 – South Bristol Sports Centre
27th April 2016 18:00 – 21:00 – Tyne & Wear Sport
For those who cannot attend a regional course, further courses are available on the CPSU website as follows- https://thecpsu.org.uk/training-events/
Please note the completion of the courses must be done within three months of the new season. Failure to do so could result in your affiliation being suspended until the necessary courses have been completed.
If your CWO leaves the organisation you will have three months to nominate a new CWO and complete relevant training.
If you have any specific queries or wish to discuss a concern, please contact Rob Payne, Young People Manager via safeguarding@volleyballengland.org or by phone on 01509 227722
Regards,
Owen Lamb
Workforce Administrator
DD: 01509 227730
E: o.lamb@volleyballengland.org
FAQ: Safeguarding – Frequently Asked Questions
