PROTECTING YOUR CLUB

This is week 6 of my series exploring 10 areas covered in my book, with practical ideas for grassroots sports clubs.

WEEK 6 : PROTECTING YOUR CLUB

Could one incident seriously harm your club and put its future at risk?

Unfortunately, yes.

A financial loss, disciplinary matter or serious injury can have lasting consequences for your club.

Ask yourself:

  • Do we have codes of conduct that people understand and follow?
  • Are our financial controls strong enough?
  • Do we understand our main risks?
  • Is there a clear complaints and disciplinary process?
  • Are safeguarding responsibilities clear, and does everyone know how to report a concern?
  • Do we have appropriate social media guidelines?
  • Have we completed the relevant checks when appointing staff and volunteers?
  • Have we provided training so people understand their responsibilities?
  • Would we know what to do if a serious incident happened tomorrow?

Protecting your club means reducing the chances of something going wrong and making sure people know what to do when it does.

Seven practical tips for protecting your club

1. Develop the policies your club needs.

Policies set expectations and provide a clear process when something goes wrong. They help protect your people and your organisation. Consider:

  • Complaints and disciplinary policy: how complaints are submitted, considered and resolved, including timescales and an appeals process.
  • Codes of conduct: acceptable behaviour for players, coaches, volunteers, parents and spectators, with clear consequences for breaches.
  • Safeguarding policy: responsibilities, how to report concerns and who to contact.
  • Social media policy: expectations for club accounts, online behaviour, photographs and communication with young people.
  • Health and safety policy: responsibilities for safe facilities, equipment and activities, including reporting accidents.
  • Equality and inclusion policy: how the club addresses discrimination and provides fair opportunities.
  • Data protection policy: how personal information is collected, stored, accessed and shared.

Use your governing body’s templates where available and adapt them to your club. Agree who is responsible for keeping each policy up to date, share it within the club and set a review date.

2. Develop a simple risk register.

Set aside time at your next committee meeting to discuss what could go wrong. Consider safeguarding, finances, facilities, injuries and the loss of key volunteers. For each risk, record how likely it is, the potential impact, what you will do to reduce it, who is responsible and a completion date for any actions. Review the register at committee meetings and before new activities or major events.

3. Put a financial procedures document in place.

Write down how the club manages its money. Cover who can approve spending, payment authorisation, handling cash, claiming expenses and keeping receipts. Require two people to authorise payments and arrange for someone other than the person processing transactions to check bank records. Give the committee regular financial reports so problems are spotted early.

4. Complete the relevant checks before appointing staff and volunteers.

Provide a clear role description, speak to applicants, take up references and check relevant qualifications. Complete the criminal record or safeguarding checks appropriate to the role and your location, following governing body guidance. Keep a secure record of completed checks and any renewal dates. Apply the same process when the applicant is someone the club already knows.

5. Give staff and volunteers practical training.

Provide an induction explaining their responsibilities, expected behaviour and the club’s key policies and procedures. Arrange training relevant to each role, such as safeguarding, first aid, financial management or handling complaints. Keep a training record and arrange refreshers when needed.

6. Make it easy to speak up.

Tell players, parents, staff and volunteers who they can contact if something worries them. Explain how complaints are handled and provide another reporting route if the concern involves the usual contact.

7. Practise your response to a serious incident.

Choose a realistic scenario and talk through what you would do. Who would take immediate action? Who would contact the relevant authorities or governing body? Who would communicate with members or the media? Keep emergency contacts accessible.

Chapter 6 of Leading a Grassroots Sports Club focuses on protecting your club, including building a positive reputation and putting appropriate safeguards in place.

A useful starting point this week: identify one gap in your club’s current arrangements. Agree what needs to change, who will lead it and a completion date. Check progress at your next committee meeting.

Find out more about the book here https://www.routledge.com/Leading-a-Grassroots-Sports-Club-A-Practical-Guide-to-Managing-and-Developing-Your-Club/Wilson/p/book/9781041094883?srsltid=AfmBOooMPgFpXYSGYwNBOLxrR6mYShU8mWeM_rbVCGlipdpjnsfqlqVD

If you’re a sports league or federation, send me a DM to explore how we can build a club development or knowledge-sharing programme that gives your grassroots clubs the practical tools, skills and confidence to develop.

Next week: Would your local community notice if your club disappeared tomorrow?

#GrassrootsSport #SportsGovernance #RiskManagement #ClubDevelopment

About Geoff Wilson

Geoff runs his own consultancy business, with a focus primarily on sport.  Previously Head of Marketing and Communications at the Irish FA, Geoff now consults to a wide range of global sports organisations on areas such as strategic planning, marketing and communications, digital, fan engagement, public affairs, women’s football, league development, club development and knowledge sharing / capacity building programmes.  Geoff has created numerous academic models for the sports industry.  Geoff is on the Advisory Panel at the English Football League and Chair of the Sports Council Trust Company (Sport England organisation).

Geoff has written a book which focuses on ‘developing grassroots sports clubs’ to order a copy check out https://www.routledge.com/Leading-a-Grassroots-Sports-Club-A-Practical-Guide-to-Managing-and-Developing-Your-Club/Wilson/p/book/9781041094883?srsltid=AfmBOooMPgFpXYSGYwNBOLxrR6mYShU8mWeM_rbVCGlipdpjnsfqlqVD

1.  Check out Geoff’s online course in strategic planning at https://geoffwilson.teachable.com/

2.  The other sports models created or co created by Geoff can be found below:

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