Poole Runners Club Welfare
At Poole Runners we take Welfare of ALL our members very seriously.
Welfare Officers Role:
Welfare is essential to contribute to good practice within sport, develop performance and to ensure the safety and enjoyment of athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers.
Welfare covers a range of issues such as safeguarding and protecting, anti-bullying, equality, poor practice in coaching plus disciplinary and grievances matters.
The Welfare Officers role is to advise and support the club officers and committee, to respond to any concerns and to ensure that all coaches/officials/volunteers have completed all relevant checks.
Every Members responsibility
It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the welfare of all those who participate in athletics.
All club members under the code of conduct (particularly those under age 18) should be secure and protected from abuse, maltreatment, discrimination or misconduct and to accept that each has a right to equality regardless of age, sex, race, religious or social background.
We should all remember that members have varying aspirations/reasons for membership, so we should and encourage but never pressure to perform at a level at which they are personally uncomfortable.
Club members need to safeguard themselves from the possibility of false allegations and should conduct themselves accordingly – here are some examples:
Members must:
- Consistently display high standards of personal behavior.
- Remember that someone else might misinterpret their actions, no matter how well intentioned.
- Report any accidental injury, distress, misunderstanding or misinterpretation to a Committee member / welfare officer
- Members should not personally advise potential/or existing members re Health issues (ie suitability to run with medical condition) – we are not qualified to deliver such advice – individuals to be encouraged to direct such enquiries to their Medical Practitioner.
- Report any suspicions of misconduct by others to Welfare Officer plus one other Committee member.
- Avoid transporting a junior club member alone in your car or spending time alone with them unless clearly in the view of others.
- Photographs, videos or other images not to be taken of children without the consent of the child/parents.
A little bit about our Welfare Officers:
Karen Roberts
I first became involved with Poole Runners when my daughters, now aged 11 and 9, joined up as Quadkids. My husband and I began helping as parent helpers before I took on the role of Junior Welfare Officer, as well as sitting on the Committee. My background of working for BCP Council, most recently with local families in public libraries, has been really useful when settling in to the Welfare role.
When I’m not at the track, you can also find me at Upton Junior parkrun, where I am part of the core team.
Working with young people is so rewarding and it is great to get to know them and see them develop as athletes, which is why I am so pleased to be part of the Poole Runners team. If I can help with any Safeguarding or Welfare queries at all, please do not hesitate to contact me or speak to me at the track.
Ben Lees-Smith
I have been a member of Poole Runners for five years. I joined to make running more routine in my personal life, to learn from members and coaches, to meet new people and to take on the new opportunities and challenges that come around by being part of the club.
I’m normally part of the Wednesday club runs and join the occasional track session. Personally, I prefer the longer stuff. I’ve ticked off ten ultra marathons along Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, the Lake District and Comrades Marathon in South Africa. I was lucky enough to win the Club’s entry to the London Marathon in 2022 and have also completed Paris in 2023.
Professionally, I’m Head of Department for Outdoor Education and Educational Visit Coordinator at a Dorset Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). I take students offsite everyday to introduce and expose them to new locations, activities and career opportunities. The PRU has some of the most vulnerable children in Dorset on role, making safeguarding and wellbeing paramount in my day to day practice.
Poole Runners is full of friendly, approachable and knowledgeable members and I’d like to put myself in those categories. As Lead Welfare Officer for the Club, I’d welcome any questions, queries or concerns if ever the need should arise.
Contacting Poole Runners Welfare Officers
If you have a concern you wish to discuss with our Welfare and Safeguarding leads, please speak to the coaching staff for contact details, email the club secretary, or email the welfare team directly at “welfare@poolerunners.co.uk”.
All issues will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.
Useful numbers
Pan Dorset Safeguarding Children’s Partnership :- https://pdscp.co.uk/ 01305 228866 NSPCC – 0808 800 5000