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:
Megan Thompson
I have been a member of Poole Runners for almost 6 years. I love meeting friends at parkrun on Saturday mornings and the occasional Sunday junior parkrun with my two children , who are 7 and 4 years old. I enjoy going to The Plod on Monday evenings, Wednesday club runs and taking part in the club champs when I can. I am Deputy Manager at a day opportunities centre, supporting adults with complex medical and learning disabilities. Therefore, safeguarding and supporting the welfare of those around me, are at the forefront of almost everything I do within a working day. I love that Poole Runners is such a friendly and supportive club with so many inspiring members. I look forward to hopefully, giving something back as I step into the Lead Welfare role and I hope everyone will see me as approachable, if ever the need should arise.
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Megan Thompson
Poole Runners Welfare Officers
Useful numbers
Pan Dorset Safeguarding Children's Partnership :- https://pdscp.co.uk/ 01305 228866 NSPCC – 0808 800 5000