Do you want to be recognised as a QUALITY club in South Gloucestershire?
If so, then you need to be working towards Sport England's Clubmark scheme, which recognises sports clubs that create safe, high-quality and welcoming environments for young people, has achieved its 2012 goal to accredit 10,000 clubs 13 months ahead of schedule.
Introduced in 2002, Clubmark accreditation recognises the role sports clubs play in encouraging young people to take up sport, learn new skills, fulfil their potential and maintain lifelong participation.
It recognises best-practice and compliance with minimum operating standards in:
- Club management
- Safeguarding and protecting children and young people
- Creating the right combination of coaching, training and competition
- Promoting a child-friendly culture appropriate to the local community
Clubmark continues to go from strength to strength, with clubs reaping tangible benefits such as increased participation, support developing coaches and volunteers, and improved links with schools.
Accredited clubs also receive marketing and communications support and help in adopting more organised systems and structures to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
Sport England recognises and values the commitment made by sports clubs to develop high quality, welcoming environments for young participants. The development of clubs that encourage young people to take-up sport, improve their talents, possibly play a leadership role and give them the option to initiate and maintain life-long participation in sport is an essential part of supporting the sporting infrastructure in England.
Clubmark was introduced in 2002 by Sport England to:
• Ensure that accrediting partners apply core common criteria to ensure that consistent good practice and minimum operating standards are delivered through all club development and accreditation schemes.
• To empower parent(s)/carer(s) when choosing a club for their children.
• To ensure that Clubmark accredited clubs are recognised through a common approach to branding.
• To provide a focus around which all organisations involved in sport can come together to support good practice in sports clubs working with children and young people.
Clubs working towards accreditation can receive support and advice from their NGB and other partners such as West of England Sports Trust (Wesport) and South Gloucestershire Council Sports Development Team.
Circumstances will vary between clubs and sports but the process of accreditation is the same. There is only one set of paperwork to complete and in general most clubs are well on the way to achieving accreditation without realising it.
For more information on Clubmark and supporting bodies click on the links to the right of this page to