Building safer clubs: Supporting club welfare across the nation
The Sport Welfare Officer Network (SWO network) has been created to support National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and their local clubs to promote good practice and safer sport for all. The network is funded by Sport England through National Lottery funding.
The SWOs are working with key partners to develop a local approach to assisting and supporting club welfare officers, to create safer club and hub environments and improved experiences for children, young people and adults. Through the nationwide network of Active Partnerships, all clubs, hubs and the wider pentathlon community has the great opportunity to tap into the knowledge, experiences and support available from these SWOs. With vast understanding and know-how across a range of areas such as event support and delivery, training sessions and camp guidance, risk assessments, safeguarding and welfare support; find out how your local SWO can help enhance the great work already carried out in our pentathlon clubs and hubs across the UK.
What’s the impact?
The Sport Welfare Officers will help create safer sport for all by:
• Providing additional, local support for club welfare officers
• Signposting clubs to the right advice and guidance
• Working with club welfare officers to create a safer culture within their organisation
• Facilitating local training opportunities and events
• Creating networks so that volunteers and staff feel better connected and informed
• Recognising, sharing and developing best practice
• Helping to raise awareness of safeguarding and welfare for young people and adults at local events
How Pentathlon GB is working with the network
Di Murray, Pentathlon GB’s Safeguarding and Welfare lead, is working with the SWO network to positively impact our clubs and hubs by developing local links amongst the sporting community.
SWO can:
• Share and promote safeguarding best practice
• Support events/ competitions
• Connecting and sharing best welfare practice at a local level
SWO cannot:
• Manage safeguarding or discipline concerns, this remains the responsibility of Pentathlon GB
Hopefully soon you will start to see SWO’s in and around pentathlon activities, from club and hub support to helping with the safeguarding at all local club and hub organised pentathlon events.
Please speak with Di Murray via safeguarding@pentathlongb.org to set up and introduction and help connect you with your local SWO.
