Club Handbook

Albatross Diving Club Equality Plan

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. Albatross Diving Club is committed to treating everyone equally within the context of diving and associated training activities, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or political persuasion. The Club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person, be they adult or child, treating everyone equally within the context of the sport.

To achieve this, it has a formal Equity Policy stated below. In recognition of its responsibilities in following this Policy it sets itself the following objectives:

  • When producing promotional material used by the Club it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that it incorporates the principals of sport equity as defined by Swim England. In recruiting volunteers to the Committee and coaching staff it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that the Equity Policy is adhered to recognising the need to address the local diverse community which we serve. This material and our relationships with Reading Borough Council, Facility Operators and other aquatic users will serve to ensure that all local ethnic and social groups have equal access to the sport.
  • Admissions procedures for new members are designed in accordance with the principals of sport equity as defined by Swim England. It is the responsibility of the Chair through the Membership Secretary and Coaches to ensure that procedures relating to Admissions are followed. The Club have built strong relationships with other aquatic disciplines in the area and share policy and best practice through Club forums. The Committee incorporates both Welfare and Disability Liaison Officers which have expertise in ensuring access to children with learning difficulties which, in diving, are those more likely to demonstrate disabilities rather than those presenting physical disabilities which may not be safe in a diving arena.
  • Albatross Diving Club Committee under the guidance of the Chair and Treasurer annually review the fee structure and propose supported changes to the AGM for ratification by the members in May/ June each year to ensure that its fee structure is designed to be accessible to as many potential members as is possible. Similarly, the principal of sport equity shall be a key consideration during any review of club fee structure.
  • Coaches and the Committee through the Welfare Officer and Chair ensure that the use of discriminatory or abusive language, spoken or written in social media, is always corrected with disciplinary procedures being implemented if necessary. Albatross Diving Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour from any member (coach, diver, or parent) seriously, according to these disciplinary procedures. The Welfare Officer and Membership Secretary ensure that all members of Albatross Diving Club have a responsibility to challenge discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity. It is the responsibility of the Chair and Welfare Officer to ensure that all Coaches and Volunteers are signed up to the Swim England Code of Ethics.
  • It is the responsibility of the Executive Committee to ensure that all volunteers, whether Committee or Coaches, receive appropriate training for their position and that appropriate succession planning is undertaken. Annual reviews are undertaken to establish need and, where possible, economically viable training is pursued either as a club group or, through building relationships with other Clubs, through joint ventures locally or through the Swim England SE Talent Scheme SEEDS.

Albatross Diving Club is committed to treat everyone equally within the context of diving and associated training activities, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or political persuasion. It respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person, be they adult or child, treating everyone equally within the context of the sport. As an organisation affiliated to Swim England Albatross Diving Club has adopted Wavepower 2020/23 Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and it has Codes of Conduct that adhere to those contained within Wavepower.

As a club we work to ensure that the principals of sport equity, as defined by Sport England, are incorporated in all aspects of our activities. Albatross Diving Club respects the spirit of the sport adhering to the rules in and out of the pool incorporating the concept of friendship and respect for others. It adheres to Swim England’s Equality Policy, its Rules and Regulations and the British Swimming Anti-Doping Rules:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure that it becomes equally accessible to all members of society, whatever their age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, or socio-economic status.

Albatross Diving Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and abuse.

To this end

  • All promotional material used by the club shall incorporate the principals of sport equity as defined by Sport England and promote the positive aspects of the sport.
  • Admissions procedures for new members are designed in accordance with the principals of sport equity as defined by Sport England.
  • Albatross Diving Club shall work to ensure that its fee structure is designed to be accessible to as many potential members as is possible. Similarly, the principal of sport equity shall be a key consideration during any review of club fee structure.
  • Albatross Diving Club will not tolerate the use of inappropriate or abusive language, inappropriate relationships, bullying, discrimination, or physical violence. The club will promote the reputation of the sport and never behave or encourage or condone others to behave in a manner that is liable to bring the sport into disrepute.
  • Members of Albatross Diving Club will accept responsibility for their own behaviour and conduct. The club will act on any incidence of discriminatory behaviour from any member (coach, diver, or parent) seriously, according to the club disciplinary procedures.
  • All members of Albatross Diving Club have a responsibility to challenge discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

Any club member who feels that any of these aspects of sport equity are not being followed is encouraged to do the following:
1. Speak to any coach.
2. Speak to the club Welfare Officer.
3. Contact Swim England

Equal Opportunity in Diving

‘Equal Opportunity is about celebrating difference and diversity and as such providing a structure for diving and associated dry land training that can respond to this in a proactive and positive manner’. Swim England

Albatross Diving Club is totally committed to the principals and practice of equal opportunities.

To this end we passionately believe that diving is a ‘sport for all’. It can and should be enjoyed and made accessible to everyone and to achieve this:

  • Albatross Diving Club is committed to work towards ensuring that diving is accessible to the many rather than the few.
  • Albatross Diving Club recognizes the need to acknowledge the diversity of provision that is required to ensure that all people, regardless of their race, sex/gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, social or economic background can access diving and develop at a level that is appropriate to them.
  • Albatross Diving Club recognizes that equal opportunity is about recognizing that people are different and therefore require different provision.
  • Albatross Diving Club recognizes the need to consult widely to respond to diversity.

Addressing Equal Opportunities

In addressing equal opportunities, Albatross Diving Club will respond to issues of equity by:

  • Recognising that Albatross Diving Club as an organisation – our volunteer coaches, committee members and divers – need to adapt and work flexibly to respond to the needs of a wide and diverse range of people.
  • Take positive action to increase the involvement from underrepresented groups in all aspects of our organisation: participation, coaching, committee etc.

Albatross Diving Club supports four key principals as being fundamental to ensuring that everyone can participate in diving and the achievement of equality of opportunity:

Entitlement: People have a right to participate in and access quality and appropriate experiences within diving

Accessibility: It is the responsibility of our club, our coaches and committee members to, whenever possible, work to adapt provision to fit the needs of the many.

Inclusion: Wherever and whenever possible, we shall work to ensure all members access the same quality of provision appropriate to their need and if necessary, to use positive action to ensure this:

Integrity: Whatever we do as a diving club to change or adopt provision, it must be, wherever possible, of equal worth, challenging, relevant and in no way patronising.

Valuing Diversity

Albatross Diving Club is working to value diversity. To this end we aspire to develop a coaching team and committee whose composition reflects that of the broader community in terms of gender, ethnicity, and disability. To bring about this diversity we undertake to:

  • Provide full and fair considerations for all job, role, and applications within the club.
  •  Assist all our club members to realise their full potential by ensuring that they receive fair consideration for all training and personal development opportunities.
  • Maintain full records in coach development, diver training etc and use this information as a means of identifying areas of inequality.
  • Regularly review our policies relating to coaching practice and training opportunities to ensure that they are fair and reflect current best practice.

Albatross Diving Club as a Membership Organisation.

Albatross Diving Club is committed to encouraging membership from all sectors of the community. To achieve this, we undertake to:

  • Promote an open and honest culture that values diversity.
  • Communicate widely, ensuring that our messages can be understood and appreciated by all.
  • Positively encourage the involvement of all people, regardless of their gender, race, disability, age, and social background.
  • Work to redress the effects of discrimination.
  • Strive to change attitudes and working practices to ensure that everyone can feel a valued member of our club.

Coaches and coaching assistants

Our dive coaches and assistant coaches strive to:

  • Establish and implement professional and ethical values and practice.
  • Promote and apply the principals and practices of equal opportunities.
  • Promote positive images of people with special needs.
  • Have a commitment to providing entitlement and access to all their professional activities.
  • Encourage high expectations and standards of achievement from all they teach.
  • Involve everyone in meaningful and appropriate activity to ensure a quality experience.
  • Help everyone to achieve their full potential.

Committee members

Our committee members are expected to:

  • Adopt, promote, and practice the values of Swim England.
  • Ensure that participation can be enjoyed by all.
  • Provide meaningful and appropriate experiences within which ever area they are working, which recognise and value the diversity of the participants.
  • Actively encourage the participation and involvement of people from disadvantaged groups of the community.

DECLARATION

Albatross Diving Club hereby adopts and accepts this Equity Plan as a current operating guide regulating the actions of members.

Name: Bridget Gibson, Club Chair
Date: 1 January 2021