Archery GB is an inclusive sport and safeguarding is embedded into the structure and day to day running of affiliated clubs and organisations. We want to do everything we can to keep children, young people and vulnerable adults safe in archery.
Whilst as a sport we have made tremendous strides in recent years to meet the standards for safeguarding in sport, there is still more to do.
This area is constantly moving and it's important that coaches are equipped with the right tools to support children, young people and vulnerable adults and act with confidence. With the right training coaches can become aware of changes to legislation, recommended practice, signs to look for and how to respond in different scenarios.
From 1 January 2022 we are changing our policy for coach licence renewal to include the requirement to take part in safeguarding training every 3 years.
This change gives confidence to children, young people, vulnerable adults, parents and carers that their coaches can deal with any issues sensitively, appropriately and effectively.
We work closely with the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) and making this change aligns coaches with industry standards.
Clubs can play their part in creating a safe sport by ensuring that all their coaches are licensed, and as part of this, help their volunteer coaches to meet the costs of attending safeguarding training (which, depending on the course, varies from £15-30 per person).
At the point when the coach licence renewal is due, coaches can provide evidence (e.g. a copy of an attendance certificate) of completing safeguarding training within the last 3 years. The coach's record held on Archery GB's members' portal will be updated to record that training has taken place. We are also exploring ways that coaches can update their own profile.
A variety of safeguarding courses are available to coaches, provided by the NSPCC, Sport Scotland and UK Coaching. We have a produced a guide to help coaches choose the right training for their needs.
To find out more please read ‘A Guide to Safeguarding Training for Coaches' available at our dedicated webpage.
