While the government has not yet given the green light to the wider reopening of facilities and the restarting of recreational sport, Sport England is expecting further movement on both of these areas in the coming days and weeks.
It's therefore important that we prepare for government changes to resuming our sport now, as far as possible, and that these changes enable and support those whose activity levels have suffered the most during the lockdown.
Sport England has published a range of resources today to help achieve this, which will help plan?for a safe and inclusive return, and support the sector to keep staff, volunteers, members and participants informed of their responsibilities around social distancing. They will work alongside existing and forthcoming government guidance.
There's support for sports clubs and organisations, directly?on the Club Matters website including:
- Reopening toolkit - this includes?information?on how your club/organisation?can plan its?return to sport, with advice on what you?need to think about across different areas such as reopening your facility and protecting your?people.
- Risk register template - this template, with a dedicated user guide, is designed to help your club/organisation?introduce or update your?practices regarding how you manage risks.
- Creating a risk assessment - this draws from the current Health and Safety Executive advice and provides step-by-step guidance to help organisations address risk, including coronavirus-specific considerations.
- Social distancing guidance - this resource covers the different practices and considerations your club/organisation?may need to introduce so that social distancing can be implemented in line with current government advice.
On the Club Matters website you will also find resources from Activity Alliance, EMD UK and CIMSPA.
The resources on the Sport England website include:
- Inclusion and accessibility guidance - helping you to understand the government guidance for different groups, how you can engage and reassure specific audiences who may be nervous of returning and how to ensure your facilities are, and remain, accessible to all when allowed to reopen.
- Support for the professional workforce - including advice on staffing considerations for when the safe reopening of facilities is allowed, as well as news on support available from the government and links to resources such as training and development opportunities.
- Volunteering guidance - setting out some of the main considerations to help your volunteers return safely, well-informed and prepared.
- Managing liability and risk guidance - to give providers, be they clubs, governing bodies, community groups or regional associations, advice on what issues need considering and how they might tackle them in order to safely return to play.
