Our club constitution stipulates the primary object of the club as the furtherance of Rugby Union football. We interpret this to mean that equity and ethics are central to all aspects of the development of the club.

YORK RUFC

• Recognises the importance of affording equity, equal opportunity and fair treatment to all present and potential officers, players and members.
• Aims to ensure that all people irrespective of their age, gender, disability, race, religion, ethnic origin, creed, colour, nationality, social status or sexual orientation have a genuine and equal opportunity to participate in Rugby Union at all levels and in all roles. “At all levels and roles” includes as a beginner, participant or performer, and as a coach, official, referee, manager, administrator or spectator.

Furtherance of Rugby Union Football as declared in our constitution will include:

• Coaching, competitive and recreational playing and refereeing opportunities
• Promoting the club in the local and wider communities
• Ensuring a duty of care to all members of the club
• The fair treatment of everyone ensuring that all present and future members receive fair and equal treatment

2xChairmen and Management Committees, Head Coach, Team Managers, Coaches, Players and other Members

Head Coach, 2xChairman, Team Managers & Coaches, Officers of the Club

Schools Liaison Officer and Development Committee

Accreditation Secretary

Ongoing

Ongoing

Every six months

• Promote and support training and development for all Club Officers and Coaches in Equity & Ethics.

• Ensure that all those who participate in rugby union at the club, at all levels and in all roles, receive fair and equitable treatment, irrespective of their age, creed, colour, disability, ethnic origin, martial status, race, religion, or sexual orientation.

Excepting that: York RUFC may limit competitions to persons of specific age, gender or disability groups where this is necessary to ensure equitable, safe and equal competition under guidelines from the RFU/RFUW.

• Ensure good ethical conduct and practice amongst all coaches and volunteers, with training where appropriate.
• Develop and distribute to all present and future members a ‘welcome pack’ including a code of conduct for coaches, members and spectators. Distribute this to all current members, and henceforth to new members. Display on website and Club Notice Boards.
• Promote good ethical conduct and practice amongst parents. Develop and distribute a Parents' Code. Display on website and Club Notice Boards.

2xChairman, Child Protection Officer, Accreditation Secretary and other Officers of the Club where their roles dictate they can influence the implementation of the Club’s Policy.

Done

Annually, at time of the audit for further accreditation or prior to the AGMs.

• Develop a playing structure to ensure the various elements of the club - senior, youth, mini-midis - continue to thrive.
• Ensure opportunities to play for all players of all abilities
• Ensure that fixtures are appropriate to the ability of the individual teams at all levels through the club.
• Build “Fair Play” into the Youth Section training programme. “Man of the Match” award on match days and end of season awards to be awarded to “most improved” player and not simply the “best” player.
• End of season senior playing awards to include “best young player”.
• Build appropriate competitive opportunities at all levels. Juniors play matches on a friendly, non-league basis, but encourage engaging in Cup and Festival competitions. The aim for the First Team is a top four position in Yorkshire Div 1 whilst the Second Team is to achieve a top four position in the Merit Table and play to a standard to allow promotion of players to the First Team.
• Provide appropriate coaching for all levels
• Ensure the club’s rugby year, fixtures etc. take account of the RFU structured season to provide coaching opportunities for elite performers (county trials/development days etc.).

• Identify high performing junior players and give them the opportunity to train and play to the best of their ability and in the most competitive environment as possible subject to current RFU guidelines on age gradings.
• Recruit players via networking, overseas connections, plus player development through the YDS.
• Retain players through, reward and recognition of success, providing excellent facilities, good player to coach ratios, providing good management, and listen to regular feedback.

“

Junior & Senior Fixture Secretaries

Senior & Junior Rugby Playing Committees.

2xRugby Committees.

Club Coaching Co-ordinator

2xFixture Secretaries

Head Coach and All Lead Coaches

All Youth Section Lead coaches / Junior Chairman

Management Team + Youth Management Team.

Year end dinners, Development Plan,

Complete

Complete

Complete

Complete

Commencing in the 2006 07 season – ongoing

2006 – 07 season and ongoing

Ongoing – complete

Ongoing and complete

Annually – Honours Club Meeting

Annually

Annually

Annually

Annually

Annually

Annually

Annually

Develop present registration process to encompass:

• Registration forms included in Coaches’ Pack
• All playing children to be Registered with RFU
• Registration every practice and match day to ensure awareness of who and how many are in attendance
• Any individual health issues to be brought to attention of coaches/First Aiders
• New attendees are logged and put forward for registration with RFU
• Personal Details Form to be completed for every child to include emergency contact details and relevant personal health issues.
• Accident/Near Miss Log to be held for any incidents occurring.

• All Lead Coaches, Asst. Coaches and volunteer helpers to pass the CRB process.
• All Lead Coaches, Asst. Coaches and volunteer helpers to undertake appropriate training courses e.g. a ‘working with children’ course or an ‘equity in your coaching’ course.
• Develop a ‘Coaches’ pack’ to include:
• Registration forms
• Squad (attendance/subs) register
• Squad contact details + next of kin/guardian info.
• Medical forms (blanks + completed)
• Risk assessment forms
• Injury/accident forms
• Fixture/results lists
• Key contacts
• Player/Parent/Spectator Codes of Conduct

• Develop list of responsibilities for all coaches and deputies to ensure they are aware of regular checks etc. To include:
• Ensure sufficient First Aiders available for number of children in attendance. (Invite St Johns Ambulance Service where necessary)
• Ensure First Aid Box available for all practice sessions and match days.
• Check all equipment to be used for signs of damage that may cause risk to children.
• Ensure all pitches, changing rooms and training areas are free from hazards and comply with risk assessments prior to use. Inform H&S Officer of any concerns

2xChairmen, CCC or CPO.

Youth Section Chairman and / or CCC.

Done

Done

Ongoing

Ongoing

• Identify First Aid specialists within the club / team parents/ supporters. Recruit them as volunteers for the club.
• Ensure there are sufficient qualified First Aiders to cover minis/junior sections. (Present First Aiders are qualified and list held.

• Appoint Club CPO
• Formalise and publish Child Protection Policy on notice boards and distributed to parents etc.
• Ensure Codes of Conduct (Players, Parents, Spectators) are well publicised and read in accordance with the guidance of ‘The RFU Policy and Procedures for the Welfare of Young People in Rugby Union.’
• All Lead Coaches, Asst. Coaches and volunteer helpers to pass the CRB process.

CPO

CPO

CPO

Done

Done

Done

Annually

Twice yearly

Annually

School Liaison

Promotion

• Junior section to work on developing club school links with local Secondary schools – primarily those schools closest to the Club.

• Establish link with York St. John College including coaching sessions.

• The Club will contribute to the cost of a Community Development Coach.

• The Club will continue to be an active participant in the York and Selby Action Group.

• The Club will make special effort to create a links with both Easingwold and Joseph Rowntree Schools.

Head Coach

2xChairmen

2xChairmen

SLC

Ditto

Ongoing

Ongoing

By April 2007

Six Monthly

Annually

Ditto

• Compile a coaching qualification database from mini level through to senior level

• All coaches to be developed in accordance with the RFU coaching structure that incorporates Tag, Community Leader and levels 1 through to 5.

• Implement a programme of ’coaching the coaches’ to ensure best practice is shared with all. This is to be done via Coaching Clinics organised within the club covering areas such as playing in specialist positions e.g. scrum half or fly-half, or units skills e.g. a front row clinic.

• The club should maintain its current coach - player ratio to ensure safe and high quality training sessions.

• Devise and implement a timetable for senior players to regularly assist with the coaching and development of mini and youth players

• Compile coaches’ job description to include general discipline, health and safety of players and kit / resources as well as coaching regimes to be included in the ‘Coaches’ Pack’.

• Once the database described in bullet point 1 above has been created, the Club will look at long-term coach development and include in this succession planning.

Head Coach and 2xChairmen

Head Coach and CCC

CCC

Chairman of Senior Section

Chairman of Youth Section and CCC.

CCC.

Ongoing

To be in place by Christmas 2006

Ongoing

Done

Done

Christmas 2006

Ongoing

Annually

Six Monthly

Six Monthly

Annually

Annually

PROPOSED NEW FACILITIES – THE NEW CLUBHOUSE

• Rugby Club to achieve CASC status

• Create / Appoint Devt. Committee

• Fundraising – create a separate plan and launch.

• Elect or co-opt members onto the Development Committee with professional expertise and experience relevant to our forthcoming redevelopment.

Nil

Nil

Management Committee

Development Committee

Senior Chairman

October 2006

Done

Done

Done

Sept 2006

On same schedule as committee meetings.

Ongoing

Each Section to audit their requirements during the close season and purchase items where necessary in time for season start in September.

TBA

Ditto

Done

May to August each year.

Area of activity

• The Club fully supports both the Yorkshire and North Yorkshire Referees Societies and currently provides 4 qualified referees to these Societies.

• Ensure everyone within the club is aware of the RFU codes of conduct regarding abuse of match officials. These codes to be printed in fixture books as well as being displayed on all sections notice boards, the web site and sent to all minis parents via the newsletter. Also include Parents’ and Players’ Packs and the match day programmes.
• Encourage players, coaches and parents of all levels to attend referee courses.
• Any breaches of the RFU code either by a home player/parent or an away supporter to be reported immediately to the appropriate Chairman and swift action to be taken by the club to ensure compliance.
• The Club will continue to use and promote a group of ‘home’ referees for home fixtures for the 3^rd and 4^th XVs.
• The Club will strive to achieve the ratio of 30:1 players to referees across the Club.

Senior Chairman and Secretary and 2xFixture Secretaries.

2xChairmen and CCC

All

Senior Chairman

All

Done

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

September 2007

Annually

Annually

Annually

6 monthly

Annually.

• Update Honours Board in clubhouse

• Produce and distribute introductory information and/or new members pack for new playing members and parents of young players.

• Redesign Club Membership Application form to reflect current membership categories, and to include Equal Opportunities information.

• All Officers, their names and Job Roles plus relevant contact information to be clearly displayed throughout Club on notice boards and via the new Club website when created.

• Chairmen of the two sections of the Club to meet on a monthly basis to discuss all relevant Club issues.

£250

Relevant Club Officer.

Incumbent Club Officers in conjunction with relevant sections

2xSecretaries

2xChairmen

Done

Done

Ongoing

Ongoing

Annually

Update Annually as necessary

Update regularly as necessary

• Promote and enhance the club website. Adapt as necessary.

• The Club is to aim to recruit women to fill any administrative or coaching function within the Club and thus provide good female role models for prospective new members.
• The Club is to continue to promote rugby for girls in line with the Club’s stated position on equal opportunities and access to play the game for all.
• Encourage existing girl members of the youth Section to attend with other (girl) friends.
• Ensure that when the new Clubhouse is built the changing facilities are suitable for both male and female use and are able to be segregated.
• Continue to ensure that the club does not discriminate against any prospective player, helper or participant on the basis of their gender. See the section on Ethics and Equity.

Nil

£100

TBA

Nil

Ongoing

Season 2006 – 07

By 2008.

Ongoing

At Playing Committee Meetings.

Ditto.

At Devt. Committee Meetings.

Annually.

Area of activity

• Youth Section Chairman to actively encourage parents and guardians to participate in the development of the club. A volunteer list for each section to be developed, this is to include contact numbers and skills that the relevant person can bring to the table.
• The Club enrols all families and other participants as full members of the Club.

• Ensure all parents are invited to all club functions (by use of the Club’s mailing lists).

• Continue to hold the Club’s presentations, the Christmas party for the children as well as the ad hoc functions for each section.

• Continue to run the fund raising events for individual sides, encouraging parents and guardians to attend but also opening them up to a wider audience to encourage more volunteers.

• Organise an Annual Ball with all involved in the Club to be invited.

2xChairman

Club Managers

Youth Section Chairman

All

Done

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Ongoing

Yearly

Done by Membership Secretary all the time.

Annually

Annually.

• Establish a Volunteer database, linked in with the parent’s database, particularly noting the skills any particular person has.
• At the Annual Club Ball instigate an annual ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award.
• Develop and write a ‘Recruitment of volunteers’ plan
• Ensure “volunteers” do not become “workers” as defined by The National Minimum Wage Act 1998. i.e.:

• No obligation of the person to serve the club in any capacity.
• He/she is free to withdraw his/her services at any time
• Make clear that no payment/remuneration should be expected in return for work.

Ditto

2xSecretaries.

Joint Body Committee

March 2007

31^st December 2006

Ongoing.

Annually.