Tynemouth Amateur Swimming Club

Volunteering and Recruitment Policy

Bushey ASC Mission Statement

A small friendly, inclusive club encouraging sound swimming technique and providing the opportunity to improve through structured teaching, training, assessment and competition with qualified instructors in local facilities.

Policy Statement

It is the aim of Bushey Amateur Swimming Club (the club) to actively recruit volunteers from within the club and the wider community to ensure that the club provides a safe and friendly environment to assist every swimmer to reach their full potential.

The club relies on volunteers to meet these aims and will work tirelessly to ensure that there are always a sufficient number of volunteers working within the club.

This policy will be applied to all Parents/Guardians/Adults wishing to help BASC and is applicable to all jobs/positions within BASC.

In addition the club recruits new swimmers through a number of routes which can include; referrals from private swimming schools, referrals from local authority learn to swim schemes, schools swimming programmes and word of mouth.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of all members of the club to approach individuals (e.g. parents and relatives of swimmers) to discuss opportunities with the club with potential volunteers.

It is the responsibility of the Workforce and Development Coordinator to seek volunteers from the wider community and to liase with voluntary associations.

It is the responsibility of the Welfare Officer and Workforce and Development Coordinator to ensure the safety of all children in the club by requiring that appropriate checks are carried out on volunteers.

It is the responsibility of the Workforce and Development Coordinator to liaise with appropriate organisations who provide formal training, workshops and seminars and to ensure that these opportunities are brought to the attention of volunteers.

It is the responsibility of the Workforce and development Coordinator to ensure that appropriate inductions are in place depending on the role being carried out.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018 Positions Within the Club

On Poolside: Teachers Coaches Assistant Teachers Poolside Helpers Gala Whips Lifeguards Squad Manager

Officiating: Timekeepers Judges Referees Starters

Club Galas/Timetrials: Meet Manager Marshals

Club Management: Secretary Chairperson Treasurer Welfare Officer Communications Officer Competition Secretary Schools Liaison Officer Disability Liaison Officer Membership/registration Officer Social Events Officer Fund Raising Officer Swim21 Coordinator

Job descriptions for these roles are available on the club website if appropriate:

www.busheyasc.org

There are many tasks associated with each of these positions and it may be the case that volunteers can officer assistance with specific tasks rather than an entire role. Volunteers in this position are very welcome and will become members of sub-committees (e.g. Finance Sub-Committee). Other opportunities are also available such as manning entrance at home galas, helping arrange social events, selling raffle tickets.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018 How Do We Recruit

The club with use every method available to it to recruit volunteers but in the main will use the following:

By individual approach Posters The club Newsletter The club Website Working with external voluntary organisations Local press Herts area resources

If you are interested, contact us for an informal chat so we can find out what interests you, how much time you’d like to give and what you’d like to get involved with.

Safer Recruitment

All volunteers who will be working directly with swimmers will be required to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Enhanced Disclosure and will be required to attend Sports Coach UK child protection training. Further information on the Criminal records Bureau can be found on: www.disclosure.co.uk or www.crb.gov.uk

All volunteers will also be expected to comply with and must have undergone any necessary administrative clearances as laid down by any relevant legal or governing body. Specifically (but not limited to), those who will be working directly with swimmers will undergo an induction process, depending on the job they will be doing. This covers the main policies of the Club and ASA including its Code of Ethics, Health and Safety arrangements, your training needs etc.

Volunteers will not be allowed on poolside, or other areas which involve close contact with children, until the necessary clearance is received.

Who do we recruit?

We welcome anyone who is keen! Most of our current volunteers are swimmers, ex- swimmers and parents of swimmers but we are working to widen our catchment area.

We also offer opportunities for teenagers who wish to complete either the skills or service elements of their Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018 What sort of training do we offer?

Formal training - the club provides two types of training opportunities:

 Teaching/Coaching – leading to ASA qualifications for Club Helper, Assistant Teacher, Teacher. If you want to go further we can offer opportunities to do your coaches qualification. We can also help you to attend workshops and seminars on a wide variety of swimming related topics.  Officiating – the club offers ASA qualifications for timekeepers, judges, referees and starters.

Informal training – we can let you work alongside an experienced teacher or coach to gain experience before you go on to the next level of qualification.

Training Provision

The club will ensure that appropriate training opportunities are given to all volunteers:

Teaching/Coaching – leading to Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) qualifications for Club Helper, Assistant Teacher, teacher and Club Coach. Assistance is also available to help volunteers to attend workshops, seminars and conferences on a wide variety of swimming related topics.

Officiating – leading to ASA qualifications for timekeeping, judging, refereeing and starting.

Club Management – The club will assist volunteers to attend workshops, seminars and conferences on a wide variety of swimming related topics.

Other informal training opportunities can be arranged within the club – shadowing, mentoring which experienced appropriate officers will carry out.

Resource Implications and Expectations

Volunteering need not cost you anything but your time. The time required will vary depending upon the role being carried out. An estimate of the expected time required for each role is contained with the job description. It must be noted that this is a general guide only.

If any volunteer wishes to take any teaching, coaching or officiating exams then the club will meet the cost of these. In return the club will expect the volunteer to sign an agreement to provide their services to the club for a period of at least 12 months.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018 Support

All new volunteers or people interested in volunteering will be given the opportunity to work alongside or shadow an appropriate more experienced officer of the club until they feel able to carry out the duties expected of them.

Club helpers will always work under the supervision of a teacher. Our club coach will supervise assistant teachers. Officials can gain practical experience by working alongside a qualified official until ready to take the practical exam. All volunteers should pay the relevant ASA membership fee which means you are covered by the Club’s Insurance.

Can I afford it?

Volunteering need cost you nothing but your time – this is especially true of the committee posts. If you want to take any teaching/coaching or officials exams the club will reimburse you for the cost of the course.

I might be interested ….

We can offer you the chance to shadow someone who is already doing the job, to let you get a feel for it.

Useful Documents and Further Information

All club policies can be found on the club website and include:

 ASA Child Protection Policy  Club Code of Conduct (swimmers)  Club Code of Conduct (parents)  ASA Code of Ethics

Who do I contact?

Ask any Committee member who will arrange for the Workforce and Development Coordinator to meet with you.

Further information on swimming can be found on the British Swimming website: www.britishswimming.org.uk

Please note that any views expressed by any individual do not necessarily represent those of BASC and the club accepts no responsibility for any opinions, views or information imparted by an individual. Any member or other interested party should refer to the club’s official policies as published on www.busheyasc.org for the club’s position on a matter. Should that not cover the issue, then a formal request to the committee for consideration at the following committee meeting is required.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018 BUSHEY AMATEUR SWIMMING CLUB

RECRUITMENT OF VOLUNTEERS – STATEMENT OF PRACTICE

Recruitment of Volunteers for Bushey ASC is primarily the responsibility of the Workforce and Development Coordinator (see job description), whose job it is to match skills with job requirements.

The Club has a volunteer recruitment policy which forms the basis for our recruitment.

Recruitment is mainly aimed at older swimmers, ex-swimmers, parents/grandparents, guardians of swimmers and parents/grandparents/guardians of ex-swimmers. We are very conscious of the need to protect children and therefore, we are proceeding very cautiously regarding recruitment from outside our club.

www.busheyasc.org Produced: 28 April 2018