COPGC Policy Documents

• Encourage your child to learn the rules and participate within them.
• Discourage challenging / arguing with officials.
• Publicly accept officials' judgements.
• Help your child to recognise good performance, not just results.
• Set a good example by recognising good sportsmanship and applauding the good performances of all.
• Never force your child to take part in sport.
• Always ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the activity and has plenty to drink.
• Keep the club informed if your child is ill or unable to attend sessions.
• Endeavour to establish good communications with the club, coaches and officials for the benefit of all.
• Share any concerns or complaints about any aspect of the club through the approved channels.
• Use correct and proper language at all times.
• Never punish or belittle a child for poor performance or making mistakes.
• Always collect your child promptly at the end of a session.
• Support your child's involvement and help them to enjoy their sport.
• Never coach your child from the side-lines or undermine the coach of the session.
• Accept officials judgement of level of competition, without challenge.
• Participate in all available competitions that your child is advised to take part in.
• If you have a grievance or dispute you would like resolving, please contact the head coach Charlotte Coles. If you would like to speak with your child's coach, this should be done at an appropriate time, not when classes are running.

• The essence of good ethical conduct and practise is summarised below. All Club Coaches, Officials and Volunteers must:-
• Consider the well-being and safety of participants before the development of performance.
• Develop an appropriate working relationship with performers based on mutual trust and respect.
• Hold the appropriate, valid qualifications and insurance cover.
• Make sure all activities are appropriate to the age, ability and experience of those taking part and ensure all participants are suitably prepared physically and mentally when learning new skills.
• Display consistently high standards of behaviour and appearance, dressing suitably and not using inappropriate language at any time whilst involved with club activities.
• Never consume alcohol immediately before or during training or events.
• Obtain prior agreement from the parent/guardian of performers before transporting them anywhere (training/competitions).
• Never have performers stay overnight at your home.
• Never exert undue influence over performers to obtain personal benefit or reward.
• Always report any incidents, referrals or disclosures immediately, following the appropriate guidelines set out in the BG Child Protection procedures.
• Never condone rule violations or use of prohibited substances.
• Make sure that confidential information is not divulged unless with the express approval of the individual concerned.
• Promote the positive aspects of the sport (e.g. fair play).
• Encourage performers to value their performances and not just results.
• Follow all guidelines laid down by BG and City of Preston Gymnastics Club.

We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the well-being of all our members. The club believes it is important that members, coaches, administrators and parents associated with the club should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the safety and welfare of others. Therefore, members are encouraged to be open at all times and share any concerns or complaints that they may have about any aspect of the club with any of the Club Welfare Officers.

• As a member of City of Preston Gymnastics Club you are expected to abide by the following club rules:
• All members must participate within the rules and respect coaches, judges and their decisions.
• All members must respect opponents and fellow club members.
• Members should keep to agreed timings for training and competitions or inform their coach, or if they are going to be late.
• Members must wear suitable attire for training and events as agreed with the coach. Keep all long hair tied back. Remove all body jewellery.
• Members must pay any fees for training or events promptly.
• Members must not smoke, consume alcohol or take drugs of any kind whilst representing the club at competitions or other events.
• Members should treat all equipment with respect.
• Members must inform the head coach of any injuries or illness they may have before the warm-up begins.
• Members should not eat or chew gum during a session.
• Members must not use bad language.
• Members should remain with coaches at the end of a session until collected by their parent or guardian.

The following is the companies' social networking policy. The absence of, or lack of explicit reference to a specific site does not limit the extent of the application of this policy. Where no policy or guidelines exist, volunteers, club members, parents and social users should use their with the head coach Charlotte Coles if you are uncertain.

• Personal blogs should have clear disclaimers that the views expressed by the author in the blog are the authors alone and do not represent the views of the company. Be clear and write in first person. Make your writing clear that you are speaking for yourself and not on behalf of the company.
• Information published on your blog(s) should comply with the company's confidentiality and disclosure of proprietary data policies. This also applies to the comments posted on other blogs, forums and social networking sites.
• Be respectful to the company, other employees, customers, partners and competitors.
• Social media activities should not interfere with work commitments, refer to IT resource usage policies.
• Your online presence reflects the company. Be aware that your actions captured via, posts, comments can reflect that of our company.
• Do not reference or site company clients, partners or customers without their express consent. In all cases, do not publish any information regarding a client during the engagement.
• Respect copyright laws, and reference or cite sources appropriately. Plagiarism applies online as well.
• Company logos and trademarks may not be used without written consent.

In addition to protecting children in the club, members of any club or organisation have a responsibility to that organisation, its staff, officials, and other members to maintain a positive image of the organisation. This extends to the use of social media publication. Parents are encouraged to monitor their children’s use of social media in order to protect them and guide them in its appropriate use.

The purpose of this policy is:

To ensure that relationships between coaches and gymnasts remain professional.

To protect gymnasts, coaches and parents from allegations of inappropriate conduct.

To ensure that there are clear guidelines for parents, coaches and gymnasts concerning the use of social media/text messaging?

To preserve the reputation and positive image of the club, its staff, volunteers and members City of Preston Gymnastics Club discourages parents from interacting with gymnasts other than their own children via social media/text message.

The following guidelines refer to any posts, photographs, video, status updates and any other item that can be published on social media, which mentions or directs attention to City of Preston Gymnastics Club.

• Coaches, parents and gymnasts alike should never post remarks, photographs, and videos disparaging comments or comments that could be perceived as such about the club, coaches, officials or other gymnasts. This applies to private text messaging as well as all social media and instant messaging services. This will be deemed unacceptable and the person posting will be removed from accessing all information and access to City of Preston gymnastics social media areas.
• Gymnasts and parents should avoid posting any remarks, photographs or video that could be disparaging or embarrassing to another gymnastics club, its members, coaches or officials.
• Gymnasts should avoid social chat with club coaches or officials via any instant messaging or text service.
• Gymnasts or parents should inform the club if at any point they notice a contravention to these guidelines or the guidelines for coaches and officials.
• Parents/Gymnasts must not upload Photographs/Videos to any social media sites if they contain other gymnasts than their own child without prior consent from their parent/guardian.
• Parents/Gymnasts must not upload Photographs/Videos to any social media sites if they contain club coaches/officials/volunteers without their prior consent.
• Parents/gymnasts should not contact any coaches or official whilst they are in their own/free time under any circumstances.
• Parents/gymnasts Slanderous comments or comments of a derogatory nature will be challenged by the management of the club and dealt with appropriately.

Please also note the following guidelines for Coaches and Officials:

• Coaches and officials should avoid chatting to gymnasts via any instant messaging service.
• If you receive any messages/requests from Gymnasts by way of Social Networking/Chat/Text please do not respond to the child directly, please respond via their parents, or let the Club Welfare Officer know.
• Coaches and Officials should not text gymnasts in their care for any reason, except for cases where the express permission has been sought and given by the parent. Please always communicate through the parent.

Coaches and officials could face serious consequences if it is found that young people in their care have been exposed to inappropriate material/content via their social media pages.

• The City of Preston Gymnastics Club is committed to exemplary standards of conduct through the principles of equity and good moral and ethical frameworks.
• The club will encourage individuals from all communities to become involved at all levels of participation, coaching, officiating and management.
• The club will ensure that all members and staff adhere to the following equity principles.
• All persons must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human being.
• All individuals must be treated fairly and equally regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religion or political persuasion or disability.
• Equity must permeate throughout strategic and development plans.
• An equal professional service will be provided for all participants and discrimination through race, gender or disability will not be tolerated.
• Sexual and racial harassment and discrimination will be prohibited.

The City of Preston Gymnastics Club is committed to ensuring that those working with children and vulnerable adults adopt best practice to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the participants and staff.

The club will endeavour to promote the highest standards of care for all members, staff and officials by:

• The adoption of the BG Health, Safety and Welfare guidelines.
• The adoption of the BG guidelines for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable adults.
• The appointment of a Welfare Officer (Child Protection Officer) to whom grievances or complaints can be made confidentially.
• Ensuring that staff is suitably trained in Child Protection and Health, Safety and Welfare issues.
• Ensuring that coaches and officials have been screened to confirm their suitability to work with children. Where appropriate this will include Data barring Service.
• Ensuring that best coaching practice guidelines are followed at all times.
• Ensuring that grievances or complaints are dealt with promptly and in accordance with the grievance procedures.
• Ensuring that a minimum of two responsible adults is present at all training sessions or events.
• Ensuring that the participants and/or parents are aware of the purpose of filming or photography during training or events.
• Having a zero tolerance level or poor practice, bullying or any potential form of abuse.
• Social media will not be used as a platform to slander the club or any member of city of Preston Gymnastics Club.