Policies & Procedures
A key starting point in embedding equality is by creating an equality policy.
Developing and publicising an Equality Policy for the Club highlights the Club's position and commitment to ensuring equality is at the heart of its values. It is important to ensure all members are aware of the Club’s commitment to equality and its expected standards of behaviour.
You can adapt the template Equality Policy to create a policy for your Club.
All Club policies should be accessible, gender-neutral (inclusive of all gender identities) throughout and reviewed regularly. The Club should have Codes of Conduct in place to set EDI behavioural standards for all members.
Download codes of conduct template
The Club should have a Grievance policy in place which is linked closely to its various Codes of Conduct and the Equality and Anti-Discrimination policy to outline the process of making a complaint both informally and formally, along with the support available to victims of abuse and the repercussions for perpetrators.
Download Grievance policy template
Other specific examples of policies the Club can develop and implement to support member inclusion can include a disability policy, inclusive comms, inclusive language, transgender inclusion policy, faith policy etc. All policies should be reviewed, updated and communicated to its Members annually.
Opportunity for everyone
Equal Opportunities
If everyone is treated equally this means we ensure everyone has the same resources, support, information, equipment, choices, coaching opportunity, rules, training and education, facilities, pathways etc. Providing equal opportunities at your Club will enable you to broaden your reach to a wider range of communities in your area and ensures everyone has the opportunity to join and participate.
Fairness
Equal Playing time
Give all players, whatever their ability, the chance to play. All players in the squad should have a minimum of 50% playing time when participating in matches.
Equality in recruitment
All recruitment practices throughout the Club should reflect its commitment as an equal opportunities “employer” and the Club should have a comprehensive Recruitment and Selection Policy that ensures equal opportunity and references equality and diversity within it. All opportunities should be publically promoted and all potential candidates or volunteers should go through a recruitment process.
playing provision
Identify ways your Club can adapt and modify existing opportunities to include a wider spectrum of people in its activities. Complete an audit of the range of different opportunitites offered by your Club to participate in a playing or non-playing role to identify gaps in the types of choices being offered. Invite local community groups to discuss what choices and opportunitites they would like at your Club. Think about your role in facilitating improved choices for people in your community. Take small actions to modify existing practices so that more choices are offered. Some examples might be:
- Providing walking football
- Women & girls
- Disability football specific
The Providing provision across the inclusion spectrum guide provides more information about the types of provision that your Club can offer to include more people in its activities.
