Policies & Procedures

ASHFORD LTC uses appropriate means to advertise for volunteers, taking into account the principles of its equal opportunities and diversity policy.

 

The following areas are taken into consideration when recruiting a volunteer:

• Does the volunteer hold relevant and current qualifications for the role (if necessary)?
• Do they have the skills necessary to undertake the role?
• Do they have experience of working with the age group/level of player?
• Where was the previous experience gained?
• Does the volunteer agree to undertake any required training courses?
• Do they hold adequate insurance cover (if necessary)?

 

Potential volunteers will meet with the volunteer co-ordinator and/or a member of the management committee to assess their suitability for the role.  A full job specification is available for each volunteer role, complete with responsibilities and time commitment.  A criminal records check with the Criminal Records Bureau will be made (if the role involves working with children in any capacity) and references will be taken up.

An induction will be prepared and delivered by a member of the management committee. This will include:

• A job description of the role, complete with responsibilities and time commitments
• A list of all other management committee members, with role and responsibilities
• A copy of the following policies:
• Child protection
• Code of practice for working with children
• Equality and diversity
• Volunteer recruitment and retention
• Health and safety
• Complaints and feedback
• Any other relevant documentation for the specific role

The VOLUNTEER/COMMITTEE MEMBER (whether paid or unpaid) will receive support and regular supervision sessions from the chairperson of the management committee (or from another named management committee member).

The organisation has a valid insurance policy which you are advised to read.

 

Resolving problems

The relationship between ASHFORD LTC and its volunteer workers is entirely voluntary and does not imply any contract. However, it is important that ASHFORD LTCis able to maintain its agreed standards of service to members, and it is equally important that volunteers should enjoy making their contribution.

If your work as a volunteer does not meet with the organisation’s standards, these steps will be taken:

An initial meeting with the SECRETARY will explain the concerns.  If this does not resolve the concern, then a meeting with the chair of the management committee will be convened.  If your work still does not meet with the standards, then the management committee shall have to stop using your services.

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of your work you should:

Give an initial explanation of your dissatisfaction to the SECRETARY.  If that does not resolve the concern, then a meeting should be convened with the CHAIRPERSON.  If that does not resolve the issue, then a formal meeting with the chairperson of the management committee should follow.  If, after this, we are still unable to resolve your grievance, then it would be inappropriate for you to continue as a volunteer.

At all times, you will be free to state your case and a friend can accompany you.

This volunteer policy is freely accessible to all and will be reviewed on a yearly basis.

 

Example of generic volunteer roles and responsibilities

 

Role	Key Responsibilities
Chairperson	Well informed about the activities of the place to play, along with the financial position Able to keep the meeting to the agenda and make sure that all issues are covered Unbiased and impartial
Secretary	Be the first point of contact for all enquiries Organising and attending all management committee meetings Ensure all delegated tasks are actioned
Treasurer	Keeps up to date records of all the financial transactions Reports regularly to the management committee on the financial status Prepares year end statements of accounts to be presented to the auditor
Head Coach	Experience of setting up and delivering quality, comprehensive tennis programmes, which include competitive and coaching progressions for all ages and abilities Excellent communication and people skills Excellent organisational skills
Communications Co-ordinator	To raise the profile of the place to play locally (in the community) and in the county Make sure the website and information on the website is kept up to date Regularly attend and have a good understanding of all aspects of the programme and activities
Competition Co-ordinator	Work with the fixtures secretary and committee to schedule the club competition calendar Develop competition opportunities for all at the club Seasonally monitor and evaluate competition opportunities and report back to the committee or management team
Volunteer Co-ordinator	Confident and effective communicator Recruit, recognise, reward and retain volunteers Ensure that each volunteer understands their job and their role within the organisation
Junior Team Manager	Ensure the club is represented appropriately in available team competitions at a junior and adult level Be a point of contact for all junior team activity at the club Work with the club coach to select parent captains for each age group
Social Co-ordinator	Sociable! Motivated with an ability to motivate other key volunteers Bring all members together to develop and enhance relationships
Child Protection Officer	To act as a point of contact for any child protection concerns Confidentiality procedures/principles To record child protection cases in an effective and reliable way

 

Additional Guidance Notes

Recruiting NEW Volunteers

Ensure your administration is in order before you go any further:

• Create simple, job specifications for each specific role – see the basic templates in the ‘management’ resource section of the LTA website
• Remember to put some emphasis on having fun/being social and could offer a chance for individuals to re-use old skills, or learn new ones
• Produce features/articles about a particular role in the newsletter and/or on the website this will help bring the roles to life for potential volunteers
• Make sure you have a clear, transparent policy which encourages new faces into voluntary roles
• Fixed term appointments help in open recruitment so people know they will have the opportunity to apply for roles in the future
• Ensure you are ready to do a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check (if necessary)
• Make sure your management committee agrees with the recruitment plans
• Make sure information is sent out to all enquirers and that anyone answering the phone is aware that the place to play is looking for volunteers and what to do next

 

Recruiting Young Volunteers

Juniors form an important part of your development plan and therefore should form an important part of the volunteer workforce. Given the chance, young people will take on the responsibility and bring energy and enthusiasm to their voluntary roles. The junior co-ordinator should encourage youngsters to get involved in running tennis and social events, to help at practice sessions and to be responsible for some administrative functions of the junior section.

You may wish to consider the following if you are recruiting young people:

• Reflect the different motivations that young people will have to volunteer
• If possible, include young people in designing your recruitment campaign
• Concentrate on working with other local groups/organisations and peer-to-peer recruitment methods
• Use new media platforms to communicate messages (e.g. on the website)
• Work with Student Volunteering England to attract those still in education
• Work closely with educational institutions and school sport partnerships – they have often already done the recruitment and are looking for placements for their young people!

 

Additional Training for Young Volunteers

Tennis Leaders and Competition Organisers

The Tennis Leader Awards and Competition Organiser Course encourage young people to play an active role in their place to play or schools tennis programme.  Children 14+ years old can attend local courses and benefit from practical experience.  Tennis Leaders covers the basics of planning, organisation and communication through to media and communications.  Throughout the course they are encouraged to become further involved in tennis as a volunteer, coach or official.

The competition organiser course provides the basics of planning, organising and running low level, good quality competition.  Both courses are an excellent way to retain junior members, as well as enhance the human resource available to assist the coach, junior co-ordinator and competitions co-ordinator.

Coaches and teachers can complete a local one-day training course and then deliver the structured training awards courses.  For further details contact your local Tennis Development Manager.

 

Valuing and Retaining Volunteers

We often reward the players with ‘player of the season, ‘most improved player of the season’ and ‘fair play’ awards, but what do we do to recognise and reward the volunteers who ensure all that sport can take place?

For most places to play, volunteers are their lifeblood, and in some cases a facility wouldn’t be able to function without the tireless support they receive from their volunteers. So how can these efforts be acknowledged, and what are the best ways to reward volunteers for their contributions?

Ensuring people feel that their role and their actions are important can be enough, in terms of recognition, and should be seen as part of the recognition system. Actions that can be taken to support this type of recognition include the following:

• A simple thank you from a senior management committee member (the chairperson / president where possible) can be enough and this can be done in front of an audience or directly to the person(s) concerned
• Lunch on us – it need not be expensive but it is a special event which reflects the organisation’s appreciation of the hard work which has taken place on a particular project or event. Great for team building too!
• Awards for long service to an organisation are admirable and much valued by their recipients.  Think about linking awards to the goals within your development plan. Reward people who make a special contribution to the achievement of targets within your plan
• External awards – nominate volunteers for both place to play and external awards that recognise the contribution of volunteers
• Team branding – sweatshirts and T-shirts specifically designed for the volunteer group within a place to play can help to create a valuable team identity and to project a strong public image that these people are working hard
• A volunteer membership package – some examples include discounted membership fee for the year, discount vouchers for local sports shops or discounted tournament/match entry fees
• Expenses – think about reimbursing volunteers for the expenses e.g. travel and telephone calls

Recognising the worth of volunteers in more general terms is important, in terms of underpinning the recruitment and retention plans for volunteers.  If members understand the importance of the ‘backroom staff’, the roles and tasks they undertake and the fun they have in performing these roles, it will certainly be easier to recruit new volunteers in the future. How can you do this?

• Create a poster display on a notice board, showing different roles – see earlier role template
• Put features in external newspapers/newsletters.
• Appoint a volunteer co-ordinator, which ensures that members know how important volunteers are to the organisation

Most volunteers get intrinsic pleasure from volunteering, but we all like to be treated well and thanked when we have given our time up for free. It is an essential part of retaining your volunteer workforce – don’t leave it to chance!

 

Retaining Young Volunteers

First of all – don’t expect all young volunteers to stay forever! Many will go to university or you will lose them while they establish their career. However, if they have had a good experience, they are much more likely to stay or at least return to you (or tennis at another place to play) at a later date.

A great way to support, develop and retain volunteers is through having a young volunteer co-ordinator. This person sits on the management committee and has a particular responsibility to look after the young volunteers, perhaps acting as a mentor who keeps young volunteers motivated and busy.  It could be the head coach, especially if the young volunteers are Tennis Leaders or Competition Organisers, as the support of the coach will be vital.  Don’t be worried about giving young people responsibility if they want it.

 

Where do we find volunteers?

The most obvious place to look for volunteers is from within your membership or the wider family (e.g., parents), but do remember that there are lots of people out there who would like to volunteer in your organisation but aren’t aware that the opportunities are available. So remember to advertise don’t just rely on word of mouth or a list of vacancies on the notice board to attract volunteers.

Before you decide where to look for volunteers, decide what specific role you would like the volunteer to play, as this will help you identify the best method for recruitment and ensure you get the best person for the job, for example:

• If you are looking to rewrite your constitution or develop a business plan you may wish to look at organisations like ProHelp or Reach (both organisations are committed to making a difference in their local community by providing free advice and professional support)
• If you would like someone to hep promote your facility locally you may be best to use an existing member who has an understanding of the place and can therefore promote it effectively to the local community
• If you want someone to help manage the bar or develop a rota people who have registered with your local Community Service Volunteers (CSV) may be able to help

Some advertising ideas include:-

• Design a snappy leaflet or flyer to attract attention and send it with a mail shot to parents and families or even past members to see if you can attract them back
• Stage an active recruitment day to coincide with a popular event. At the active recruitment day make sure you have detailed role descriptions, offer flexible opportunities such as sharing roles and ask existing volunteers to talk about what they get out of volunteering
• Don’t forget to look outside – there are many places to look for volunteers. Some of the agencies that may help you in your search are listed at the end of this guidance note

 

Have you thought about looking for volunteers outside your place to play?

Lots of people want to volunteer for a variety of reasons. :-

• To build self confidence
• Meet new friends
• Try out new types of work
• Make a difference to other people’s lives
• Learn new skills
• Get training and qualifications
• Network
• Get satisfaction from doing something useful

 

Where to advertise?

Local Volunteer Centres provide support at a local level for individual volunteers and volunteer involving organisations. They have a list of volunteers in your local area and can promote opportunities:

• Volunteering England – http://www.volunteering.org.uk
• Community Service Volunteers (CSV) – http://www.csv.org.uk/Services/Need a Volunteer/
• Criminal Records Bureau – http://www.crb.gov.uk
• Do-it.org.uk – http://www.do-it.org.uk/needvolunteers
• ProHelp – http://www.prohelp.org.uk
• Reach – http://www.reach-online.org.uk
• TimeBank – http://www.timebank.org.uk

The role of the Communications Co-ordinator is to promote the place to play to the wider community with a view to widening the communities’ awareness, attracting new players and members or even attracting sponsorship.

 

What makes a good Communications Co-ordinator?

• Good communication skills
• Ability to write interesting and informative press releases
• Good IT skills to make sure quality newsletters and information can be produced
• Regular access to a computer
• Regularly attend and have a good understanding of all aspects of the programme and activities

 

Roles and Responsibilities

• To raise the profile of the place to play locally (in the community) and in the county
• To be available to talk to/build relationships with the local newspaper, radio station and magazines i.e. the local media – the better the relationship with the local media the more chance you have of coverage
• Make sure the website and information on the website is kept up to date
• Promote the place to play, events and news on the LTA places to play self service site
• Write press releases for distribution to local papers and magazines
• Produce a regular newsletter

 

Estimated Time Commitment

10 management committee meetings per annum, 1 AGM, other meetings as required

2 hour per week throughout the year

 

Key Relationships

Coach, Team Captains, Management committee, Local Press, Sports Editor, Place to play Sponsor, LTA, County LTA Office

 

BEST PRACTICE TIPS!

 

Press Release
As a rule of thumb, a press release should be no longer than two A4 sides of paper.  It should be a call to action with a snappy headline and where possible, fun; journalists have to sift through hundreds of stories before they get to yours!  Remember, write like a journalist; the less work they have to do the more likely it is they will use your story.

When you’re writing the introduction, follow the 5 “W” rule: What, Why, Who, Where, When.  Always clear out the top line of a release; it should just have the ‘news’ hook. All other irrelevant info should be much further down. Ensure your contact details are clearly labeled and that if you send out a release, you are easily contactable if a journalist calls.  Nothing will annoy a journalist more than not being able to get through to you. Never email photos to the news desk, as you’ll just clog up their system.

Only send pictures on request.  If you include a quote, there should be a reason for it; lively language can be used because it’s attributed to the person you are quoting. Make sure your key messages are weaved in, as often the release will be chopped, but the quote will remain the same.  Try to put words before figures e.g. a tiny 3% thought…a massive 48% believe…this will bring your release to life.

Finally, where possible, always send the release with a personal note. The journalist is more likely to feel like the story is an exclusive. If you are targeting a picture desk, pull together a photo call notice. Follow the same rules as a press release, but a photo call notice should be even shorter, 1 page maximum. Set out clearly the date, venue, time and point of the photo opportunity.

 

Getting Your Story Covered

Think local, local, local!  Media thrive on local stories and news so always ensure you have a local angle before getting in touch.  National stories, unless they have local relevance and spin, such as a local player or tournament, won’t make the cut.  In general, regional stories are also out.  Local media will not be interested in a story about Wales or Scotland, unless again, you can pull out a local interest.

Always have a local case study, spokesperson and where possible, local statistics available to add weight and credibility to your story.  Local case studies are probably the most important factor to consider when achieving local coverage. They make a story real and aroused by the media to tell a story. A local case study is someone or something with which the community can identify with … a person that lives in the same place, goes to the same shops, a local park which people visit regularly.  Popular case studies are people in the tennis world that can offer an interesting story and / or are hard to get access to, e.g. an up and coming junior player, top coach in your place to play.

Sit down with your case study and write down their story. Share with them the finished product, and make sure they are happy. Always record their signature for consent. Edit this down to a synopsis and use as a hook for your local media. Only send media top line information, not the whole story as you need them to bite.

You will be responsible for managing the process and setting up interviews between case studies and journalists. Never give a journalist a case study’s private contact details; you need to be the broker so that the journalist comes back to you in the future. Have a bank of varied case studies ready and available. Spend sometime speaking to coaches and players of all ages / men and women, to build this bank up.

Make sure your story stands out

Organise photography – the press always like to put a face to a name.  Be sure to get prior consent from the case study before the picture issued in the press. Think what would make an interesting photo e.g. an action shot of a game, a coach at work.  Always invite a photographer along to your event, if you can send this off to the press with a story they are much more likely to cover it.

Never offer the same case study to different media. The media will not use a case study that has already been used locally, unless there has been a change in their news e.g. their ranking has improved; they are entering a new tournament. This is why an extensive, strong bank of case studies is essential.

Make sure your case studies are local…newspapers sometimes like to send their picture desk to take pictures, so the nearer the better. Case studies are used to talk about or demonstrate experiences and issues, but it is your job to ensure that key messages are tied into the story to get the end coverage that you desire. Don’t put words into their mouth, you want them to sound genuine, but make sure their messaging is positive and you are aware of any negative opinions which may become an issue.

Making statistics work for you unless you have a ‘world first’ or exclusive, ground breaking story for the media, it can be hard to sell in a pro-active story. Statistics can add value to your story and make a story less hypothetical, more concrete and credible.  Statistics can be used to shock, draw emotion, and help form opinion. They provide a “hook” from which a journalist can base a story. Statistics can make great sound bites and headlines.

People remember and believe numbers, especially when positive. Balanced arguments: statistics cane used to react to other stories in the press e.g. if there is a negative story about the work of the LTA in your area, positive statistics can be used to counteract the argument e.g. % increase in the number of junior members in your place to play, % increase in the number of junior competitions you run annually.

 

Media Liaison

Do the groundwork and spend time researching which media you should be contacting, and more importantly, who the key journalists are that you should bespeaking to. Look at which sports journalists have covered tennis in the past and regularly attend tournaments, or which journalists cover community sports news.

Local media will cover a large area so do your research before getting in touch. Check which towns are in which media’s catchments area. It may be that you can roll the story out several times across the county, just by providing different case studies or examples to different media, depending on which towns they cover.

Conduct a media audit. Which day of the week does your local paper cover community stories? Do they have a pull out sports section at the weekend? This way you will be able to target the right journalists with the right stories on the right day and are more likely to secure coverage.

Befriend your local media, as it’s essential that you build a strong relationship with your key contacts, firstly to ensure coverage, but also to ask advice, e.g. How would the story work for them? What do they require from us? What in tennis interests them?  Invite them for a coffee / lunch to talk through the work which is going on in your place to play. This may spark an idea for a story or future feature. Why not plot out on a calendar the key events for the year and share with the journalist. That way they can pick what they want to cover in depth and have a bigger picture of everything that is going on in tennis in your area, e.g. how are you encouraging more juniors to compete? Are there any big activities happening in the near future?

By becoming well known by your local press, you’ll find journalists will be more forthcoming in contacting you for quotes or information about tennis and will be much more receptive when you want them to cover your story!

Don’t be intimidated by journalists.  They are busy people, which is why you need to have a good, strong story to tell. On a weekly basis, journalists will receive hundreds of press releases and information …your story needs to stand out.  What’s the hook? Don’t simply read the first paragraph of the press release; think about the strong facts of the story.  Always have your messaging in the back of your mind when writing press materials and ensure it comes over in the copy.

Believe in your story. Journalists can tell if you’re not 100% behind what you’re trying to promote and don’t just think sport. Tennis can be part of the news pages too, e.g. community work with schools, obesity and health issues. Adapt your sell in to the type of media you are speaking to, e.g. news, features, and sports pages.  You will gain credibility with journalists if you are able to offer spokespeople and case studies with an interesting story.

Work quickly. If you get information to journalists when they ask, they’ll come back again. Top tip!  3 days before a tournament takes place, email out a list of the players from your place to play who are taking part. This will encourage them to start understanding who misrepresenting your local area.

 

Selling Your Story

‘Selling in’ is the term used to describe positioning your story to a journalist.  Usually over the phone, you have just 30 seconds to ‘sell’ your story before the journalist has decided whether or not they are interested in hearing more.

Before you make the call, jot down the key points you want to get over. Lead the conversation with the hook of the story, what is the news?  Follow up with what you can offer the journalist, e.g. access to players, place to play spokespeople. Never ring a journalist and say “I’m just calling to see if you have received my press release” – the likelihood is that the journalist won’t have had a chance to look at it.

Always send the release again after your conversation, with a personal note. Journalists are always working for tomorrow’s deadlines so don’t sell in stories two or more days in advance. They will generally not put them in the diary but will simply be overlooked.

Be persistent: if you are told to email the story to the main email e.g.newsdesk@nottinghameveningpost then your story will probably go no further.  Always try to speak to and send an email to an individual.

 

Daily Newspapers

07.00 Editors arrive
08.00 A great time to call as the desk is quiet, but it’s still before conference when the stories are decided
10.00 The busiest time on a paper – avoid calling as journalists will be preparing articles for conference
11.00 Conference is held and the next day’s paper content is decided
12.30 Conference is over – good time to call if you are following up a story from earlier in the morning
18.00 Day starts to get busy again as deadline approaches
19.00 First deadlines
22.00 Final deadlines

 

Sunday newspapers

Tuesday is the start of the Sunday paper’s week.  The Tuesday conference is key as it sets the stories for the week. 10am is the best time to call with a story for all desks, APART from news which runs on a last minute basis.  Thursday the building of the paper begins, Friday lunchtime is when most of the paper has been put together.

Broadcast

Avoid calling on the hour and half past the hour as this is when the majority of news bulletins are taking place.  Radio has a quick turnaround so will take stories on the day. TV, with the exception of breaking news, will need a longer lead time. The story is first put through forward planning, then into research before a TV crew is sent out and finally the piece is edited.  Aim to plan around a week in advance when pitching to local stations.

 

Working with Spokespeople

Along with case studies, spokespeople can add value and credibility to your story.  Having a varied bank of tennis minded spokespeople who can talk about different issues is also key e.g. a place to play representative, sports development officer, local councilor.  The more independent the spokesperson is, the better, as they will be perceived as both neutral and credible.

Spokespeople should be positioned as experts in their field who comment on the issue in question.  It is your job to then tie in your wider messaging and positioning.  Use a pre-prepared factsheet which you can give to the media, which covers your messaging, e.g. top facts and figures about tennis in your area.  Always be aware of your key messages and the aim of the interview.

If you are using an external spokesperson e.g. local councilor, parent, ensure they are briefed beforehand about what the interview is about, the questions they will be asked, and the message that you want to get over about tennis in your community.  Make sure that together you have prepared answers to any tricky questions you foresee. Never give your spokesperson more than three key messages to remember, otherwise the likelihood is they will get confused and not remember any!

Interview techniques ensure the person being interviewed knows the subject inside out. It is your role to make sure you know as much about the interview before hand. Can you get a list of questions (print media)? Can you speak to the presenter of the show and discuss the angle of the interview (broadcast)? Make the interviewee aware of any tricky questions it should never be assumed that people reading / listening know about the organisation or service that you are providing.

The interviewee should:

• Never use over complicated tennis jargon
• Make sure that answers are clear and concise
• Make sure that answers cannot be misinterpreted by the journalist

To achieve the above, you need to ensure that a thorough briefing session has taken place

What makes a good Competitions Co-ordinator?

 

Methodical and reliable

• A good communicator, who is enthusiastic and motivational
• Ensure all delegated tasks are actioned
• A good planner with excellent organisation skills
• Be able to lead and supervise others, as well as delegate
• Be a competent computer user
• Prepared to make a regular time commitment

 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Develop competitive opportunities for all at the club
• Act as the main contact for all district, county and national bodies’ particularly involving pre tournament (e.g. Competition Application Form) and post tournament administration (e.g. processing results)
• Ensure all members the opportunity to compete in competitions that are appropriate to standard/ambition
• Seasonally monitor and evaluate competition opportunities and report back to the management team
• Work with the fixtures secretary and committee to schedule the club competition calendar
• Work with the committee to develop sponsorship opportunities
• Work closely with club coach to ensure competition opportunities exist within the coaching programme
• Ensure courts are booked for all competitions
• Help in running club tournaments

Estimated Time Commitment

10 committee meetings per annum, 1 AGM, County AGM, other meetings as required.

2 – 3 hour per week throughout the year.

 

Key Relationships

Coach, Parents, Players, Committee, County LTA Office

 

Useful Tips!

To develop a comprehensive competition programme you will need support.  The LTA offers training courses for competition organisers, referee and umpires so we suggest you sign up some key people to these courses so they can support you in increase the quality and quantity of competitions at your venue.  Using TTP (Tennis Tournament Planner) and Online Tournament Entry with PayPal will greatly reduce the amount of administration involved in running competitions.  Find out more

As the competition co-ordinator you will need to have a good understanding of how competition works.  The LTA website has information on ratings and rankings and the competition yearbook has some great features on competition and British tennis.  Also don’t forget to check out the downloadable resources such as tiebreak score sheets, competition posters and certificates.  Find out more

The Head Coach is a valuable asset for any tennis provider.  Whether recruiting a coach for the first time or recruiting a new member for the coaching team, a good coach will assist with membership retention, activity growth and long term sustainability.  A good tennis programme can help your place to play access funding to extend the programme or improve the facilities as well as retain and attract new members.

What makes a good Head Coach?

• Professionally Qualified (qualification recognisd by the LTA)
• LTA License (licensing preferable for all coaches where it is possible, if not regsitration is acceptable)
• Experience of setting up and delivering quality, comprehensive tennis programmes, which include competitive and coaching progressions for all ages and abilities
• Excellent communication and people skills
• Excellent organisational skills and computer skills
• People management experience and ability to work well within a team

Roles and Responsibilities

Not all of the criteria listed below may be relevant for one person.  The spectrum of responsibilities outlined covers all elements of a successful, thriving tennis programme that caters for all ages and abilities.  Larger or more active place to plays may have a team of coaches and coaching assistants that are responsible for different areas; development coach, mini tennis co-ordinator, performance coach etc.

As a management committee you must identify what direction the place to play is moving in, as this will then allow you to compile a suitable job specification from the list below.  The guidelines on recruiting and managing a coach/coaching team will also assist with this process.

• Set up, manage and promote the on court tennis programme in line with Clubmark guidelines
• Act as a point of contact for members and interact on a social and coaching level
• Encourage members to play tennis and improve their game
• Increase membership numbers by enhancing the place to play’s credibility
• Actively source new members and help promote and market the place to play
• Establish quality school links; raising local awareness and attracting new members
• Set up regular competitive opportunities for all ages and abilities within the membership
• Assist  in planning/organising internal/open tournaments and tennis events for all members
• To assist in the entry and selection of teams
• Work with the local talent performance co-ordinator to identify and further support talented players
• Attend management committee meetings in order to offer regular feedback on the organisation and degree of success of coaching and competitions; also to discuss potential opportunities to growth and attraction
• Optimise facilities and resources and help advance the facility’s overall development
• Liaise with outside bodies to source funding for overall programme
• Manage the team of coaches, run regular team meetings and regular in service training sessions which cover: coaching standards, theme and content of weekly programme, update on news/event

 

The Junior Team Manager is a member of the committee with a responsibility for ensuring the club participates in local, county and national team competitions.

 

What makes a good Junior Team Manager?

• Enthusiastic
• Motivated with an ability to motivate young people
• Good communication skills
• Well organised and able to co-ordinate a schedule
• Able to delegate
• Confident and effective communicator

Roles and Responsibilities

• Ensure the club is represented appropriately in available team competitions at a junior and adult level
• Be a point of contact for all junior team activity at the club
• Work with the club coach to select parent captains for each age group
• Organising team managers for junior teams
• Compile a list of the clubs fixtures
• Ensure courts are booked for match fixtures
• Communicate the fixtures to the parent captains
• Handle rearranged fixtures
• Liaising with league contacts
• Ordering and distributing balls for fixtures
• Informing and communicating with parents, players, club coach and the committee
• Organise an end of season awards night
• End of season report to the club committee

 

Estimated Time Commitment

10 committee meetings per annum, 1 AGM, other meetings as required.

1 – 2 hour per week throughout the year
Key Relationships

Club Coach, Parent Captains, Committee, Parents, Junior Membership

 

Useful Tips!

• Ensure you pick an enthusiastic and well organised parent whose child will always be in the team!
• Meet with your parent captains at the start of the season to explain key information and distribute tennis balls etc.
• Reward all the players who compete in the club teams and the parents who are the captains.
• Would a local business sponsor the teams so that you can have a team kit to create a sense of belonging?

The secretary is an elected member of the management committee and handles the basic administration, to ensure the smooth running of the facility.  It is a demanding high profile role that has a major impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the management, including making records, correspondence and other communications.  Experienced secretaries will tell you that their duties often expand beyond what is normally expected of them.

 

What makes a good Secretary?

• Methodical and reliable
• A good communicator
• Ensure all delegated tasks are actioned
• A good planner
• Good organisational skills
• Be able to lead and supervise others
• Be able to delegate
• Be a competent computer user

 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Being the first point of contact for all enquiries
• A key representative at meetings
• Affiliating the place to play to the LTA and local leagues
• Dealing with correspondence
• Registering members
• Organising the AGM
• Organising and attending all management committee meetings
• Taking and distributing minutes
• Maintaining accurate records
• Ensuring action points from meetings have been carried out
• Collecting and analysing information from the members (e.g., membership information)

 

Estimated Time Commitment

10 management committee meetings per annum, 1 AGM, County AGM, other meetings as required

2 – 3 hour per week throughout the year

 

Key Relationships

Coach, Members, Management committee, LTA, County LTA Office

 

BEST PRACTICE TIPS!

Dealing with correspondence

You should read and reply to correspondence promptly, even if only to acknowledge receiving the letter and passing in onto the relevant person. By following these tips you should be able to deal with the correspondence quickly and effectively.

Maintain a register of correspondence

• Make sure that you are up to date with correspondence before management committee meetings, so information can be distributed and dealt with at the meeting, whenever possible
• Keep a copy or a note of the letters that you send and the date you sent them
• File copies of correspondence under the appropriate heading, if you think you need to refer to them again
• Don’t file everything just for the sake of it
• Throw things away when the matter has been finalised or they are no longer of any use
• Keep contact details, addresses, email addresses and mobile telephone number, either on your computer or have a paper copy
• Keep notes of important telephone conversations

Liaising with other members and external agencies  

The secretary has an important responsibility to keep everyone informed of decisions and events and to check that tasks have been carried out. A close working relationship with the chairperson, treasurer and president is essential, and the secretary should ensure that they are well informed on all matters relating to the place to play.

Organising meetings

• Prepare in advance an agreed schedule of meetings for the year so they are booked in everyone’s diaries
• Give plenty of notice of the proposed date and time of the meeting
• Prepare the agenda in advance in consultation with the chairperson
• Circulate the agenda and minutes of the previous meeting in advance.

Example meeting agenda

There will be a meeting of the management committee, at ____, on _____ (date), from ______ (time).

1. Welcome and introductions
2. Apologies for absence
3. Minutes – To approve the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record
4. Matters arising e.g., membership, proposed facility project, place to play tournament
5. Junior programme report
6. Adult programme report
7. Financial report – to receive a report on the current financial position and to make any decisions regarding budgets, fees, expenses, payments etc
8. Date of next meeting
9. Any other business

 

Writing minutes

At the end of a complicated discussion, using simple language, provide a brief, clear summary of what you think has been agreed. Confirm in a few words the decision, the action to be taken, who is going to take that action and by when.

The secretary is an influential position, but has the sometimes difficult task of contributing to the discussions while keeping a record of the meeting. Do not assume that you will be able to remember all the decisions. Short notes and jottings taken during the meeting may seem perfectly clear at the time but a week later can cause confusion as to what was actually agreed.

 

Follow these guidelines when you write the minutes:-

• List those people present and record the apologies for absence
• Follow the agenda order and keep each section short
• State the main issues and the decisions made
• Do not take sides when recording a discussion. Try to be objective and outline the facts of each argument
• Record the full text of motions if a vote was taken
• Write up the minutes as soon as possible after the meeting, as the discussions are still fresh in your mind
• Circulate the minutes to all members of the management committee soon after the meeting, so as to inform those who were absent and to remind those who have some actions arising from the meeting
• Follow up on actions

When documenting AGMs, which are usually governed by strict constitutional rules.  Keep formal records stating the names of proposers and seconders, quoting the exact text of the resolutions and the results of the voting.

Management committee meetings can be minuted more informally by simply stating the decisions that have been taken, unless any special request has been made to record a disagreement.

Take down minutes following a standard style, choosing an appropriate word to suit the circumstances.

Examples are as follows:-

Agreed – indicates a strong consensus to support a particular course of action.
Recommended – indicates a proposal to another management committee of the place to play.
Noted – indicates that the matter was reported, but no decision was necessary.
Received – indicates that a report was presented and accepted.
Approved – indicates that a recommendation has been endorsed.
Recognised – indicates that information was accepted but no decision was taken.
Resolved – indicates that a motion was formally proposed, voted upon and passed.

 

Things to avoid

Don’t make the management committee deal with lots of trivial topics. It is frustrating and annoying if important items are left off the agenda or are not reached.

Don’t put the most important agenda item at the end of the agenda. People are more attentive at the beginning of meetings and it is better to have their energy directed to important items at the beginning, rather than starting off with trivial points that may get more discussion than they warrant.

Don’t let matters arising from the previous meeting take up most of the time at the next meeting. This is frustrating because nothing new is being accomplished, which is non productive. Identify loose ends from the previous meeting and set them down as agenda topics of their own, putting them in priority order, near the end of the agenda.

Don’t let the management committee forget about the people they are serving. Too often a management committee becomes immersed in its’ own activities and disregards the needs and interests of the members.

 

Things to remember

• Be motivated to do a good job
• Be well organised and conscientious
• Deal with correspondence promptly
• Follow meeting guidelines to ensure meetings are productive
• Keep the right records in places where you can find them
• Work in partnership with the chairperson and management committee to ensure your place to plays runs effectively

 

The treasurer is the person who takes on the responsibility for keeping accurate financial records and ensuring they relate closely to the development/business plan.  In essence the treasurer is the day to day financial manager, working closely with the management committee to provide annual budgets and regular financial reports in order to make informed decisions and monitor performance against the budget.

Alongside this guidance note, there is some advice on business planning in the ‘growth and retention’ section of the LTA website that may provide you with further information and advice.

 

What makes a good Treasurer?

• Adequate time to perform the role
• Enthusiasm
• Good organisational skills
• Good communication skills
• Honesty and integrity
• An ability to keep record
• An ability to handle money and cheques carefully
• An ability to make decisions
• A good eye for detail
• Confidence with numbers

 

Roles and responsibilities

• Keeps up to date records of all the financial transactions
• Reports regularly to the management committee on the financial status
• Identifies fund raising opportunities e.g., grants and sponsorship
• Prepares year end statements of accounts to be presented to the auditor
• Presents end of year financial report to the AGM
• Is responsible for financial planning including producing an annual budget and monitoring it throughout the year

 

Estimated Time Commitment

10 management committee meetings per annum, 1 AGM, County AGM, other meetings as required

2 – 3 hour per week throughout the year

 

Key Relationships

Coach, Management committee, County LTA Office

 

BEST PRACTICE TIPS!

Income and Expenditure

The treasurer manages all income (e.g., invoicing and collecting subscriptions) and all money owed, ensuring that cash and cheques are deposited promptly in the bank or building society and issuing receipts for all money received and recording this information.  They also manage all expenditure including paying the bills and recording the information.

There are various legal requirements including handling the payroll and income tax for employees and helping to prepare and submit any statutory documents that are required by law (e.g VAT returns, PAYE and NI returns).  Even if these duties are delegated to a professional, the treasurer is still ultimately responsible. Therefore, It is up to the treasurer to make sure that any delegated work is carried our correctly.

 

Taxation information

Direct taxes; employment taxation, PAYE (Pay As You Earn) – taxation on earnings, paid by the employee and National Insurance (NI) contributions on earnings deducted from an employees salary/employers contribution.

Indirect taxes; VAT returns, VAT is tax on income made on the purchase of goods and services (certain items are exempt e.g. children’s clothing). Places to play can only charge VAT if they are registered with HM Revenue and Customs and if their annual turnover exceeds £55k per annum. Suppliers who are registered for VAT themselves can only charge VAT on expenditure. Therefore, if the place to play is registered for VAT and collects VAT on its own income there is a legal requirement to make regular returns to the tax office to account for monies received and paid out in relation to VAT.

 

Status of the place to play

Dependent on the objectives, the legal status of the place to play can be formed in a variety of different ways:

• Limited Liability Companies (Ltd) – shares are issued in exchange for monies and the company is run by a board of directors
• Companies limited by guarantee – similar to above, however, their solvency is guaranteed by an individual
• Management committee run place to plays
• Charitable associations
• Caritable status for Community Amateur Sports Place to plays (CASCs)

Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) are now eligible to apply for charitable status, potentially saving them money in a tax year. Place to plays who successfully apply will benefit from:-

• A mandatory 80% business rate relief.
• Tax exemption from trading income.
• Payroll giving.
• Gift Aid on donations from individuals and companies.

To benefit, place to plays must:-

• Be open to the whole community.
• Be organised on an amateur basis.
• Have their main purpose as providing facilities for, and promote participation in tennis.

For more information visit either http://www.ccpr.org.uk

 

HM Revenue and Customs tax relief package for CASCs

Some places to play may feel that becoming a charity is not right for them, but the management committee should consider the benefits of registering as a CASC with HM Revenue and Customs. Amateur sports clubs who do not wish to apply for charitable status can now apply for a package of tax relief available direct from HM Revenue & Customs. In order to qualify, you must be open to the whole community, be organised on an amateur basis and have your main purpose as providing facilities for, and promote participation in tennis.

As of 1 April 2004, the package gives mandatory rate relief of 80% to registered place to plays, as well as tax relief on:-

• Fund-raising income up to £30,000.
• Income from interest.
• Rental income up to £20,000.
• Capital gains tax on disposals.
• Gift aid on donations from individual donors.
• Inheritance tax on gifts of assets or trading stock.

For more details on the benefits, visit the CASC page of the HM Revenue & Customs website, http://www.hmrc.gov.uk

 

Paying the bills

Bills should be paid promptly (within 30 days) including payment of out of pocket expenses to volunteers. Normally bills will be for items that have been budgeted for (e.g., expenditure that has already been approved). If the treasurer gets something unexpected, the management committee should be informed and their guidance sought.

It is a good idea for the management committee to give the treasurer authority to make smaller financial decisions themselves (e.g. up to £50) and seek consultation from the management committee on larger financial decisions.

All payments should relate to a written invoice or document, including claims for expenses from members of the management committee and be properly recorded. Always document the handing out of cheques.

Payments need to be recorded in cash book columns, labelled with the account names (e.g., rent paid, maintenance or coaching). All payment columns should be totalled at the end of each month. The total can then be compared to the budgeted figures to see if the expenditure items are within budget, ahead or behind. When balanced, the monthly closing figures can be carried forward as the opening balances for the next month.

Writing the cheques

• Write the payee’s name in full, the date, the total amount in words and figures
• Fill in the cheque stub
• Sign the cheque, making sure there are two authorised signatures
• Put the postal address and the invoice/account number on the back of the cheque
• Request a receipt for all payments

 

Accounting for the money

The cash book

The accounts comprise books or ledgers, either in paper format or using a computer programme, which keep a record of all income and expenditure usually covering a 12 month period (the financial year). The cashbook is a cash receipts and cash payments journal, including records of bank notes, credit card slips, cheques, money orders, receipts and cheque stubs.  A summary of these books should be prepared showing the entire place to play’s receipts and payments during the financial year.

Cash balance

To determine this, total the receipts and deduct payments. Be aware that any interest, bank charges, VAT, direct credits or debits from other accounts, and un-presented or dishonoured (bounced) cheques will affect this. In smaller place to plays, this cashbook is usually a manual system based on a ruled ledger book available from most stationary shops. Keep the receipts and payments separate to each other. Here are a few basic items that should be recorded for every transaction.

• Date of the entry.
• Reference number for that entry – this number should also be written on the invoice or expenses claim form for easy cross reference.
• Person you are paying (or from whom you have received the money).
• Cheque number (for payment by you) or receipt number (for payments issue by you).
• Details of the transaction (what it was for e.g., coaching fees, membership, raffles, interest).
• VAT element (only necessary if you are VAT registered).

Whenever cheques are paid into the bank or building society, the receipts section of the cashbook should be totalled and a note made of the total amount put in the bank, with the date. These totals can easily be compared with the bank statements to make sure the two agree. It is advisable, at the end of the 12 month period to have the accounts audited (looked at and verified) by an independent person, preferably someone with professional qualifications (the auditor).

If the organisation is a limited company, it must have a registered auditor who produces a report under the requirements of the Companies Act. Most place to plays that are not limited companies elect honorary auditors to inspect and verify the accounts that the treasurer produces.

 

Collecting the money

Always keep cash received separate from your own money. Keep a cash box solely for the place to plays money and write receipts in duplicate as soon as you receive it. Hand one receipt to the person who pays you; the other one is your copy, which should be kept in the book.

Deposit all cash and cheques in the bank or building society as soon as possible after receiving them. Not only is this efficient administration, it also makes good financial sense – money in the bank account is likely to earn interest and prevent banking charges.

Invoices

If you send out invoices you will need to keep a record showing that an invoice has been issued and later to confirm it has been settled. The people who owe you money, to whom invoices have been sent are called debtors.  If you receive lots of invoices (i.e., bills), try to allow for these when the final accounts are prepared. Include the expenditure in the financial year to which it relates, irrespective of when the bill is actually paid. The people who you owe money to are called creditors.

Petty Cash

Sometimes you need to use cash for small payments where it is impractical or unreasonable to use a cheque. A petty cash book is needed to record the cash received, the cash paid out and the balance in hand. This balance figure should be updated whenever any cash is received or paid out and checked against the actual cash in the cash box. If there is any discrepancy, it should be resolved immediately. Don’t take short cuts or expect to remember exactly who has given you what. Write everything down immediately in a dedicated book or file.

Payroll

It is good practice to keep a payroll and pay employees such as coaches, grounds staff or bar staff by cheque or direct deposit to their bank account. It is at this stage that PAYE (tax) and National Insurance (NI) is deducted from their salary and administered prior to payment to the tax office. The payroll summary is an important set of records that should be passed onto the auditor when the annual accounts are being audited.

 

To be an efficient treasurer, you will need the following equipment:-

• A computer with back up facilities
• A calculator
• A cash book to record money received and paid out
• A receipt book (induplicate) to issue receipts for monies received
• Folders, files and storage, files to store bank statements
• Previous year’s financial information
• Bank paying in books, cheque books

NB – There are numerous cheap computer packages on the market dedicated to basic accountancy and bookkeeping with useable templates. These may be worth investing in.

This policy is fully supported by the Ashford Tennis Club management committee which is responsible for the implementation and review of this policy.

 

Ashford Tennis Club will therefore adhere to the following:

1. be responsible for setting standards and values to apply throughout the place to play at every level, as tennis should be enjoyed by everyone who wants to play the game
2. be committed to eliminate discrimination by reason of age, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, ability or disability and to encourage equal opportunities
3. ensure that it treats its employees, members, non-members and visiting teams fairly and with respect and will ensure that all members of the community have access to and have opportunities to take part in, and enjoy, its programmes of activities, competitions and events
4. not tolerate harassment, bullying, abuse or victimisation of an individual (which the place to play/facility regards as forms of discrimination), including sexual or racially based harassment or other discriminatory behaviour, whether physical or verbal and work to ensure that such behaviour is met with appropriate action in whatever context it occurs
5. be committed to the immediate investigation of any complaints of discrimination on the above grounds, once they are brought to its attention. Complaints will be dealt with in accordance with its complaints policy and, where such a complaint is upheld, the management committee may impose such sanction as it considers appropriate and proportionate to discriminatory behaviour
6.  be committed to taking positive action where inequalities exist and the development of a programme of on-going training and awareness in order to promote the eradication of discrimination and to promote equality and diversity in tennis. ‘Women’, disabled people and those from ‘ethnic minority groups’ are termed as being under-represented in sport.
7.  be committed to a policy of fair and equitable treatment of all members and employees and requires all members and employees to abide by and adhere to these policies and the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 as well as any amendments to this act and any new legislation.

 

In the event that any employee, member, visitor or visiting team feels that he, she or it has suffered discrimination or harassment in any way or that the policies, rules or code of conduct have been broken they should follow the procedures below.

3.1 will request that both parties to the complaint submit written evidence regarding the incident(s);

3.2 may decide (at its sole discretion) to uphold or dismiss the complaint without holding a hearing;

3.3 may (at its sole discretion) hold a hearing (whether or not such a hearing is requested by either party) at which both parties will be entitled to attend and present their case;

3.4 will have the power to impose any one or more of the following sanctions on any person found to be in breach of any policy, (including the Equality Policy):

3.5 will provide both parties with written reasons for its decision to uphold or dismiss the complaint within one (1) calendar month of such decision being made.

3.6 Either party may appeal a decision of the management committee to the County Association (including a decision not to hold a hearing) by writing to the [County Secretary] within 3 months of the place to play’s decision being notified to that party.

1. The complainant should report the matter in writing to the secretary or another member of the management committee. The report should include:

1. details of what occurred;
2. details of when and where the occurrence took place;
3. any witness details and copies of any witness statements;
4. names of any others who have been treated in a similar way (provided that those people consent to their names being disclosed);
5. details of any former complaints made about the incident, including the date and to whom such complaint was made; and
6. an indication as to the desired outcome.

• If the person accused of discriminatory behaviour is an employee, the management committee will regard the incident as a disciplinary issue and will follow any disciplinary procedure set out for employees or (if none exists) the statutory disciplinary procedure.
• If the person accused of discriminatory behaviour is a non-employee, the management committee  or representatives of the management committee:
  1. warn as to future conduct;
  2. suspend from membership;
  3. remove from membership;
  4. exclude a non-member from the facility, either temporarily or permanently; and
  5. turn down a non-member’s current and/or future membership applications.
• If the nature of the complaint is with regard to the management committee or other body or group in the place to play, the member/visitor has the right to report the discrimination or harassment directly to the relevant County Association.

 

Terminologies and descriptors

Disability under the Equality act 2010 is defined as:

‘a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.  ‘Substantial’ means more than minor or trivial. ‘Impairment’ covers, for example, long-term medical conditions such as asthma and diabetes, and fluctuating or progressive conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or motor neurone disease. A mental impairment includes mental health conditions (such as bipolar disorder or depression), learning difficulties (such as dyslexia) and learning disabilities (such as autism and Down’s syndrome). Some people, including those with cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS, are automatically protected as disabled people by the Act. People with severe disfigurement will be protected as disabled without needing to show that it has a substantial adverse effect on day-to­day activities.’

 

• Direct discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than another person because of a protected characteristic. Direct discrimination also includes discrimination because a person is wrongly thought to have a particular protected characteristic or is treated as if they do
• Indirect discrimination occurs where the effect of certain requirements, provision or practices imposed by an organisation has an adverse impact disproportionately on one group or other.  Indirect discrimination generally occurs when a rule or condition, which is applied equally to everyone, can be met by a considerably smaller proportion of people from a particular group; the rule is to their advantage and it cannot be justified on other grounds.
• Discrimination arising from disability occurs when a disabled person is treated unfavourably because of something connected with their disability and this unfavourable treatment cannot be justified.  Treatment can be justified if it can be shown that it is intended to meet a legitimate objective in a fair, balanced and reasonable way. If this can be shown then the treatment will be lawful.
  This form of discrimination can occur only if the service provider knows or can reasonably be expected to know that the disabled person is disabled.
• Positive discrimination is illegal under UK anti-discrimination law and shouldn’t be confused with Positive Action.  Positive discrimination generally means being favourable towards an individual or group for whatever reason outlined.”
• Positive action is legal and describes measures targeted at a particular group that are under represented in a particular programme or aspect of a sport. These measures are intended to redress past discrimination or to offset the disadvantages arising from existing attitudes, behaviours and structures.Lawful positive action measures can include:-   Targeting job training at people of particular racial groups, or either gender, which have been under-represented in certain occupations or grades during the previous 12 months, or encouraging them to apply for such work.-   Providing facilities to meet any specific educational, training or welfare needs identified for a specific racial group.-   Special action being taken is the employment of a female coach to lead a session aimed at women, to specifically encourage uptake and participation by female players
• Harassment can be described as inappropriate actions, behaviour, comments or physical contact, which may cause offence i.e. mental or physical anxiety or hurt to an individual:-   It may be related to gender, gender reassignment, race, disability, sexuality, age, religion, nationality or any personal characteristic of an individual.-   Under the terms of the Criminal Justice Act 1994, harassment was made a criminal offence, punishable by a fine of up to £5,000 and/or a prison sentence of up to six months.
• Victimisation occurs when a service provider treats someone badly because they have made or supported a complaint about discrimination or harassment, or because the service provider thinks that they are doing or may do these things. It will also be victimisation if a service provider treats someone badly because they support someone else who makes a discrimination claim. A person is not protected from victimisation if they have maliciously made or supported an untrue complaint.
•  Prejudice is literally pre-judging someone. It is usually led by negative, irrational feelings, resulting from preconceived attitudes and opinions.
• Stereotyping is grouping or labelling people because they are members of a particular ‘visible’ group, and assuming that they have particular traits that are considered to be characteristics of that group.
• Dignity is about respectful, responsible, fair and humane behaviour, something that is reflected in the constitution.
• Disadvantage is where, as a result of discrimination, an individual or group is deprived of some or all resources and opportunities. This may affect people directly or indirectly.
• Social exclusion is when people or areas suffer from one or a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low income, high crime environments or lack of facilities.

 

The aim of this policy is to ensure that everyone is treated fairly and with respect and members, non members and visiting place to plays and teams are not denied access to Ashford Tennis Club because of a discriminatory reason.

This policy is fully supported by the Ashford Tennis Club management committee and  which is responsible for the implementation and review of this policy.

 

Ashford Tennis Club will therefore adhere to the following:

1. aims to create an enjoyable environment for all juniors who wish to take part in tennis or other sport and social activities
2. believe that children and young people have the right to be safe, secure and free from threat
3. believe that young people have the right to be treated with respect, and to have their concerns listened to and acted upon
4. ensure that the needs of junior members are provided for through specific programmes, designated facilities, and safe practice
5. have procedures in place to address poor practice, and to help any young person who appears to be at risk, or who appears to be the victim of abuse
6. offer help and support when a child or young person tells us that they are affected by these issues
7. take steps to ensure that any volunteers or professionals working with children are suitable to do so, through the use of references and background checks
8. ensure that all relevant people have been vetted and approved through the LTA’s Criminal Record Bureau disclosure process
9. ensure that all of those working with children are made aware of the LTA code of conduct for people working with children in tennis, and are required to follow it

 

The place to play has an adult member who is specifically responsible for children, young people and child protection:

 

This person’s name is: _______Ann Pritchard_________

 

They can be contacted on:_____01784 254422___________________________________________

 

LTA Child Protection

T: 0208 487 7008/7116

M (24 hour): 07971 141 024

E: childprotection@lta.org.uk

http://www.LTA.org.uk/childprotection