Club Welfare Officers (CWOs) invited to regional networking event
The role that volunteers and staff play in welfare roles in sport is essential, and their dedication and commitment ensures a safe and positive environment for all participants.
For this reason, Active Norfolk have partnered up with other active partnerships in Suffolk and Bedfordshire to arrange a Club Welfare Officer Forum to enable Club Welfare Officers (CWO’s) to meet and learn from each other.
What is a Club Welfare Officer (CWO)?
A club welfare officer (CWO) ensures their club has an assigned person to manage and report any concerns about children or adults at risk.
Club Welfare Officers play a key role in ensuring that that club members have a safe and positive experience at their club. These Welfare Officers should also work to ensure good safeguarding practises are in place in their club.
How can Sports Welfare Officers (SWOs) help Club Welfare Officers (CWOs)?
The Sport Welfare Officer Network (SWO network) has been created to support National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and their local clubs to promote good practice and safer sport for all. The network is funded by Sport England through National Lottery funding.
The plan is to have 63 Sport Welfare Officers across 43 active partnerships, who will will help create safer sport for all.
They will do this in a variety of ways, including:
- Providing additional, local support and signposting for club welfare officers (CWOs)
- Working with club welfare officers to create a safer culture within their organisation
- Facilitating local training opportunities and events, as well as networking opportunities so that volunteers and staff feel better connected and informed
- Raising awareness of safeguarding and welfare for young people and adults
At Active Norfolk, our Sport Welfare Officer is Anita Stewart. Anita will be supporting local club welfare officers in Norfolk and working with them to raise the profile of welfare and safeguarding within their clubs. Her goal is to create a supportive network of CWOs across a range of sports.
Over the coming months, Anita will be arranging and promoting targeted face to face training and local support for participants, coaches and parents.
To get in touch directly and find out how Anita can support you, press the button below.
“We believe this initiative is crucial in ensuring safe and inclusive sporting environments at every level, as the Sport Welfare Officer for Active Norfolk I’m proud to be part of this collaborative effort. A huge thank you to the Active Partnerships team, Sport England, Ann Craft Trust, and the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit for their vital roles in making this vision a reality!”
Anita Stewart
What will the Regional Club Welfare Officer Forum cover?
Whilst Club Welfare Officers will encounter different challenges within their role, each CWO is working towards the same ultimate goal of making sport safer and more enjoyable for everyone involved. For this reason, networking events such as this online forum are invaluable for sharing experiences and learning, as well as being signposted to useful resources by the SWO team.
The event will consist of insightful discussions, interactive workshops, and networking with fellow professionals in the field. We’ll keep you updated on the latest best practices and guidelines for safeguarding in sports clubs.
This forum is a valuable opportunity to enhance your knowledge and skills as a welfare officer.
Register now to secure your spot!
There are three networking events to choose from, on 15th October (AM and PM) and 19th October (AM). Book to secure your free spot today by clicking the button below.