-A chance for you to become a member - This will be explained to you when you arrive at the club. You will receive information on how much this will cost, kit you will require, rules of the club, when training sessions are and match information
-Qualified coaches -The coaches understand and know how to help you play the best hockey you can
-Volunteers - Any adult working within the club will have been on training to ensure they know how to support and look after you.The club will have a First Aider, Team Managers and a Welfare Officer. Make sure you know who these people are and introduce yourself to them
-Rules - There are rules of the game of hockey which you will learn as you play.There will be rules of the club which you will also learn, for example junior members are not allowed to smoke. These are there for your safety and are not be broken.
-Opportunities for you to play -There will be teams and squads of boys and girls your own age that you will get to know and learn how to play hockey with.
-Matches and competitions - There will be a chance for you to train and play in your club team against other clubs
-Anti-bullying policy - This clearly states how the club will deal with any situations of bullying, either adult to young person or young person to young person
Safeguarding / Child Protection Policies and Procedures -This provides the club with ways of ensuring you are safe and enjoy your hockey
-Codes of Conduct - These clearly state how club member must act towards you and support you. This includes coaches, volunteers, club officials and parents
What does the club expect from me?

Code of Conduct - The club will have clear messages of how they expect you to behave. Please see the Young Persons Code of Conduct

You have the right to

Have fun when playing hockey
Be safe when playing hockey
Enjoy your hockey
Make friends through hockey
Be treated with respect by adults involved in hockey
Are you Worried?

My coach is bullying me
Another adult at hockey is bullying me
Another member of my team is bullying me
One of the coaches or volunteers is threatening me
An adult is making me do things which I know are wrong
Someone is touching me and making me feel uncomfortable
Someone is constantly teasing me, shouting at me or kicking and punching me
Someone is making suggestive remarks or asking me to do things of a sexual nature
Someone is acting in a way which makes me feel lonely, upset, unsafe or embarrassed
If ANY of these statements above are true please don't keep it to yourself - ask for help

Who can I talk to?

Please talk to our Club Welfare Officer - Mark Tiffany or Rebecca Nixonhuddsdragons.welfare@gmail.com

It can sometimes be difficult to speak to an adult about how you are feeling.

You might think that an adult will not understand - THEY WILL LISTEN

You may think that they will not believe you - THEY WILL BELIEVE YOU

You may be scared that they will tell other people that you do not want to know - THEY WILL ONLY TELL SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP

You might think they have not got time to talk to you - THEY WILL ALWAYS MAKE TIME TO TALK

It’s better to talk to someone:

Ignoring your worries or concerns could make them worse

Talking to someone will begin to tackle your worries and concerns

You only have to share information that you want to share

Telling someone will begin to help you

What will happen if I talk to someone?

Your Club Welfare Officer will know what to do and how to help. They will be able to ensure that you are safe and they will believe you. There are policies and procedures which they will use. These will provide information of who to contact, how to contact them and what they can do to help.

Confidentiality

The Club Welfare Officer cannot promise to keep the information you share a secret, however they do have to keep it CONFIDENTIAL. This means that they will have to tell only the person/people who can help.

When you are talking to the Club Welfare Officer ask them to explain who they need to speak to and why. They may say one of the following:

England Hockey Lead Child Welfare Officer
They will know what to do if the behavior of adult/s towards you is upsetting you
Talking to this person will begin to help the situation and ensure you can play hockey in a happy and safe environment
Social Services or the Police in an emergency
Social Services or the police will be called if the Club Welfare Officer thinks you may come to more harm or are in danger. This is to help you and ensure you are safe.
Alternatively you can find help, advice and support from any of the following

NSPCC - 0808 800 500 - www.thereforme.com - Support and advice for 12-16 yr olds via the website

Childline - 0800 1111 - www.childline.org.uk - Free helpline for children and young people

Kidscape - 0207 730 3300 - www.kidscape.org.uk Support on bullying

Kirklees Safeguarding Children Board - 01924 293811 or 01422 337042 - www.kirklees.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren - Local telephone helplines