Code of Conduct for Coaches, Helpers and Volunteers 

(adults in and around the gym)

 

At Team Bath Rhythmic Gymnastics club we believe that all gymnasts have a right to be treated as a child, and to receive high quality coaching and advice regarding gymnastics. It is therefore imperative that all coaches, helpers and volunteers adhere to this code of conduct.

 

As a Coach/Helper/Volunteer

• As a coach/volunteer it is your responsibility to make sure you keep up to date with your BG membership, coaching certificates/licences, DBS check and additional qualifications (e.g. First Aid, Equity, child protection). If additional training is required please advise the club committee and lead coach via a letter/email.

• Lead coaches are expected to plan their sessions in advance of the year/term for the groups they coach. It is the lead coach’s responsibility to pass this information to other coaches/volunteers.

• As a coach/volunteer it is your responsibility to advise the lead coach of any activities you feel you cannot carry out, for whatever reason. You should notify the lead coach of any development training needs you would like to participate in.

 

Management of Sessions

• Coaches must comply with BG rules for ratios of coaches to gymnasts. 

• Coaches will always take the register and note which gymnasts are present in their sessions/group. They must inform gymnasts of fire evacuation procedures and keep the register with them if they are asked to evacuate the building.

• Coaches/volunteers will arrive to prepare and set up, prior to the arrival of gymnasts. On the rare occasion where this is not possible the coach must try to get a message to either another coach of the session or a committee member.

• Once coaches/volunteers have committed to training sessions/hours, they must honour this commitment. Where this is not possible, due to illness for example, they must contact the lead coach 2 hours before the start of the session, so alternative arrangements can be made. If they are the lead coach they will forward the message. In extreme situations where there is no response contact the Club hair who must inform the Club secretary.

• The lead coach has overall responsibility for ALL gymnasts (under 18’s), from parental drop off, until they are collected by parents or carers.  The coach must wait with the gymnast until they are collected, preferably in a public area. It may be that in some situations the lead coach will delegate this task to the second coach, or committee member, but only where this adult is known to the child (e.g. not for recreational gymnasts).

 

During training sessions

• The coach/volunteers will refer to gymnasts by their names, or preferred names.

• Coaches/volunteers will use suitable and appropriate language whilst in the gymnastic environment and in the company of gymnasts. This includes not swearing and being respectful in the way other gymnasts/coaches/clubs are discussed.

• Coaches/volunteers will behave in a suitable and appropriate way whilst in the gymnastic environment and in the company of gymnasts. This includes being fully aware of where all gymnasts are at any given point.

• Coaches/volunteers need to wear appropriate clothing, suitable for training sessions.

• Coaches/volunteers should do their best to carry out tasks asked of them during the session. It is the coach’s/volunteers’ responsibility to ask for clarification if necessary.
   

We will always want our gymnasts to have a positive experience at Team Bath Rhythmic Gymnastics. However, on occasion, coaches may have to deal with behaviour that does not follow our gymnasts’ Code of Conduct. When this does happen, the club will always follow advice on safeguarding from its governing body, British Gymnastics. BG’s policies are subject to annual review and as required by the relevant legislation, HM Government, NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), UK Sport and Home Country Sports Councils. Our club follows the NSPCC CPSU guidelines for Managing Challenging Behaviour

 

This code of conduct is a guideline to good practice, it is not exhaustive..........above all we want the gymnasts to have FUN!

 

 

Welfare Team

Revised January 2019