Equal Opportunity in Swimming
"Equal Opportunity is about celebrating difference and diversity and as such providing a swimming structure that swimmers can respond to in a proactive and positive manner."
South Lincs Competitive Swimming Club (The Club) is totally committed to the principles and practice of equal opportunities across all of its aquatic disciplines, by all its members. In our work with key partners such as swimmers, clubs, teachers, coaches, employees, officials and administrators, we will advocate our policies and make every effort to ensure that all participation has equity at its core.
Swimming is a "Sport for All". It can, and should, be enjoyed and be made accessible to everyone and to achieve this:
1)The Club is committed to working towards ensuring that swimming is accessible to the many rather than the few.
2)The Club recognises the need to acknowledge the diversity of provision that is required to ensure that all people, regardless of their race,
sex/gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, social or economic background can access swimming and development at a level appropriate to them.
3)The Club recognises the need to celebrate differences and diversity of provision as a means of creating entitlement and accessibility to our
structures.
4)The Club recognises that Equal Opportunity is about recognising that people are different and therefore require different provision
5)The Club recognises the need to consult widely in order to respond to diversity.
Addressing Equal Opportunities
In addressing Equal Opportunities, the Club will respond to issues of equity by:
1)Recognising that, as an organisation, we need to adapt and work flexibly in order to respond to the needs of a wide and diverse range of people.
2)Take positive action to increase the involvement from under-represented groups in all aspects of our organisation, participation, coaching, teaching,
officialdom etc.
In doing so, the Club supports 4 key principals as being fundamental to ensuring that everyone can participate in our sport and the achievement of Equality of Opportunity.
Entitlement: People have a right to participate in, and access quality and appropriate experiences, within swimming.
Accessibility: It is the responsibility of the Club - our teachers, coaches, officials, administrators - to adopt provision to fit the needs of many.
Inclusion: Wherever and whenever possible, all to access the same quality of provision and if necessary, to use positive action to ensure this.
Integrity: Whatever we do as a Club to change or adopt provision, it must be of equal worth, challenging, relevant and is no way patronising.
Lines of responsibility. The Club will strive to become an organisation that values diversity and in order to achieve this we recognise that there must be clear lines of responsibility between all segments of the organisation.
Employer
The club aspires to provide a diverse workforce. A composition of which reflects that of the broader community in terms of gender, ethnicity and
disability. In order to bring about this diversity we undertake to :
1)Provide full and fair considerations for all role/job applications.
2)Assist all our employees to realise their full potential by ensuring that they receive fair considerations of their training and career development
needs and promotion opportunities.
3)Whenever possible, modify employment practices and procedures to reduce barriers experienced by members of disadvantaged social groups in seeking
and during employment with the Club.
4)Maintain full records of recruitment, training and employment and use this information as a means of identifying areas of inequality.
5)Require all employees to undergo relevant training before taking part in recruitment and selection.
6)Regularly review our recruitment, selection, training and promotion procedures to ensure that they are fair and reflect our best practise.
Membership Organisation
The Club is committed to ensuring membership from all sectors of the community. To achieve this we undertake to:
1)Promote an honest and open culture that values diversity.
2)Communicate widely, ensuring that our message can be understood and appreciated by all.
3)Positively encourage the involvement of all people, regardless of their gender, race, age, disability and social background.
4)Work to redress the effects of discrimination.
5)Change working practices and attitudes to ensure that everyone feels a valued member of the Club.
Teachers and Coaches
In our training and development of teachers and coaches, we will strive to ensure that they:
1)Establish and implement professional and ethical values and practise.
2)Promote and apply the principles and practices of equal opportunities.
3)Promote positive images of people with special needs.
4)Have a commitment of providing entitlement and access to all their professional activities.
5)Encourage high expectations and standards of achievements from all they teach/coach.
6)Include everyone in meaningful and appropriate activity to ensure a quality experience.
7)Help everyone to achieve their full potential.
Officials and Administrators
Officials and administrators are expected to:
1)Adopt, promote and practice in the values of the Club and the ASA.
2)Ensure that participation can be enjoyed by all.
3)Provide meaningful and appropriate experiences, which recognise and value the diversity of the participants.
4)Actively encourage the participation and involvement of people from disadvantaged groups of the community.