Children and Young People
What should I expect from my club/centre?
Your club/centre should be a fun and enjoyable place to be. You should always feel safe and happy. You should never feel like you are being treated differently, and you should be kept safe from harm.
What do my club/centre expect from me?
Your club/centre should provide you with clear rules on how to behave. You should be polite and kind to everyone. You should listen to your coach/instructor when offering coaching advice to get the best out of your sessions.
How to help your club/centre stay safe
Can you see a Club Welfare Officer Poster displayed in your club/centre entrance and changing rooms? If not, ask someone to put some up for you and your friends.
Does your Club Welfare Officer Poster tell you who to talk to if you are worried about something? If not, ask someone to update the details for you.
If someone is being shouted at, called unkind names, or you feel uncomfortable with how you or someone else is being spoken to or treated, you should tell an adult. If you or someone else is being bullied, in person or online, you should tell an adult.
I am worried about something - what should I do?
PLEASE SPEAK UP AND TELL SOMEONE!
Q. Who can I tell?
You can tell your Club Welfare Officer. Their details are displayed at your club/centre. OR
You can tell the team at British Water Ski and Wakeboard - Email: safeguarding@bwsf.co.uk OR
You can call Childline on 0800 11 11 - Childline will listen to your worries, and you can remain anonymous! Childline.org.uk also offers advice and support online. OR
You can tell an adult at your own School.
Q. Is it serious enough to report?
Even if you only want to talk about something and get some advice, it is ok to contact us and talk about your worries.
Q. Should I be worried about what has happened/what I have seen?
If you think it is wrong, then it probably is! If you are worried about a friend, something that has happened at home or at your club/centre, bullying, or the behaviour of an adult at your club/centre then it is important to tell someone.
Q. What if it is happening online?
We have a duty to keep you safe Online or Offline. If something is worrying you, but it has happened online, for example bullying, or inappropriate comments/questions, it is important to tell someone.
PLEASE SPEAK UP AND TELL SOMEONE.
Information on Online Bullying and Abuse can be found at… Childline Advice ‘Keeping Safe Online’
Q. Will my worries by kept Secret?
We have a duty to keep everyone safe, and to do this, we sometimes need to pass worries on to prevent any further harm. We cannot promise to keep a secret. However, we want to keep young people safe, we will only share information which is necessary to protect any individual. We will support you and keep you informed of the process.
Remember, if you are reporting something, you don’t have to give your own details, although it is sometimes helpful if we know your name.
Q. What if I get something wrong when I tell someone?
Don’t worry. If you realise that you have told us something that is wrong, just get in touch with us again and tell us what was incorrect.
Q. What happens next?
It is a very brave thing to do to tell someone about your worries, so we will support anyone who talks to us. If someone has broken the rules this needs fixing and sometimes people need telling that what they have done is NOT OK. Anything that causes harm or worry needs to be stopped. So, if someone has broken the rules, we will offer them support to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Q. Where can I get more information?
Any of the above people can offer you more information. You can also ‘Ask Sam’
PLEASE SPEAK UP AND TELL SOMEONE.
Additional support for you
Listed below are some webpages where you can get information, advice and support. If you or someone you know is experiencing problems, there is help available.
Childline - (Helpline: 0800 1111)
NSPCC - (Helpline: 0800 800 5000)
