All cycling clubs in Wales that have members under the age of 18 are required to have a named Club Welfare Officer. If the club is a Go Ride Accredited Club, this officer will be required to undertake specific safeguarding training.
The role of the Club Welfare Officer is to be the lead contact for safeguarding matters in the club. The CWO will be registered with Welsh Cycling through their club affiliation documents. If there are any changes during the course of the year, the club should notify a Welsh Cycling Development Officer as soon as possible.
The CWO role is one of the most important roles in a club, responsible for co-ordinating the safeguarding and welfare of all members under 18 years of age. The CWO should sit on the club committee and have safeguarding as a regular agenda item at committee meetings.
Main focuses of a Club Welfare Officer
- First point of contact for concerns around poor practice, child welfare or abuse in the club from riders, volunteers and parents
- Liaise with Welsh Cycling as a point of contact, maintaining database of active coaches in the club
- Responsibility for managing safeguarding issues and reporting to the club committee
Training and education
What should you expect once you have signed up as a Welfare Officer? You will receive an e-welcome pack including:
- Your roles and responsibilities
- British Cycling Safeguarding Policy
- Safe Recruitment of Volunteers Process
You will also have included in this initial email your local Cycling Development Officer. We will arrange for you to have a phone call from Welsh Cycling's Lead Safeguarding Officer Alistair Waldron as an introduction.
Once you have been registered as a Club Welfare Officer you will need to undertake some basic training. The most common form of training is the Sports Coach UK Safeguarding & Protecting Children Workshop. Once a Club Welfare Officer has attended this workshop, they are free to attend further training such as Time to Listen Training, which Welsh Cycling will be rolling out in 2016.
We will also have Continual Professional Development available for Club Welfare Officers. Each year at the Go Ride Wales Conference there will be a workshop for our welfare officers.
