Many clubs across the country have found it a challenge in this current climate to get to grips with new roles within their volunteer forces but have a real challenge in keeping their age groups and 2nd / 3rd XV teams alive there is no better time that to engage with YOUR community in finding and supporting new players and members into your club.
STRENGTH LIES IN DIFFERENCES, NOT IN SIMILARITIES
STEPHEN COVEY
INTRODUCTION TO INCLUSIVE VOLUNTEERING
Thanks to all the Berkshire Rugby Football Union club photographers for the pictures celebrating the diversity across Berkshire.
WHAT DOES DIVERSITY & INCLUSION REALLY MEAN?
Diversity refers to the traits and characteristics that make people unique while inclusion refers to the behaviour’s and social norms that ensure people feel welcome.
With this in mind Berkshire RFU have created a job description for clubs to use as a reference guide (where they do not have an obvious option to bring forward into a formal Diversity & Inclusion role).
This is not an exhaustive description but is provided to form an understanding of the person(s) who could fit and support a role to help YOUR club to progress the current status and ensure that you are providing a clear platform for diversity and inclusion across all aspects of your club.
Along with D&I supporting programmes that England RFU are working on which will come into clubs in the future for those clubs who want to move forward this will provide some tools and resources to help you get started.
It is also not prescriptive as to the results that you should expect as a rugby club but as part of a county and countrywide initiative there are best practices and successes that are continually being shared that can be replicated to accelerate success.
Some typical areas to focus on once a suitable candidate is found would be;
- Review you current club profile on diversity and across senior and junior members.
- Current schools that your youth teams represent from within the community.
- What does your community look like from a diversity perspective?
- Have a clear and defined Diversity & Inclusion Policy shown both on your website as well as in a prominent position within the clubhouse and/or changing room areas.
- Provide the image, name and contact details of person(s) who leads the D&I initiative within the club.
- Produce a clearly defined introduction policy for all new members across the club volunteers, players, coaches, support teams so there is a clear understanding of the process and success.
Berkshire RFU are committed to diversity and inclusion and will ensure that ALL new roles across the county will be advertised on our websites and social media moving forward to widen the scope and increase the transparency of recruitment including, Exec members, coaches, physios, strength and conditioning, managers etc.
NOTE: We particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within the county of Berkshire, including people from minority backgrounds and people with disabilities, we are committed to creating a movement that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities.
Berkshire RFU will be working with clubs, schools and other partners who are proactive in their desire to accelerate their diversity & inclusion programme.
For more information on how the Berkshire RFU can help you as a school, or club then drop an email to BerkshireRFU@gmail.com titled “Diversity & Inclusion” and we will respond.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION (JOB DESCRIPTION FOR RUGBY CLUBS)
