Overview
Maggie Coats is the Club Welfare Officer (CWO) for both the adult and junior teams. As our Junior section grows, the workload is increasing and she is looking for an assistant to help manage welfare and safeguarding issues. This is a volunteer role.
The role of the Welfare Officer is to:
- Review current practices;
- Promote safeguarding awareness and training;
- Promote a culture of listening to children;
- Ensure compliance with safer recruitment practices including DBS Checks
Roles and Responsibilities
As Assistant Welfare Officer, you would be asked to help in the following areas:
- Conduct face to face verification of identification documents and complete the verification stage of DBS Checks
- Attend junior matches to monitor safeguarding arrangements (typically once per month)
- Help to establish and run youth forums, where players can provide feedback on what they want from the Junior Club
- Work with Maggie to address poor practice and investigate complaints.
Full training will be provided.
Skills required
The following qualifications are required and the Club will help you to obtain these, if you don’t already have them:
- An ‘accepted’ FA Enhanced DBS check
- Completion of The FA’s Safeguarding Children workshop;
- Completion of The FA’s Safeguarding for Committee Members online course;
- Completion of The FA’s Welfare Officer workshop.
There is a Welfare Officer Code of Conduct, which you would be required to sign up and adhere to. To read the code, see Guidance Notes 5.2: Welfare Officers’ Code of Conduct at Section 11 – the complete downloads directory – Safeguarding | The Football Association (thefa.com)
According to The FA, the type of person who makes a good Welfare Officer is someone who:
- Always puts children’s welfare first;
- Is a good communicator;
- Has a common-sense approach;
- Is willing to learn and seek advice;
- Is over the age of 18.
For a full list of qualities needed for a Welfare Officer, please see the FA guidance document – 5.1 Appointing a Welfare Officer at Section 11 – the complete downloads directory – Safeguarding | The Football Association (thefa.com)
Application process
If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Maggie Coats at cwo@1874northwich.com.