This is an exciting time for sport in the island

by Catriona McAllister, CEO, Jersey Sport

As CEO of Jersey Sport, I am thrilled to announce our new Safe and Sustainable Quality Standards that are designed to help volunteers and local sports organisations to access key information and guidance to support them in running their clubs or associations and to deliver high quality activities in a safe, sustainable way. Coupled with the framework, our sport team has created a free and easy to use online hub packed with resources, guidelines and templates which support each of the eight framework areas., plus regular workshops and training programmes. In addition, sports organisers and volunteers can also contact Jersey Sport directly for support with specific issues.

The creation of these new quality standards in a centralised location is something I’ve always wanted to launch in Jersey and am delighted that Jersey Sport now has the capacity to support sport in this way and to play an integral role in the growth of sport over the coming years.

We believe that an efficiently governed and managed Sports Infrastructure in Jersey is critical in achieving our IAJ goal of ensuring more people are more active more often through sport or physical activity.  Robust governance and management will be the building blocks for sports to grow their offer and reach new participants. We are also working hard to reduce the gaps and inequalities in sport so that everyone is more equally and fairly represented. In particular, we want to get more girls into sport to reduce the gender gap and open up opportunities for those with low incomes and physical or mental disabilities.

The Safe and Sustainable Standards are a quality framework of minimum recommended standards relevant for any organisation delivering sport or physical activity. In the past, accreditation schemes have been used in the sector but we have moved away from these as strong development is never a done job, rather an evolving and growing picture. The introduction of new quality standards is a more inclusive model that allows our sporting bodies to access what they need, when they need it, with a structured framework to guide development.  We hugely value the role our sports volunteers play in providing so many opportunities in Jersey and are 100% committed to ensuring they are fully supported by a forward-thinking, professional team at Jersey Sport.

There are four areas included in ‘Safe Sport’ which are: Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Welfare, Qualified Persons and Reporting. Within each area are layers of quality standards giving a clear pathway for development which will encourage clubs to continuously ensure their staff and volunteers upskill their knowledge and qualifications to ensure safety for all.

Within ‘Sustainable Sport’, the four areas of support include: Insurance and Affiliations, Structure and Decision Making, Financial Assurance, and People. The human element of sport is one of the most crucial, just as it is in the corporate world. Without great people who believe in the organisation, and who feel valued and trusted, you won’t get far! Within sport, it’s vital that all of our incredible workforce are provided with the support, training and development they need so that they can carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively and make sport possible for thousands of islanders every week.

All local clubs, associations, groups and charities who offer sport and physical activity opportunities are able to access the Safe and Sustainable Quality Standards framework, guidelines and resources. The resource bank will evolve over time, responding to the needs and requirements of sports clubs and organisations, and all content will be regularly reviewed and updated by Jersey Sport.

This is an exciting time for sport in the island and I’m looking forward to watching its progression and growth with this new and substantial level of support from the Jersey Sport team.

To find out more about our new Safe and Sustainable Quality Standards for sports, please visit: www.jerseysport.je/safe-and-sustainable-sport

To visit the new Jersey Sport Resource Bank, please visit: www.jerseysport.je/resource-bank

This article was originally published in the Jersey Evening Post on 2 April 2022.