Recruitment Policy

The first stage of any recruitment process involves planning. Club officials will draw up a role profile, which highlights the main areas of an identified voluntary role. We will also decide upon the skills and experience that an individual would need to fulfil the requirements of the role and draw up a person specification.

The club recruitment process is developed in such a way that we treat every applicant in a fair and consistent manner.

Advertising

• In order to attract new volunteers, it may be necessary to advertise outside the club itself, for example, on a sports hall notice board, a local school, shop/community hall or newspaper.

• The advertisement will reflect the club’s Child Protection Policy and it will contain information relating to the skills and experience required as well as the duties to be undertaken. However, it will not discriminate in terms of age, race, gender or disability.

Application Form

• The Club uses an application form to collect information on each applicant.

• The Volunteer Application Form ensures each applicant’s information is then collected in a consistent way.

More than one club official will look at the application forms to ensure that a fair and equitable scrutiny is completed. The club will also ask for identification documents to confirm the identity of the applicant, for example, a passport or driving licence.

Meeting/Interview

As a club, we will meet with all applicants prior to any recruitment decisions being made. More than one Club official will be present at that meeting. The meeting/ interview will enable the club to explore further the information provided in the application form. The questions to be asked swill have been prepared in advance and will provide the applicant with the opportunity to recount previous experiences and give examples of how they have or would handle situations. Whilst it is important to elicit information regarding an applicant’s technical capabilities it is also necessary to explore his or her attitudes and commitment to child welfare.

Listed below are examples of questions that could be used to discover this information:

• Tell us about any previous experience you have working with children or young people.

• Give a child related scenario and ask the applicants what they would do. For example, ‘It is a winter evening and the training session has finished. A parent has not arrived to pick up their child. What would you do?’ (The applicant would be expected to say that they would stay with the child and contact the parents to find out where they were.)

• Is there anything we should know that could affect your suitability to work with children or young people?

References

We ask for at least two references from individuals who are not related to the applicant. One reference should be associated with the applicant’s place of work and if possible one that demonstrates the individual has been involved in sport, particularly children’s football previously. References will be followed up prior to any offer of appointment being made. If the references raise any concerns, we are obliged to contact The FA Safeguarding Children department for advice and guidance.

Criminal Record Checks (CRCs)

The law requires that The FA does all that it can to prevent people who are barred from working with children and becoming involved in youth football. The FA Enhanced Disclosure Criminal Record Check (CRC) tells The FA if a person is barred. It also helps The FA to make informed recruitment decisions about the suitability of people with criminal records who are seeking to have a ‘Regulated Activity’ role in youth football.

Who Needs A Check?

There are strict rules about who needs a check; people who do not qualify must not be checked. Please read The FA’s CRC FAQ document for a more detailed list but for grassroots youth football the normal roles that are considered to meet the ‘Regulated Activity’ requirement are:

16 years of age or older and a:

• Youth Club Coaches / Assistant Coaches/ Managers

• Regular First Aiders

• Appointed Club Drivers i.e. driving the club minibus not parents driving their own and other children to matches.

• Club or League Welfare Officers

Please note this does not include Coaches / Assistant Coaches/ Managers involved in Open Age football or parent helpers that are not coaching. Please visit The FA website for further information. If you have concerns on who should be checked please contact The FA CRB Unit on 0845 2108080 or contact the Sussex County Welfare Officer.