Welfare Officer
Every club should have a Welfare Officer. The function of the Welfare Officer is to support the wellbeing of all members of the club, not just young people.
The role of a WO is to take the lead in promoting good practice, to be a named point of contact and support for members and parents/carers, to recognise vulnerability and to understand BSAC reporting procedures in case a concern is raised.
The Welfare Officer role does not require an individual to have any particular qualifications, but they do need to be an empathic listener, visible within the club and known to all members, understand vulnerability, familiar with the reporting procedures of BSAC and able to keep basic records. There is some training on the BSAC website and support is available from the BSAC Safeguarding Officer.
The Welfare Officer should be a willing volunteer to the role, working closely with the Chair and the Diving Officer, this is not an elected role that sits on the club management committee but the Welfare Officer should be present at all club management meetings. The Welfare Officer is responsible for supporting members as individuals, for working in their best interests and advocating on their behalf, whereas the management committee is responsible for the control and direction of the club; these two functions do not always coincide.
More details on the role can be found in the Welfare Officer Role Outline
