Current CUYC Welfare Officer: Sophia Greaves (sg934@cantab.ac.uk)
Policy Statement
Cambridge University Yacht Club (CUYC) regards the health, safety and welfare of all members to be of paramount importance. The fundamental basis for our welfare policy is the desire to treat our members responsibly and with respect. To this end, the CUYC aims to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that policies, procedures and practices are in place to maintain a safe and healthy environment and promote a positive club culture, not only for its members but also for other people and organisations that may be affected by the activities of the Club.
We recognise that everyone, irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage or civil partnership or social status, has a right to protection from discrimination and abuse. Everyone will be treated with dignity and respect.
Roles and Responsibilities
Everyone involved in the club, regardless of whether they are a member, on the Committee, an Instructor, Skipper or volunteer, is expected to:
Overall responsibility for the management of welfare within CUYC rests with the Club Committee. As such, the Committee will aim, as far as is reasonably practical, to:
Instructors
All Club instructors will be asked to complete a self-declaration when completing their annual instructor registration form online. If this form highlights any potential issue, the volunteer will be asked to supply an Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure. External professional instructors will be asked to supply their own in date Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure before providing training to members of the club. If an Enhanced Criminal Records Disclosure report highlights that an individual poses a risk to vulnerable adults, then they will not be able to volunteer with the club.
At Risk Members
Any Member can self-identify as at risk on their crew register via the CUYC website. During crew registration, members will also be informed and asked to acknowledge that if a club officer or instructor identifies them as being at risk during CUYC activities, they will report this to the Welfare Officer, RYA Principal and Commodore. As long as a member has capacity, their consent will be sought before any further action is taken.
Instructors working with adults at risk should be aware of this policy and the guidance provided at the end of this document on good practice and how to recognising abuse. This policy will be available on-line with a link from the self-declaration section of the instructor register. It will also be openly available on the website for any member to view.
Concerns / Reporting Procedures
There are several pathways available for reporting welfare concerns within the club. Which pathway is the most appropriate pathway may depend on who is involved and the concerns involved.
The club will always have a welfare officer available as a first point of contact for welfare concerns. The role of the Club Welfare Officer is to promote welfare centred practices within the club environment, provide a confidential, initial contact point for members in relation to welfare concerns and signpost individuals to relevant University and RYA support systems when required. The contact details of the current club welfare officer will be given on the club safeguarding page: https://www.cuyc.org.uk/club/safeguarding-policy/. If the individual prefers not to contact the welfare officer, a member of the committee can be contacted instead. All discussions will be treated as being in strict confidence.
The University of Cambridge Sports Service has a number of staff available to support Clubs in setting up a positive welfare culture supported by clear policies and procedures. The Sports Service Welfare Officers are also available to students if they feel unable to speak to their Club Welfare Officer or College Tutor regarding sports related matters.
As an RYA training centre, those with concerns are entitled to reach out to the RYA's Safeguarding Manager on 023 8060 4104 or your local authority Adult Social Care department. Details of Adult Social Care departments and emergency duty teams are listed on local authority websites and in local phone books. If you are unable to find the appropriate contact number, call the RYA's Safeguarding Manager or, if the person is at immediate risk, the Police.
CUYC Safeguarding Policy (PDF)