The Standard is based on three levels of achievement and covers two major key areas of focus at the Club; Your Organisation and Supporter and Community Involvement. Achievement across all three levels must be supported by relevant evidence and assessed by an independent accreditation panel.
Preliminary – Where are we now?: The Club will have demonstrated a commitment to equality by developing a written Equal Opportunities Policy encompassing all six areas of equality and produced an equality action plan for all areas of activity. The plan will be regularly monitored and will include an assessment of the club’s current supporter base, community development targets and clear guidelines for dealing with abuse.
Intermediate – What are we doing?: The Club will have demonstrated clear improvements in services as a result of monitoring, built relationships with local under represented communities and individuals and implemented its action plan. The Club will be able to show clear evidence of the implementation of the Equal Opportunities Policy and delivered appropriate training to all staff.
Advanced – What has changed?: The Club will be an exemplar in the way it monitors under-representation across all levels and areas of activity; as employees, supporters and of participants in community outreach programmes. The Club will be in a position to demonstrate what has been achieved through the production of an impact assessment and illustrate what changes have been made as a result of the Standard.
The key areas of focus are as outlined below:
Your Organisation: Demonstrating commitment to promoting equality by developing internal policies and procedures. Setting up clear policies on how to deal with discrimination and inequality, seeking approval and involvement at the highest level and widening representation of the club’s local community in the fields of both administration and management.
Supporter and Community Involvement: Ensuring the stadium and its environs are free of discrimination. Monitoring supporter engagements and making efforts to increase levels of participation from under represented groups and individuals at every level of activity – on soccer schools, as fans, coaches, and players within the academy and youth development centre.
Accreditation Process
Clubs will be expected to provide evidence for each of the key tasks listed in the Equality Standard.
All evidence should be recorded, collated and analysed to provide an assessment of the achievements and progress the Club has made.
Vital sources of evidence include:
> Audit forms/monitoring information
> Publicity materials; including match day programmes and club magazines/newsletters
> Correspondence with under-represented community groups and individuals
> Minutes of meetings/consultations
> Correspondence with management
> Photographs of signs/perimeter boards/public signing of standard or equality action plan
> Communications – web pages, letters from schools/organisations, media announcements
Kick It Out’s Development Officer, Keeley Temple will be on hand throughout the process to assist, advise and make recommendations about the most appropriate methods of evidence to support each objective.
Once obtained, each level with be honoured by the Club for a maximum of three years, after which time the Club is expected to progress on to the next level. Failing that, the Club will be required to submit updated evidence for the level already attained.
Click here to download a copy of the Equality Standard.
For further assistance at the Preliminary Level, click here to download a copy of the guidance notes.
For further information, please contact Keeley Temple on 0207 684 4884 or by emailing keeley@kickitout.org
