- Version 1.0
- Approved by Club Field Captain May 2023
- Next review due April 2024
Introduction
Children in Archery today are well-versed in online communications (including social media), but many adults are not. These quick guide notes are intended to provide some best practice suggestions for adults when communicating with under-18-year-olds, whatever their archery role - club member, club coach etc.
This is just a quick guide; if you have any questions please check our Online Safety, Social Media & Digital Communications with Children (Under 18s) Policy or speak with the Club Welfare or Club Deputy Welfare Officer.
Whatever your adult role in archery, we hope you find them useful.
The Do's & Don'ts for Club Members
Do
- Get signed consent from parents/carers before communicating digitally with children (including social media).
- Explain to parents/carers the purpose and method for club members, club committee members, club coaches etc. to communicate digitally with their child.
- Only use group texts, emails or messenger apps and always copy in the parent/carer and one of the designated members of the club (e.g. Club Welfare or Club Deputy Welfare Officer) to all communications with children.
- Make sure digital communications are only in relation to specific club related activities e.g. changes to start times or venue locations.
- When using social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram), ensure that we adhere to relevant legislation, age restrictions and good practice guidelines.
Don't
- Use digital communications for personal conversations, sending pictures, jokes or other items of a personal nature.
- Respond to digital communications from children other than those directly related to club matters.
- Use language that is directly (or could be misinterpreted as being) racist, sexist, derogatory, threatening, abusive or sexualised in tone.
Unless a child or young person is a direct relation, you should not
- Accept as a friend, club members or coaches under the age of 18 on social media sites of which they are members.
- Share their own personal social media sites with children or young people involved with archery.
- Contact children or young people known through archery outside of the archery context on social media sites.
- Use internet or web-based communications to send personal messages of a non-archery nature to a child or young person.
- Engage in any personal communications, 'banter' or comments.
If you have any concerns, please report these to the Club Welfare or Deputy Welfare Officers as soon as possible.
Resources
Online Safety, Social Media & Digital Communications with Children (Under 18s)
How we use the internet and social media, and what we expect of club members, children and young people when communicating online.