We welcome and encourage everyone to our activities and events and want to make every contact you have with us a positive experience.
Sports Development Respectful Behaviour Policy
Our Sports Development Respectful Behaviour Policy is intended to provide clear guidance as to the standards of behaviour expected from visitors to our sessions.
What we expect
We ask our customers to:
- treat our employees and fellow visitors with courtesy and respect
- use our venues, equipment and property in an appropriate manner
- wear appropriate clothing for the activity you are undertaking
- adhere to all instructional signage
- report incidents or concerns about the conduct of others to one of our employees immediately
Unacceptable behaviour
We will not tolerate:
- the use of inappropriate or offensive language
- any form of unacceptable behaviour or aggression as defined in this code of conduct
Visitors who experience or witness incidents of unacceptable behaviour are encouraged to report them to a member of staff so that action can be taken.
Unacceptable behaviour generally falls into the following categories.
General nuisance and disruption
This includes:
- swearing which causes offence and distress to staff and customers
- disruption to staff and customers through inappropriate behaviour. For example, over-rowdiness, slamming doors, making excessive noise or intentionally restricting access to facilities for others
- inappropriate use of mobile phone.
- carrying out any activity that is not permitted in that facility, such as playing football in a corridor, or recording or taking photographs of staff and members of the public without prior consent.
- any behaviour which puts the health and safety of yourself or others at risk.
Non-physical abuse / threatening behaviour
This includes:
- abusive, threatening, and derisory personal remarks and statements made directly at staff or customers
- any hate crime related behaviour
- harassment, for example stalking, letters or inappropriate use of social media or asking inappropriate questions
- any forms of non-physical aggression
Physical abuse / threatening behaviour / criminal activity
This includes:
- actual physical contact with staff or customers which is intended to injure and/or intimidate, such as spitting, pushing, or striking. (This may also lead to criminal charges)
- any criminal activity including drug and alcohol related behaviour, carrying of offensive weapons
Vandalism / theft
This includes:
- deliberately causing damage to the site, its contents or fixture and fittings
- theft of Council property or another customer’s property (this may also lead to criminal charges)
If the Respectful Behaviour Policy is breached
While we will make every effort to engage and facilitate all customers, there may be occasions where behaviours cannot be tolerated.
Whilst incidents are few, if our Respectful Behaviour Policy is breached, we may take the following action to maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for the community:
- Implement and enforce exclusion protocols from our sessions and services. A standard process is in place and this independent review and subsequent exclusion process will be followed.
- Refer matters to the police with the intent of prosecution.
Group exercise classes
- Our sessions aim to provide a pleasant, safe and enjoyable environment, in which users can derive health benefits.
- Users should treat centre staff and fellow users with courtesy and respect, as they would wish to be treated themselves. Discrimination towards staff or users, as defined under the Equalities Act 2010, will not be tolerated and may lead to further action being taken.
- Physical intimidation, violence or bullying of coaches or users will not be tolerated and action will be taken against persons the management suspect to have engaged in these offences.
- Users should treat equipment with respect and use equipment and the venue in an appropriate manner.
- Participants must follow safety points and guidance given by the instructor in relation to their class.
- Users should wear appropriate clothing during classes.
- Any medical history or current/past injuries should be communicated to the instructor before the class begins.
- Users should maintain good hygiene.
- Customers should refrain from wearing jewellery where possible, for example necklaces and hoop earrings.
- There is a cut-off time for entering a class up to 5 minutes for all classes. This is to ensure everyone completes a warmup and helps minimise disruption.
- If there is a dispute between participants, then both will be asked to leave to resolve dispute, and any temporary exclusion will be put in place where necessary.
- All participants must be mindful that there are various special needs and specific adaptations to account for, and all participants are politely asked to have patience with others to allow for the best experience for all.
- Wherever possible participants will be asked to keep disruptions to a minimum and where any disruption impacts the overall session significantly a participant will be asked to leave.
- For SEND specific sessions, carers/support workers are expected to give their full attention to the client throughout each session, ensuring meaningful engagement and support. Mobile phones must not be used for personal purposes during client time. The only exception is for work-related use, such as taking photographs of the client for reporting or record-keeping purposes, as permitted by organisational policy.
If you have any questions or queries about these guidelines, please speak to a member of staff at the class that you are attending.
See a downloadable copy of the Sports Development Respectful Behaviour Policy (PDF).