Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport?when working with underage players
A chairde gael,
I am pleased to attach for?your information, the recently launched on-line version of Our Games – Our Code, the joint Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport.? This Code has been agreed between the GAA, the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Camogie Association, GAA Handball Ireland and the Rounders Council of Ireland.?
The publication by the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ladies Gaelic Football Association, the Camogie?Association, GAA Handball Ireland and the Rounders Council of Ireland of Our Games ? Our Code, the Joint?Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport, is indeed a momentous occasion for all who work with underage?players and vulnerable adults in our respective Associations.
This Code brings together the collective good practice experiences of our Associations while also?recognising the legislative, organisational and statutory guidance that governs our work with young?people and children. Our Games ? Our Code will assist us in supporting and directing our members and all?units of our Associations in our work with underage teams in a coordinated and developmental manner.
Our Associations, in common with others who work with young people and children on a daily basis,?will continue to abide by and integrate child welfare legislation and statutory guidance into our work,?regardless of the jurisdiction in which we operate. In upholding this principle, the welfare of the child shall?always be our paramount consideration, whether it is on the playing fields, in the training of our underage?players, the recruitment of our coaches or the many other developmental and social opportunities that we?offer our underage players on a daily and weekly basis.
If the local community is a bedrock of our Association so also are our underage players, many of whom?will play our games from childhood to adulthood and will hopefully progress in later years to coaching and?mentoring roles, more often than not in the one Club.?Our underage players will spend some of the most enjoyable days of their lives playing our games and?socialising with their friends. Whether attending or playing GAA matches, playing Ladies Football or?Camogie, or participating in Rounders or Handball activities, they will do so during some of the most?important developmental years of their lives.?
Our role and our responsibility is to ensure that they benefit?from and participate in our Gaelic Games in a safe and enjoyable environment and where our Games are?conducted in a spirit of fair play where everyone working on our behalf emphasises respect, equality,?safety and non discrimination in all aspects of our work with children and young people.
Is mise le meas,
?
Fearghail O’Conchubhair
Oifigeach na P?iste Chontae Fhearmanach
By admin Sun 16th Dec
