Category: Club News

Wanted: Heaton Stan Juniors – Club Welfare Officer

We are now recruiting for the position of Club Welfare Officer at Heaton Stan Juniors.

This is a unique opportunity to be involved in a Junior setup from its inception and help to shape its direction. The CWO is a critical role in holding the Club and its coaches to the highest standards of care towards the children we work with.

This is a voluntary role, but any expenses will be covered by the Club. 

No prior experience is required – fully funded training will be provided.

If you would like to discuss the role more with us, please e-mail heatonstan@gmail.com.

Role Specification

Who will I be responsible for?

You will work with the club officials, particularly the youth team coaches/ managers, to ensure they are carrying out their duty of care when running football activities for children. Importantly you will be a point of contact for the children if they have any concerns about the way they are being treated.

What is the role of the Welfare Officer?

To be clear about the clubs’ responsibilities when running activities for children and young people. This involves:

  • Ensuring these responsibilities are well understood by others;
  • Working with the Youth League Welfare Officer (YLWO);
  • Working with your County FA Welfare Officer;
  • Promoting The FA’s RESPECT Programme and helping to develop best practice processes;
  • To help club personnel understand what their duty of care towards children and young people means and entails on a day-to-day basis.

What sort of tasks are involved?

Tasks will include:

  • Ensuring everyone who needs an FA CRB check does one;
  • Encouraging officials to complete The FA Safeguarding Children workshop;
  • Assisting with the planning of festivals and tournaments;
  • Being a point of contact for coaches, parents and children with regards to safeguarding.

How much time will I need to give to the role?

As we are building a Junior club from scratch, the role will develop over time. The initial time commitment will be proportionate to the number of team we launch Heaton Stan Juniors with. As the Club grows, we will assess the impact and look to bring in additional CWOs to support you.

What else can you tell me about the role?

The following five steps outline the role a CWO may play, with the support of others at the Club:

  1. Put in place
  • Safeguarding children policy, antibullying policy and equality policy.
  • Responsible recruitment processes including the taking up of references and submitting FA CRB checks (getting the right people into the game);
  • The FA RESPECT Codes of Conduct.
  1. Understand
  • The aims of the RESPECT programme;
  • The benefits of implementing the RESPECT Codes of Conduct.
  • The quick wins to be gained by using The FA’s Safeguarding Children Best Practice guidance (e.g., travel, Trips and Tournaments, Photography Guidelines, Anti-bullying Policy and Safeguarding Children Policy Template);
  • Why certain roles require an Enhanced CRB check and how The FA CRB process works.
  • How to refer a concern about the welfare of a child.
  1. Communicate with
  • Your Youth League Welfare Officer
  • Introduce yourself, find out how they can support you and let them know what you are doing to safeguard children in your club.
  • Your County FA Welfare Officer if you need help or advice.
  • Coaches and managers about the importance of being consistent role models for their players
  • Parents and new players by getting involved with running start of season welcome sessions.
  • club officials about the RESPECT programme and its aims.
  • parents / spectators and get them to sign up to the RESPECT codes.
  • The FA by taking part in surveys, questionnaires, focus groups as and when asked.
  1. Encourage
  • coaches, team managers, first aiders/medics to complete The FA’s Safeguarding Children Workshop.
  • coaches and team managers to listen to their players thoughts, ideas and views.
  • the committee to make use of the RESPECT programmes designated spectator area at all games.
  • parents to complete the RESPECT education programme.
  1. Monitor
  • repeated incidents of poor behaviour and liaise with your committee, Youth League Welfare Officer or County Welfare Officer);
  • compliance with Enhanced CRB checks through The FA CRB Unit for those who require one using

We are looking for someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about junior football and wants to be part of a growing Club. If you would like to discuss the role more with us, please e-mail heatonstan@gmail.com.

Physio Wanted

MATCH DAY PHYSIO / REHAB THERAPIST

Heaton Stannington FC, who currently play at Step 5 of the Non-League pyramid are searching for a suitable student to gain some experience in the field of physiotherapy in a sporting capacity.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Acute Intervention: To direct the injury management of all first team.
Injury Prevention: Reduce the risk of injury occurrence in all first team players with the development of appropriate screening and injury prevention strategies.
Rehabilitation: Design evidence based protocols for return to full function of all first team players to allow them to compete at the highest level whilst minimising the risk of reoccurrence of injury.
To provide pitch side medical cover for first team matches.

Part-time hours: 4-8 hours per week

This is a paid role; expenses will be agreed depending upon experience.

For more details, or to apply for the role, please contact James Colwill: jamescolwill56@gmail.com

Club Appointment – Head of Junior Football

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Drummond as Head of Junior Football at Heaton Stannington FC.

Neil comes to the Stan with a huge wealth of experience in the Junior game – having spent the last 10 years at Killingworth Young Peoples Club. He has worked in a number of roles including a Coach, Secretary, Chairman and will remain as a fully committed Trustee of the club. Neil has helped to significantly grow many areas including development of teams, facilities and working practices.

Both Neil and his Dad are currently season ticket holders at Grounsell Park and are already familiar faces around the Club. We are delighted to have someone of Neil’s experience on board to help guide us through the process of developing this new part of our Club.

On his appointment, Neil said:

“As a staunch supporter of the Stan I am delighted to have been asked to support the implementation of the Junior set up. The family aspect of the club is what made we want to be involved, both me and my Dad have been welcome since we set foot in ground to watch Senior football again almost 3 years ago now. I will give 100% and use my extensive knowledge to help get the juniors off the ground and enable the Stan to be successful in setting up a long-lasting Junior Club.”

Welcome to the Stan, Neil!

Club Statement: Introducing Heaton Stan Juniors!

Heaton Stannington FC are excited to share with you our plans for Heaton Stan Juniors!

As part of our long term growth strategy, we have made the decision to begin the process of implementing a junior setup at the Club. Following sustained development of the first team, the Heaton Stan A team and the Club off the field in recent years, we feel this is the natural next step in further growing the Club in the local community.

The core objectives of Heaton Stan Juniors will be to:

  • Provide a safe, inclusive and fun environment for kids to play football, regardless of ability.
  • Establish ourselves as a key part of the local community.
  • Inspire the next generation of Heaton Stan players, supporters and volunteers.

It is important to us that, as we grow, we continue to maintain the brilliant culture that exists at Grounsell Park. We have therefore developed the following Guiding Principles which we commit to following as we embark on this new journey:

  1. Do things the right way, first time round. No “quick fixes” which we will need to correct later.
  2. Set solid foundations for the future – people, facilities, teams, processes. Make sure they are workable and well organised.
  3. Ensure we grow at a sustainable pace.
  4. Integrate Heaton Stan Juniors into the Club. We are #OneClub and will live by that ethos.

The timeline we are aiming to work to reflects our guiding principle of “Do things the right way, first time round”:

  • Season 2022/23 – focus will be on implementing the behind-the-scenes structures including securing a home for Heaton Stan Juniors and appointing key personnel into key roles.
  • Season 2023/24 – aim will be to launch a number of teams in leagues.

We will release further details in due course as we navigate the next steps in this project. 

The Heaton Stan Committee