St Paul’s Walden Tennis Club (SPWTC) has adopted the following Diversity and Inclusion Policy, under guidance from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

1.Policy Statement

The primary aim is to enable more people to play tennis more often, growing and sustaining the sport so that it is safe, inclusive, and fair. This applies regardless of a person’s age, disability, gender reassignment status, sex, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, race or sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or any other background.

Our Safe and Inclusive approach recognises that many concerns and/or disclosures may have both safeguarding and diversity and inclusion elements to them. This policy reflects this through its reporting procedures, which replicate the safeguarding concern reporting procedures. 

This Policy, Standards and Code of Conduct strive to minimise risk and support venues, programmes, events and individuals to deliver a positive tennis experience for everyone. The Reporting Procedures outlines how to respond to safeguarding or discrimination concerns/disclosures.

2.Use of Terminology

We have adopted the following definitions to explain our approach to diversity and inclusion in tennis:

Discrimination – treating someone in a less favourable way and causing them harm, because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation

Diversity – acknowledging, celebrating and respecting the differences between groups of people and between individuals. We will work to ensure that people can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected, and in particular that they are able to enjoy their sport without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment or abuse.

Harassment – unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating and intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. The focus is on the perception of the complainant not the intent of the perpetrator. Employees can complain of behaviour they find offensive even if it is not directed at them.

Inclusion – ensuring that tennis is equally accessible to any member of the community so they can be fully involved in whatever capacity they choose; and that they are supported to achieve their potential in any capacity e.g. player, employee, volunteer, coach or official. We will work to ensure that people have a genuine and equal opportunity to participate to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, that they feel respected and valued and are not singled out, with regard to their age, disability, gender reassignment status, sex, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, race or sexual orientation, socio-economic status or any other background.

Positive action – SPWTC is committed to taking positive steps to counteract the effects of physical or cultural barriers – whether real or perceived – that restrict the opportunity for all sections of the community to participate equally and fully. We will ensure that we institute, support or contribute to appropriate measures or initiatives that enable access to tennis and participation in associated activities by people from any group that is underrepresented in tennis or has difficulty accessing it and that they can do so with dignity or without being singled out.

3.Scope

SPWTC has direct safe and inclusive responsibility for:

• Staff, consultants, coaches and officials they employ;
• Volunteers, including committee members and councillors they recruit;
• Our tennis venue;
• Events and programmes we run; and
• Ensuring all accreditation requirements are met by accredited coaches, officials and venues.

We recommend and support the development of good diversity and inclusion practice to:

• Accredited coaches, officials and venues;
• Players, parents and carers;

This Policy, Standards, Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure are in line with national legislation.

4. Responsibility for implementation of the Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Standards, Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure

Diversity and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility: not responding to discriminatory or unacceptable language and behaviour is not an option.

• SPWTC’s committee has overall accountability for this Policy, Standards, Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure, for being the strategic lead on diversity and inclusion objectives and for ensuring compliance with the relevant legislation.
• SPWTC’s committee has overall responsibility for implementation of the policy, ensuring that Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan is delivered and reported on annually to the committee, and for creating a culture where inclusive leadership can thrive.
• All volunteers, coaches and members involved in tennis are responsible for raising diversity and inclusion concerns with the Welfare and Safeguarding officer.
• Players, parents and guardians are responsible for upholding the Safe and Inclusive Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure.
• Welfare and Safeguarding officer is responsible for ensuring appropriate training is put in place for new joiners and to ensure that existing members are kept up to date with any diversity and inclusion developments.
• SPWTC will ensure that access to membership as well as access to participation is open and inclusive;
• SPWTC will support such measures and initiatives that British Tennis may institute or take part in to advance the aims of this policy.

Where there is a diversity and inclusion concern/disclosure:

• The individual who is told about, hears, or is made aware of the concern/disclosure is responsible for reporting such to the Welfare and Safeguarding officer.
• The Welfare and Safeguarding officer is responsible for reporting all diversity and inclusion concerns to the LTA Safe and Inclusive Tennis Team.
• The LTA Safe and Inclusive Tennis Team is responsible for assessing all diversity and inclusion concerns/disclosures that are reported to them and working with the Welfare and Safeguarding officer to follow up as appropriate on a case-by-case basis, prioritising the well-being of the child/ adult at risk at all times.  Dependent on the concern/disclosure, a referral may be made to:
  • The police in an emergency (999);
  • Local Authority Children’s Social Care Services for concerns/disclosures about a child;
  • Local Authority Adult Social Care Services for concerns/disclosures about an adult at risk;
  • Designated Officer (England; Wales); and national Disclosure and Barring Service for concerns/disclosures about a member of staff, consultant, coach, official or volunteer; and/or
  • True Vision for Hate Crime
  • The LTA Safeguarding and Protection

Committee and/or the LTA Licensing and Registration Committee for advice and decisions; - and/or

• • The Police Prevent Officer for concerns about children or adults at risk of being drawn into extremism or terrorist activity and Channel with permission from the individual and parent or guardian for those under eighteen years’ old

SPWTC – October 2018