This Equality policy provides an agreed set of guidelines for Ridgeway Rovers FC to implement to ensure that everyone who wishes to be involved in the football club, whether as casual participants, team members, volunteers, club supporters, coaches, office bearers in the club:

• Has a genuine and equal opportunity to participate to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, without regard to age, sex, gender, disability, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, faith, belief, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status or sexual orientation

• 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 football without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment or abuse

To support the adoption and implementation of this policy, the Ridgeway Rovers FC committee has created the RRFC Equality Panel, to undertake the following roles and responsibilities:

• Ensure the implementation of this policy
• Review activities and initiatives of the Club against the aims of this policy
• Review the policy itself and adhere to guidance or recommended amendments from The Irish FA
• Investigate complaints or matters that are brought to the attention of the Club Equality Panel.
Legal Obligations

Ridgeway Rovers FC is committed to avoid and eliminate discrimination of any kind in football, and will under no circumstances condone unlawful practices. The Club takes a zero tolerance approach to all forms of discrimination.

Positive Action

Ridgeway Rovers FC acknowledges the principle of Sports Equality goes further than simply complying with legislation. It entails 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.

Ridgeway Rovers FC will therefore seek to institute, support or contribute to appropriate measures or initiatives that enable access to football and participation in associated activities by people from any group that is under-represented in the sport or has difficulty accessing it.

Implementation

The following steps will be taken to publicise this policy and promote equality in football within the club:

• This document will be published on the Ridgeway Rovers FC website

• The Club Secretary will take overall responsibility for ensuring that the policy is observed.

• The club committee will take full account of the policy in arriving at all decisions in relation to activities of the club.

• The committee will collaborate fully with any surveys or other initiatives designed to assess the level of participation of different sections of the community in football and will take account of the findings in developing measures to promote and enhance sports equality in football.

• The club committee will provide access to training for all of its volunteers, to raise awareness of both collective and individual responsibilities.

Equality and Diversity training opportunities will be afforded a minimum of annually for club and league officials, accredited coaches and other volunteers.

• It will be a condition of membership of the club:

- Formally adopt this policy in terms that are consistent with these; and

- Take steps to ensure that the Committee, members and volunteers behave in accordance with the policy, including where appropriate taking disciplinary action under the Club’s constitution; and:

- Ensure that access to membership is open and inclusive;

- Support such measures and initiatives that Ridgeway Rovers FC may institute or take part in to advance the aims of this policy

• It will be a condition of the Club membership that individual members:

- Commit to act in accordance with this policy; and

- Support such measures and initiatives that Ridgeway Rovers FC may institute or take part in to advance the aims of this policy Responsibility, Monitoring and Evaluation.

The Ridgeway Rovers FC Committee will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of this policy.

The Ridgeway Rovers FC Committee will review all activities and initiatives of the club against the aims of this policy on an annual basis, and will review the policy itself at intervals of no more than 5 years (or when necessary due to changes in legislation), and will report with recommendations if required as part of the clubs AGM report.

Complaints and Compliance

Ridgeway Rovers FC regards all forms of discriminatory behaviour as unacceptable, and is concerned to ensure that individuals feel able to raise any bona fide grievance or complaint related to such behaviour without fear of being penalised for doing so. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any club volunteer who violates the club Equality Policy.

Any person who believes that he or she has been treated in a way that they consider to be in breach of this policy by a club member, should first complain to the Club Committee. If this does not resolve the matter, or in the case of allegations of discriminatory behaviour against Ridgeway Rovers FC, the person may raise the matter by contacting the Football governing body within Northern Ireland. Irish FA website: http://www.irishfa.com