ARA Club Welfare Conferences

From: ARA National Manager

12th December 2002

Dear Club Chairman / Club Water Safety Adviser / Club Child Protection Officer,

Invitation to the ARA Club Welfare Conferences – February & March 2003

I am sure that you are aware that the revised ARA Water Safety Code will come into effect from the 1st April 2003. As reports in Regatta and the ARA Website have illustrated this will see a subtle but important shift in our approach to safety. Risk Assessment will become the recognised corner stone of our safety procedures and it is therefore essential that all club officers are familiar and practice this approach.

Another very important feature coming into line on the 1st April is the newly revised Child Protection Procedures. From April clubs will be able to apply through the ARA for checks to be done using the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and this will require a change in procedures for the clubs.

In order to help clubs implement these changes into their normal operations we have organised a series of  ‘Club Welfare Conferences’, which expands the format used with the very successful ‘Club Development Conferences’ in November of 2002. The Club Welfare Conferences will be supported by volunteer working party members and professional staff and will allow delegates to attend 2 out of 3 of the new ARA training modules. ‘Project Oarsome’ schools will act as hosts for the conferences, demonstrating the partnership between clubs and schools up and down the country.

Clubs can send a Maximum of 3 reps and it is suggested that these would be the:
Club Chairmen or member of management committee
Club Water Safety Adviser
Club Welfare Officer (Child Protection Officer)

Cost (which includes lunch) is £25 per club.

Clubs will also have the opportunity to attend a ‘Facilities Clinic’ run by the ARA National Development Manager and the Facilities Officer. This follows the highly successful series of clinics at the aforementioned Club Development Conferences. Appointments can be made to meet these professionals who will be able to offer the best advice on facility development or expansion of equipment. Priority will be given to clubs with lease or tenure issues.

Date	Place	Closing Date
2nd Feb (Sun)	Durham	21st Jan (Tuesday)
9th Feb (Sun)	[venue now changed to Beverley Schhol, New Malden]	28th Jan (Tuesday)
15th Feb (Sat)	Stoke on Trent	4th Feb (Tuesday)
23rd Feb (Sun)	Bath	11th Feb (Tuesday)
2nd March (Sun)	Oundle	18th Feb (Tuesday)

Please ensure that the application form with a cheque for £25 payable to the ARA is returned to Brian Smyth at the ARA by the above closing date.

Yours sincerely
Rosemary Napp ( Mrs )
ARA National Manager

10 Items the Conference Package will include:

• Key Note Presentations on Water Safety
• Key Note Presentations on Child Protection
• Opportunity to attend NEW Water Safety Training Module
• Opportunity to attend NEW Risk Management Training Module
• Opportunity to attend NEW Child Protection Training Module
• CD with copy of Water Safety Code, Child Protection Procedures, Presentations
• CD with NEW Interactive Trailer Guide
• Opportunity for 20 minute meeting about Facilities (needs to be booked)
• Opportunity to share best practice with other clubs
• Tea / Coffee / Lunch
  All of this for only £25 per club

Please fill in the form which has been sent to all clubs, and send to Brian Smyth at the ARA

Form & further info available on ARA website.

Links:

• Regional pages

• Northern
• East Midlands
• Eastern
  • also Eastern pages on ARA website
• WAGS