The GAA’s core agenda is to ‘support the sport’ - to encourage the growth of the Grappling Arts. However, we know this can only be truly done by making sure the growth includes access for anyone who would be interested in our association; so part of our mission is to support a widening of access for under-represented groups.
This area is called Responsibility as we feel GAA members should have a certain minimum level of awareness and ‘responsibility’ to their members and encourage the same between individual practitioners of each respective art, no matter who that individual may be.
The GAA have their own guidelines which we operate by, but also that we have provided for member clubs. These can be found in the Support section.
However to further support this we thought it would be helpful for you to point you to guides and links on the internet where further official and well researched information can be obtained. Each recommended resource below, has been chosen because we feel it has an education that we embrace and wish to encourage in our members.
We hope this area will be a helpful support in running a club or association, but also for individual members or unsure prospective members considering a grappling art.
For members with specific concerns, we also recommend the GAA lawyers if the information here does not suffice. Contact us directly.
Child Protection
Child Protection in Sport: The CPSU's mission is to safeguard the welfare of children and young people under 18 in sport and to promote their well-being.
The CPSU plays an important part in the NSPCC's long-term strategy for ending child abuse by helping sports and other organisations to:
• Recognise their responsibility to protect children and young people left in their care.
• Develop strategies and standards to protect children and young people.
• Identify and respond to adults who are a threat to children and young people.
• Develop child protection knowledge and skills among all staff and volunteers. http://www.thecpsu.org.uk/
Northern Ireland Sport Council’s documentation on this topic is a credit to their body and worth considering for any club set up.
Code of Ethics: Click here
Duty to Care: Click here
Equality
The Equality Standard For Sport. This is a framework for assisting sports organisations to widen access and reduce inequalities in sport and physical activity from under representative individuals, groups and communities especially women and girls, ethnic minority groups and disabled people. http://www.vagaassociates.com/
Women
The Womens Sports Foundation is the UK's leading organisation dedicated to improving and promoting opportunities for women and girls in sport and physical activity. http://www.wsf.org.uk/
What Works For Women... Are examples of initiatives in the UK that have increased women and girls' participation in physical activity. http://www.whatworksforwomen.org.uk
Disabilities
The English Federatioin of Disability Sports, provides a united voice for disability sport seeking to promote inclusion and achieve equality of sporting opportunities for disabled people. http://www.efds.net/
Race
Sporting Equals is a national initiative working to promote racial equality in sport. There are many resources on this site and a lot of supportive information. http://www.sportingequals.com/
Age
Sport Scotland has a good section on this topic, plus links to downloads.
Culture and Religion
There are many articles to be found on the internet on these topics. However no ‘official guides’. The GAA actively encourage and accommodate all cultures and religions to both participate and instruct the Grappling Arts. It must be understood that as a guide, if someone feels uncomfortable, with somebody or something - we must try to understand why and respect the difference as an education.
Anti Doping
100% ME is about knowing you don't need to use prohibited substances or methods to succeed in sport. http://www.100percentme.co.uk/
UK Sport. As part of its overall sporting excellence remit, is committed to promoting ethically fair and drug-free sport, with the aim of producing sportsmen and women who are competing and winning fairly. http://www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/drug_free_sport/
National Sporting Bodies.
Great Britain: http://www.uksport.gov.uk/
England: http://www.sportengland.org/
Wales: http://www.sports-council-wales.co.uk
Scotland: http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/
Northern Ireland: http://www.sportni.net/
The Sport Development Website is an far reaching independent resource with many articles and documents on all the above topics. http://www.sportdevelopment.org.uk/
Martial Arts Standards Association: The aim of MASA is to produce a set of standards that Martial Arts Associations, Schools and Clubs can sign up to regardless of which Art they practice.
The GAA has signed up to these Standards and wish to promote these as minimum guidelines for our members. Membership to the GAA will indicate that the Association and Club abide by and are run on a safe and professional basis, and will be a recommendation to prospective students. If Associations/ Schools/ Clubs are not yet able to fully meet the Standards, they will be able to still sign up to show their intent and GAA will provide access to appropriate resources to enable them to meet the required Standards.
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