Do coaches in clubs need to attend the Sportscoach UK Equity in your coaching course?

As of the 1st October 2011, the Clubmark criteria does not insist on attendance at the 'Equity in your coaching' workshop. The club must continue to produce an Equity Action Plan or incorporate equity actions within its club development plans.
Click here for the Equity Action Plan template  

This should be a short summary of how to recruit and retain members based on fairness and can be either separate or part of the overall club development plan.

The club can send people on a variety of courses to support personal and club development and some NGBs and CSPs still require you to do this so it is essential that you check with your licensing organisation.

Why has this change been made?

There are a number of reasons, but the main factors are:

• in response to club feedback that it can be difficult to access appropriate courses that can hold up the Clubmark process.
• the Clubmark advisory group felt that the courses were not producing tangible outcomes and were considered by some to be a ‘tick box' exercise.

What is an annual health check?

The annual health check details the minimum requirements that each club, regardless of sport, should complete on an annual basis.
It is recommended that there should be a minimum of at least one club visit between Clubmark renewals (this still varies between three and four years) from authorised personnel from either the licensing NGB or CSP.

Why does my club have to undertake an annual health check?

The aim of the annual health check is to ensure the following:

• A progress report on the club development plan.
• An improvement or updated plan for the following year.
• An update on contact details - this should be passed on to Clubmark operators.
• Signed declaration by appropriate person in club that all aspects of Clubmark are valid.

In addition it is necessary for the clubs to identify how many hours per week and per year your club has organised planned coaching sessions.

How do I find out more about annual health checks?

Follow this link to download the Annual Health Check template. This is a self assessment form that may be asked for by your NGB or CSP but should be maintained by individual clubs to aid on-going development.

Can football clubs achieve Clubmark?

Football clubs gain Clubmark status by completing Charter Standard status and ensuring that they have an active junior section. The accreditation process remains unchanged for football clubs.

Are all existing Charter Standard clubs automatically Clubmark accredited?

Yes, as long as the Club has achieved Charter Standard or above and has an active junior section within the club.

How do I know which football clubs have Clubmark?

The Clubmark database is available in the resources section of the Clubmark website. This now includes relevant football clubs and is updated on a monthly basis.

Do football clubs still receive the same benefits as when they were solely Charter Standard?

Football clubs receive the same benefits from the FA and its partners. However, football clubs may now also receive all the benefits offered to Clubmark clubs by local authorities, CSPs and other partners. 

What is the Active Kids scheme?

Since ts introduction in 2005, the aim of Active Kids has remained unchanged: to help inspire and motivate young people to get active and be healthier by providing equipment and unique experiences for them to enjoy. The scheme delivers real benefits in the form of equipment and coaching, that go beyond the traditional curriculum based sports and PE lessons, for all types of sports clubs, and for all ages and abilities. To find out more visit the Active Kids website http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/ACTIVEKIDS/ or call 0844 415 8440. 

Is my club eligible for the Active Kids scheme?

To be eligible your sports club must have junior member provision, i.e. a junior club or team for under-18s that provides sport in a safe environment, be accredited by Clubmark or an acceptable equivalent, and affiliated with a National Governing Body (NGB) of sport. To find out more visit the FAQ section of the Active Kids website http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/ACTIVEKIDS/FAQs/#scheme or call 0844 415 8440.

How do I register my club for the Active Kids scheme? 

You can register by visiting https://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/activekids/Registration/Default.aspx or by calling 0844 415 8440. Clubs who register with Active Kids will be sent a welcome pack, which includes a catalogue and support materials to help rally the support of children and parents. If your club is already registered for Active Kids, there is no need to re-register and you will automatically receive your welcome pack.

When do I need to register for Active Kids?

You can register now, and start to collect vouchers when the scheme launches on 9 February until 3st May 2011 and all orders must be placed by 22nd July 2011. To find out more visit the Active Kids website http://www2.sainsburys.co.uk/ACTIVEKIDS/ or call 0844 415 8440.

What is Clubmark?

Clubmark is Sport England's national accreditation scheme for high quality junior sports clubs. It is managed by Knight, Kavanagh & Page on behalf of Sport England and sets the standard for all high quality sports clubs in England.

How many clubs have achieved Clubmark accreditation?

With more than 10,000 Clubmark accredited clubs across over 50 different sports and more than 4,500 clubs working towards accreditation the likelihood is that there will be a Clubmark club near you. 

Who accredits Clubmark?

Around 60 National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and County Sports Partnerships are licensed to award Clubmark. 

All organisations involved in accrediting Clubmark clubs are subject to a licensing process. The licence is designed to ensure that all such organisations involved work to a minimum operating framework and can prove it. The licence is renewed every two years to ensure that minimum operating standards agreed are met by all Clubmark sports and best practice in quality standards is reflected.

What does Clubmark stand for?

Clubmark stands for higher standards of safety, fairness, coaching and management. That way the nation's sports club infrastructure is safer, stronger and more successful.

This means that a club that has been awarded Clubmark has achieved minimum operating standards in safeguarding and protecting children, quality coaching, equal opportunities and good management.

In essence, a club that qualifies for Clubmark is a well run club which is ACTIVE and ACCESSIBLE, getting the best out of young people and giving everyone a sporting chance.

Why should clubs apply for accreditation?

Clubmark provides recognition for high quality clubs. It is important that all clubs should strive to this quality standard. Clubmark is an important club development tool and provides a solid foundation for all clubs wishing to establish a youth structure.

Clubs awarded Clubmark can be proud of what they have achieved. They are shown to have a commitment to developing junior sport. Parents can be assured that their children belong to a safer club. Members can be sure their club is a well managed club, striving to offer the best in coaching and sports development. By striving to achieve higher standards clubs are likely to attract more members and build a sustainable future. 

As a single, national standard, Clubmark gives sports clubs of all types structure and direction. Clubs awarded Clubmark have seen many tangible benefits... more

Who is eligible for Clubmark?

All clubs that are affiliated to a Sport England recognised NGB can gain Clubmark accreditation. Clubs are not disadvantaged simply because their NGB is not licensed to accredit. Licensed CSPs can accredit clubs in their area that do not belong to a licensed NGB, such as handball, ice hockey and korfball. 

How can my club apply for Clubmark?

Registration for Clubmark should be through your NGB or CSP who will provide you with all the relevant resources and information. We recognise that sometimes the hardest part of accreditation is knowing which organisation to contact to register an interest so to help clubs get started we have developed the Pathway to Accreditation. Just answer a few simple questions and we can point you in the right direction.

What does working towards Clubmark accreditation involve?

In working towards Clubmark accreditation, clubs will essentially need to put together a portfolio of evidence which outlines the minimum operating criteria. This criteria for example, includes having a child protection policy, demonstrating a coaching plan and having up to date public liability insurance. A list of the generic Clubmark criteria is available to download here.

Who assesses clubs for Clubmark and how is Clubmark a quality assured scheme?

Each of the NGBs/CSPs which are able to accredit clubs must go through a rigorous licensing process and provide evidence that there are sufficiently resourced to operate Clubmark. In additional all assessors are required to have attended training to ensure a clear understanding of the evidence required. Finally clubs in each region are externally assessed by trained staff from KKP to ensure that NGBs/CSPs are supporting clubs throughout the process and that clubs evidenced is appropriate and up to date.

How do I know which clubs have Clubmark? How can I find a Clubmark club near me?

The national Clubmark database holds records for every accredited clubs across the country. This database can be filtered by sport, region, local authority and CSP to help you to find the most suitable club for you. A similar database of working towards clubs can also be downloaded.

Also, look out for the Clubmark logo - all accredited clubs are presented with a certificate to display and use the logo on websites, signage and letterheads etc.

How long does Clubmark accreditation last?

Clubmark accreditation lasts for 3 years (or 4 years for some NGBs). At this stage each club will be re-assessed on all areas of the award. Clubs are also asked to complete an Annual Healthcheck to ensure no major changes have taken place and there will be at least one visit by the licensing organisation within the accreditation period. All clubs may also be visited by a trained member of staff from KKP as part of the external verification programme.

What is re-accreditation?

A club must re-submit its file to its NGB or CSP (whichever body accredited the club), after a three or four year period in order to become re-accredited.

I'm not sure if my club has Clubmark accreditation - how do I know?

There are a number of sports which adopt a different brand name for their Clubmark accreditation. If your Club has any of the following awards then the Club also qualifies for Clubmark:

CAPS (Netball)
Club Charter (Squash)
Clubs First (Hockey)
Club Future (Badminton)
Go-ride (Cycling)
Golf Mark (Golf)
GymMark (Gymnastics)
LacrosseMark (Lacrosse)
Premier Club (Table Tennis)
Seal of Approval (Rugby Union)
Snowmark (Snowsports) 
Swim 21 (Swimming)
Tennis Clubmark (Tennis)
The Football Association (Charter Standard)
Top Club (Canoeing)
Volleyball (Volley 1-2-3)