Article is about how Sarum Youth FC developed its organisation to encompass the Charter Standard guidelines.
Sarum Youth FC formed in July 2007 with a group of like minded players and parents and assistance from the Wiltshire FA. With a handful of dedicated volunteers we formed a committee and the basic infrastructure of the club.
With the first season behind the club the committee unanimously decided in July 2008 to make efforts to be as well organised and as qualified as possible and ultimately achieve the FA Charter Standard. With the backing of our sponsors we were able to allocate a small amount of funds for training courses towards our aims.
All our volunteers that joined the club were CRB checked, and our coaches are now a minimum of FA level 1, with our head coach being Level 2. Our Child Welfare officer completed all the necessary qualifications and has now also become our leagues welfare officer. The clubs main first aider has taken the Treatment and Management of Injury level 2 course and will be furthering that with the level 3; furthermore our club secretary has completed the FA Club Secretary course.
With the necessary qualifications behind us, the club created a handbook from the guidelines set out by the FA, and any questions or potential hurdles were overcome with the assistance of the counties Football Development Officer.
The application itself was a painless process, the forms were straightforward and gathering the required documentation was a case of being organised and thorough.
Gaining the Charter Standard has been a real boon to the club, and has helped bind the current parents and players. We plan to expand the number of teams that play, with these award future players, parents and volunteers will be reassured by the fact we have Charter status and follow the FA guidelines. This also applies to the junior schools whose football teams the club helps train. To celebrate sponsors, school representatives, parents, players and volunteers were invited to a presentation evening which was attended by representatives of the Wiltshire FA, where we received our framed certificate and plaques from Barry Stephens (Wilts FA Football Development Officer) and Mike Benson (Wilts FA County Secretary).