Partnerships
Clubs, CBs and the RFU need to share a common Community Rugby vision to enable Volunteers and professional staff to work closely together in partnership to achieve our shared objectives. We also need to be pro-active in developing links with external agencies and sponsors that provide support, human and financial resources.
Objectives
All CBs to adopt and implement their agreed roles and responsibilities by 2006/07
126 The roles and responsibilities for CBs, set out below, were circulated to CBs in April 2004 and endorsed by CBs at their July 2004 Conference. Their adoption will enable CBs to focus on the outcomes needed to support the Community Rugby themes. They also provide a common agenda that will help develop the working partnership between CBs, RRDMs, RDOs and other professional staff. The agreed CB roles and responsibilities are:
i) CBs shall be responsible for the development of the Game of Rugby Union within their member clubs and, with relevant local and regional organisations, promote and foster the Game;
ii) CBs shall support and implement the policies and outcomes of the RFU Strategic Plan and the ‘themes’ of the Community game:
a) More People in More Teams playing More Matches
- Players of all ages
- Coaches
- Match officials
- Volunteers
- Partnerships;
b) Better Places
- Community Club Development
- Community Facilities Development
c) Access for All
- Social Inclusion
- Ethnic Diversity; and
d) Enjoyment
iii) CBs shall provide an organisational framework to support their member clubs in the playing of the game including but not limited to:
a) League, Merit Table and Cup Competitions
b) Disciplinary matters
c) Equity & Ethics and Duty of Care
d) Club Coach Recruitment, Development and Retention
e) Volunteer/Administrator Recruitment, Development and Retention
f) Referee Society Liaison
g) Club Development
iv) CBs shall provide an integrated player development and playing programme at youth and adult levels;
v) CBs shall provide an administrative structure to support the above and to meet the data collection requirements of the RFU including but not limited to:
a) CB Strategic Plan
b) Club Conditional Funding
c) Club Insurance
d) Injury Statistics
Create partnerships with Premier and National Clubs for the benefit of the Community Game
127 Rugby Union in England is a single and united game, governed by one set of Rules for the benefit of all. It is the RFU’s intention that this will remain the case. Although we now have professional and semi professional tiers, there are many benefits to be had by the Community game working in partnership with the professional and semi professional clubs. Although Premier Rugby clubs have developed community programmes, these are not always linked into local CB and Community Rugby programmes. It is our intention, over the Plan Period, to establish effective partnerships between all Premier Rugby and National League clubs and their associated CBs linking in with the Community Rugby strategies set out in this Plan.
All CBs to be encouraged to adopt the updated Model Structure
128 To undertake their roles and responsibilities within the Community game, CBs need to have an efficient and effective structure that spreads their workload and aligns with
the Community Rugby structure. This structure is aimed at facilitating communication and the working partnership links between CB officials, their committees, RRDMs and RDOs.
129 The updated structure incorporates the CB Rugby Development Partnership (CBRDP) and the CB Community Rugby Committee. The CBRDPs are responsible for planning, agreeing and implementing a strategy for rugby development covering playing and coaching and officiating in accordance with recommendations from the 2004 Review of Schools, Students and Youth Rugby. The CB Community Rugby Committee replaces the CB Blackman Action representative. Its role is to coordinate strategies and actions needed to support club development, volunteer recruitment and the production of a CB facilities strategy.
Strategies and Plans
Provide support to assist CBs to carry out their roles and responsibilities
130 CBs have an important role in helping the RFU achieve its objectives for Community Rugby. It is understood that some CBs may need support and assistance in fulfilling this role and the RFU intends to provide a menu of support opportunities for CBs along the following lines:
a) Provision of realistic ‘grow the game’ targets, based on credible baseline information and taking into account the local socio-demographic context;
b) Professional support to brand, promote and market the game. National campaigns need to be devised for local implementation;
c) Development of and access to shared IT systems and data for game wide use;
d) Templates and support for CBs to promote recreational forms of the game such as via touchrugby.com;
e) Models of good practice that promote the ethos and culture of the game. These could include codes of conduct, award of points for completing fixtures, the loaning of players, awards evenings, tours, social events, charitable activity and social inclusion;
f) Provision of training and guidance for Child Welfare Managers and an annual conference for club welfare officers;
g) Provision of advice and guidance on club facilities development;
h) Provision of advice and guidance on Health and Safety matters for clubs particularly in the areas of employment law, food hygiene, spectator safety and minimum wage legislation;
i) Provision of assistance to help CBs develop an ‘endangered clubs’ programme and the development of templates to help these clubs become ‘sustainable’;
j) Development and promotion of the women’s game;
k) Resources (including, but not limited to, financial resources) to provide local administrative support within CBs to organise meetings, coordinate activities, progress actions and reduce the increasing work load of Volunteers.
Develop working partnerships with CBs to share knowledge and experience
131 A number of key areas of the RFU Community Rugby work programme, including club development, coach education and development and player development, contain initiatives and activities that require specific support from both CB committees and
RDOs. All stakeholders must work closely together in partnership, sharing everyone’s
knowledge and expertise, to optimise the resources available to deliver Community
Rugby programmes directly to clubs and schools.
Implement the CB Consultants Scheme
132 Following the success of the 2004 pilot scheme a small network of Volunteer CB Consultants will be established. These will be selected from experienced Council members and CB officials. They will receive training and visit, on request, CBs in order to:
- Facilitate feedback by listening to CBs views;
- Offer support and help to CBs;
- Collect and share best practice already being undertaken in many CBs;
- Assist CBs to monitor and evaluate their progress;
- Ensure CBs’ future plans and priorities align with the programme and planning cycle for the Community game.
Introduce a simpler CB Strategic Planning Process
133 To achieve ‘bite sized’ objectives CB Strategic Plans will, in future, be revised and updated using a much easier process involving a simple template based on the Community Rugby section of the RFU Strategic Plan. This will also help link CB activities with the RFU strategic and business plans, and the priorities and targets set by the Community Rugby Standing Committee for its work programme. Whilst the original CB strategic planning template issued in 2001/02 may be appropriate for those CBs with significant and experienced manpower resources, for others it is difficult and time consuming to complete. A simplified strategic planning process on a ‘lowest common denominator’ basis will be introduced so that all CBs can participate in the process without the need to commit significant time or resources.
Assist CBs to recruit effective officials to man the updated CB Model Structure
134 The CB Model Structure now includes the CBRDP and a Community Rugby committee and requires a sufficient number of effective CB officials with skills to chair and fill these committees. After the recent pace of change since the first Strategic Plan, it is fully understood that CBs need time to consolidate recent changes to their structure and recruit more Volunteers to cope with their increased workload.
Provide templates for CB committees & officials
135 Whilst it is not the role of this plan to set prescriptive terms of reference for CB committees and job descriptions for CB officials, it may be helpful to set out templates for use by CBs so that a common theme emerges across the country, varied as necessary to suit local conditions and issues. These suggested templates will be made available to CBs to adopt or amend as appropriate.
Back to RFU Strategic plan 2005/06 - 2012/13 contents |
