Introduction
Bournemouth Swimming Club (BSC) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive
environment for all members, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender
reassignment, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual
orientation, or socio-economic background. We believe that swimming is a sport for
everyone, and we strive to remove barriers to participation.
This policy is aligned with Swim England’s Wavepower policy and reflects our commitment
to providing equal opportunities for everyone to enjoy the benefits of swimming.
Policy Statement
BSC will:
- Treat everyone with dignity and respect. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment.
- Promote a culture of inclusion. We will actively encourage participation from all sections of the community.
- Provide a welcoming environment. Our facilities, activities, and communication will be accessible to everyone.
- Offer fair and transparent opportunities. Selection for squads and competitions will be based solely on merit.
- Develop the skills and knowledge of our volunteers. We will ensure they can support all members effectively.
- The policy will be updated as necessary
Areas of Focus
- Disability Swimming: We will make reasonable adjustments to accommodate swimmers with disabilities and provide opportunities for participation at all levels.
- Gender Inclusion: We will offer training and competition opportunities that are inclusive for all genders.
- Socio-economic Disadvantage: We will explore ways to make swimming more affordable and accessible to those from lower-income families.
Implementation
- This policy will be communicated to all members,
- We will provide training on diversity and inclusion for all volunteers.
We encourage all members to familiarise themselves with Swim England’s Wavepower
policy, which provides further guidance on creating a positive and inclusive swimming
environment https://www.swimming.org/swimengland/inclusion/ .
Our Action Plan
| Objective | Action Required | Lead Person | Where | Date Due | Resources | Date for Review |
| Ensure that our club is accessible for disabled people to take part in integrated activities | Ongoing – dependant on the needs of our membership. | Every committee member and coach | Training sessions at Stokewood Leisure Centre. | Ongoing | As required | Ongoing |
| Review and ensure that facilities at Stokewood Leisure Centre are accessible | ||||||
| Consider any training needed to operate the disabled pool hoist | ||||||
| Identify where potential members come from and formalise partnership | Work with Stokewood Leisure Centre to promote the club as progression from completing swimming lessons with BHLive | Social Media manager | BHLive sites | July 2025 | Review in 12 months – July 2025 | |
| Consider whether to include welcome messages in other languages on the Club message board,website and social media. | For committee to review in July 2025 | Stokewood Leisure Centre | July 2025 | |||
| All teachers/coaches and volunteers are signed up to the Swim England (ASA) Code of Ethics | Include reference in Codes of Conduct. | Membership secretary | Club | Renewals in November | No additional required | Renewals 2024 |
| Collect and maintain information about diversity – ensuring data processing respects confidentiality and the need for security of data | N/A | Secretary and Membership secretary | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Ensure coaches are aware ( on a confidential and consensual basis) where any swimmers have impairments (including hidden impairments) and any adjustments required | Maintain accurate records on Ongoing basis | Membership secretary and an appropriate coach | Club | Ongoing | Renewals at end 2024 and end 2025 |
Conclusion
BSC is committed to continuous improvement in promoting diversity and inclusion. We
believe that everyone should feel welcome and valued at our club.
Contact
If you have any questions about this policy or would like to make a suggestion on how we
can improve our diversity and inclusion practices, please contact us.