Code of Conduct for Staff, Coaches & Volunteers

• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person within the context of golf
• Treat everyone equally and do not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation or disability
• If you see any form of discrimination, do not condone it or allow it to go unchallenged
• Place the well-being and safety of the young person above the development of performance
• Develop an appropriate working relationship with young people, based on mutual trust and respect
• Ensure that physical contact is appropriate and necessary and is carried out within recommended guidelines with the young person’s full consent and approval
• Always work in an open environment (e.g. avoid private or unobserved situations and encourage an open environment)
• Do not engage in any form of sexually related contact with a young player. This is strictly forbidden as is sexual innuendo, flirting or inappropriate gestures and terms
• You should not have regular contact outside your county role with the juniors and should not engage in regular communication through text, email or social network sites
• The minimum age of use for WhatsApp is 16 years of age. No player under the age of 16 years old is to be included on a WhatsApp group. If a player over the age of 16 years is on the Whats App group, their parent or guardian must also be included. The group should only be used for sending key information and you should treat all communications as if they were in the public domain so use age-appropriate language, bearing in mind the professional nature of your relationship with the young person you are interacting with. Administration rights for the group should be either the Team Manager or Sarah McDonald
• Know and understand Kent Golf Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures
• Team Managers and Volunteers must ensure that consent for photography is up to date before taking and sending photos to the Media Manager for publication
• Respect young people’s opinions when making decisions about their participation in golf
• Inform players and parents of the requirements of golf
• Be aware of and report any conflict of interest as soon as it becomes apparent
• Display high standards of language, manner, punctuality, preparation and presentation
• Do not smoke, drink or use recreational drugs while actively working with young people in the county. This reflects a negative image and could compromise the safety of the young people
• Do not give young people alcohol when they are under the care of the county
• Hold relevant qualifications and insurance cover. All staff, volunteers & coaches who work regularly with children must have current DBS clearance, approved by England Golf Governance Department 
• Ensure the activities are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual
• Promote the positive aspects of golf e.g. fair play
• Display high standards of behaviour and appearance
• Follow County Procedures & good practice guidelines Final Version November 2023
• Ensure that you attend appropriate training to keep up-to-date with your role and the welfare of young people
• Report any concerns you may have in relation to a child or the behaviour of an adult, following reporting procedures laid down by Kent Golf
• A Volunteer / Staff receiving a benefit / gift which exceeds the value of £100 from a person or company, must inform the Kent Golf Office immediately to ensure all such gifts in kind are recorded for compliance purposes and that no conflict of interest has arisen. Volunteers / Staff may not solicit or accept any other direct or indirect benefit from a person or a company, or offer any other direct or indirect benefit to a supplier,which does business with the County
• An agreement between Kent Golf and a volunteer/Team Manager is not intended to be a legally binding contract but is an arrangement between the parties that can be brought to an end by either party unilaterally