BF Board Welfare and Safety Lead Role Description

Welfare and safety is defined by the UK Governance Code for Sport as a broad term encompassing safeguarding (adults and children); mental health and wellbeing (including psychological safety); anti-doping and integrity, but is not limited to these issues. It’s not intended however to cover all responsibilities related to health and safety or property and facilities.  The Governance Code recommends one Board Director to lead on all these areas.

However, the breadth of the items in the sport of fencing that fall under this term is not one which a single Board Director can lead on in a meaningful and informed way. There are also existing structures within the organisation which have defined areas of expert responsibility.

Board members have collective responsibility for all matters, including welfare and safety and for any decisions made in this regard in addition to this appointment. (And everyone in fencing has a responsibility to safeguard and protect young people and vulnerable adults)

Therefore in the context of fencing the term ‘Safety and Welfare’ as it relates to the governance requirement for a Board Safety and Welfare Lead does not cover responsibilities already delegated to:

• The Safety Committee which covers the specialist safety rules surrounding equipment
• The  Medical Committee
• The Board Anti-Doping Lead
• The Board Safeguarding Lead

Thus:

The role of the Board Safety and Welfare Lead is to provide a focus at Board level and to support the Board in ensuring that it has appropriate oversight of, and meets its responsibilities towards, the welfare (in this context predominantly mental and physical health) and safety (in this context the physical safety of participating in fencing and fencing related activities) relating to of its members and people (this will include employees, participants and volunteers and any other individuals which the organisation interacts with). The lead will also help to ensure that welfare and safety matters are factored into decisions, be the main contact on the Board for welfare and safety matters and will be supported by the team who manage day to day issues, with training provided as appropriate.

The Board Welfare and Safety Lead is expected to work closely with the Board Anti-Doping Lead and the Board Safeguarding Lead to ensure that all welfare and safety matters receive appropriate Board and executive attention.

Role

(These are provided in addition to the General Responsibilities of a Board Director found here)

1. lead and inform welfare and safety discussions and planning within Board
   meetings
2. highlight welfare and safety implications of Board decisions and ensure that
   they are considered in decision making where relevant
3. act as a link between the Safety and Medical Committees ensuring that any reports and recommendations to the Board are duly discussed
4. check and challenge the Board and Executive on decisions that affect welfare
   and safety across the organisation
5. assist the Board in assessment of risk to the organisation in relation to welfare
   and safety issues and ensure that the Corporate/Strategic Risk Register
   adequately reflects welfare and safety risk to the organisation
6. ensure that reporting by the executive to the Board on welfare and safety
   issues, including reporting on patterns and trends and performance, is
   appropriate and sufficient to enable the Board to make informed decisions
7. act as a link between the executives who have responsibility for welfare and
   safety and the Board, providing non-executive support to executive staff on welfare and safety issues
8. ensure that effective pathways are in place to enable the views of participants,
   their parents/guardians and other members and people on welfare and safety
   issues are made known to the Board
9. act as an advocate for welfare and safety, highlighting its importance both with
   stakeholders and across the organisation and its participants
   support the organisation to maintain appropriate welfare and safety standards
   for members and other people (this will include employees, participants and
   volunteers, and other individuals which the organisation interacts with)
10. act as an alternative route in relation to any welfare and safety concerns from
    people for whom the organisation is responsible
11. develop personal knowledge and skills in relation to welfare and safety by
    undertaking training where appropriate and support other Board members in
    developing their own knowledge and skills.

Experience and Knowledge

(These are provided in addition to the General Responsibilities of a Board Director found here)

Essential

1. Understanding of the importance of welfare and safety within the context of a
   organisation providing sport and/or physical activity,
2. Commitment to the development of an organisational culture which supports
   and embeds welfare and safety across all organisational activity.
3. Commitment to developing an understanding of welfare and safety as it relates to the scope of the role.

Desirable:

1. Basic understanding of BF’s welfare and safety structure and procedures
2. Strategic insight into welfare and safety issues
3. Basic knowledge of BF’s policy and procedures related to welfare and safety
4. Basic knowledge of BF’s role and responsibilities in relation to welfare and safety
5. Basic knowledge of equality issues
6. Basic knowledge of core legislation, government guidance and national framework for welfare and safety