VCD Athletic Football Club is a community friendly club which endeavours to provide football across many platforms to ensure the game is accessible to everyone. VCD Athletic Football Club understands that our players, supporters and volunteers are the lifeblood of our club and appreciates that each, and every person who chooses to be part of our club in any capacity has the right to do so without discrimination. VCD Athletic Football Club is for EVERYONE without Prejudice.

The football club fully recognises the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion. We operate in an increasingly diverse community, and we understand that the people who play for us, support us or provide services / assistance for us have diverse characteristics and different experiences, needs and aspirations.

Understanding, valuing and effectively managing these differences can result in greater participation, and help bring about success at an individual and club level. VCD Athletic Football Club are committed to creating an inclusive environment where individual differences are valued and respected, in which each person associated with us is able to fulfil his/her/their potential and maximise his/her/their contribution.

It is the responsibility of all persons representing our club to be aware of and to apply this policy. The club board and management are fully committed to the policy and
will endeavour to ensure its full implementation.

VCD Athletic Football club understands that we have a responsibility in playing our part in moving barriers and redressing imbalances caused by inequality and unjustified discrimination not only in football but within society.

VCD Athletic Football Club prides itself on six key values which defines our approach to diversity and equality:

• Valuing People
• Integrity
• Mutuality
• Creativity
• Community
• Capability through positivity

The below statements are those made in conjunction with our board members and are truly aligned to the values the club prides itself upon. They key commitments of VCD Athletic Football Club with regards to equality, diversity and inclusion are as follows:

VCD Athletic Football Club will support and represent the needs and requirements where practicably possible of players, officials, club members, supporters and volunteers, regardless of gender, gender identity, race, disability, religious/faith/no faith, cultural, sexual orientation, marital status or age. This will be with an overarching goal of combating inequality in football and supporting the football governing bodies in our collective endeavours to ensure the club and supporting structures are fully inclusive.

VCD Athletic Football Club will establish and maintain channels of communication with diversity and equality specialists / representatives within football and within our community to ensure our approach to tackling inequality is current and consistent.

VCD Athletic Football Club commits to appointing a Diversity & Equalities Officer to represent the club and safeguard the interests of all patrons at community, club and respective league level.

The board and management of VCD Athletic Football Club encourages open dialogue with our players, fans and stakeholders to understand the wider complexities of their support and requirements with regards to equality, diversity and inclusion.

VCD Athletic Football Club will actively promote equality campaigns within football which fully promotes inclusion and acceptance.

VCD Athletic Football Club encourages, appreciates and welcomes input and support from governing bodies and independent diversity and equality organisations to ensure that equal opportunities are made available to anyone regardless of gender, gender identity, race, disability, religious/faith/no faith, cultural, sexual orientation, marital status or age.

VCD Athletic Football Club will actively consider employment / association to the club free from discrimination. All decisions on hired help will be based on ability and required behaviours and considered from all applications.

VCD Athletic Football Club will actively promote positive role models within our club which reflects our diverse structure.

VCD Athletic Football Club’s media strategy and focus with regards to diversity and equality will be to promote tolerance, to educate and to emphasise the importance of inclusion across all forms of football and within society. The club will draw upon support from subject matter experts and the experiences of a wide range of sources to provide informative, unbiased and controlled content.

VCD Athletic Football Club will support and provide, where possible, the required training to ensure all those representing the club are afforded the latest guidance and learning with respect to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Where a complaint is made to the club in any capacity regarding gender, gender identity, race, disability, religious/faith/no faith, cultural, sexual orientation, marital status or age, the club will refer to its respective Code of Conduct policy to ensure a full fact finding takes place. Should the involvement of outside bodies be required, VCD Athletic Football Club, without bias, will provide the necessary findings and information where legally obliged to do so.

VCD Athletic Football Club will provide and make available the contact details where anyone who wishes to do so, can report unsatisfactory / discriminatory behaviour to the club both anonymously or with identified information which will be stored in accordance to GDPR regulations.

Should any person associated to the club be found to have been involved in any discriminatory behaviour, the club holds the right to withdraw their affiliated services and cease the relationship in accordance to any club policy regarding behaviours and conduct.

VCD Athletic Football Club will peruse mentoring possibilities and provide educational / learning opportunities to our wider community with the main focus on providing discrimination free football experiences.

VCD Athletic Football Club will, where possible, attend and support community initiatives, provide backing to governing bodies and the local authority with the aim of promoting inclusion within football and our community.

VCD Athletic Football Club, upon request, will consider, the provision of any held equality, diversity and inclusion statistics / census / information with the aim of ensuring our club is positively incorporating diversity, thus increasing confidence in the local community and wider football family.

VCD Athletic Football Club will make provision for all fans based on general needs and requirements. Where possible, specific needs will be accounted for if structurally, financially, logistically, legally and practically possible. This includes access to infrastructure and conveniences based on sanitary availability.

VCD Athletic Football Club will promote and advance the positive views of the club to share our values with others clubs to provide a consistent approach with regards to equality, diversity and inclusion.

VCD Athletic Football Club

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