In 2023 we launched the Surrey Junior Cricket Championship Values and Behaviours Framework. I wanted to write with an update as we head towards the 2024 season.

Introduction and background

When we set up the SJCC it was our ambition to develop a culture for the competition that would create the best possible environment in which young people can develop a lifelong love for the game. The creation of our Values and Behaviour Framework seeks to further embed this culture across the county.

We have created a briefing document for Club Committees (see attached) and would ask clubs to circulate this across your club committees in the coming days before discussing it at your next committee meeting. For this framework to be truly successful we need all club across the SJCC to bring this framework to life within your clubs.

Resources

We have created a range of additional resources that will help to ensure the framework can be adopted by all stakeholders involved in junior cricket:

Poster – We have got A3 copies of the attached poster printed, and these will be circulated over the coming weeks as we approach the season. If you don’t have a poster at your club please reach out to your local Participation Officer as we can get one organised for you.
Players Resource – this has been created to be shared with players, outlining how they can live our 3 values of ‘Spirit’, ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Enjoyment’. Further resources including stickers, sweatbands and bucket hats will be produced later this year. Balls purchased via AJ Sports will also have the Values and Behaviours logo included on them as well.

Coaches & Team Managers Resource – this has been created to be shared with coaches and team managers, outlining how they can live our 3 values of ‘Spirit’, ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Enjoyment’. We have also began educating new coaches about the framework via the Coach Development programme and newly trained coaches receive a Values and Behaviours clipboard when they complete their training. More of these clipboards will be shared during the course of the season as we get out to see clubs.

Parent, Guardian & Spectator Resources - this has been created to be shared with parents, guardians, and spectators, outlining how they can live our 3 values of ‘Spirit’, ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Enjoyment’. We will also be trialling a small credit card sized resource for parents, guardians, and spectators with 4 clubs this season to see if these resources will help further embed the framework in a positive way.

Share Your Experiences – QR Code

You will notice that all of the resources we have created include a QR code. On scanning this it will take people to a page which will enable people to share their experiences over the course of the season. What we are hoping to get from this function is feedback and insight on some of the fantastic work going on across the county on a weekly basis. We also want people to be able to use this to share experiences that might fall short of the values and behaviours too so we can act as a management team where/if necessary.

We will also be sharing further resources through the QR code as the framework develops further over the coming months. This will include links to further content, the electronic resources and more.

Using Safeguarding Officers to Champion the Framework

We are going to be leaning on Club Safeguarding Officers to help champion the framework in 2024 within their clubs via 2 routes:

We are going to write to them separately encouraging them to discuss the framework at the next Club Committee Meeting.

All experiences shared will be fed back to clubs via both the Junior Fixture Secretary and the Club Safeguarding Officer moving forwards. We hope that this will lead to CSOs bringing shared experiences back to the committee, enabling:

Clubs to celebrate positive behaviours and recognise them in some way within the club.
Action to be considered where there are negative experiences being shared – this could be as simple as a discussion for someone to speak with a parent/coach or player who has been highlighted as behaving in a negative way or it could be the club committee consider further action as/if necessary.

Next steps

We would like to see Club Committees begin to discuss the framework and identify how they are going to help bring it to life during the 2024 season. We would also like to see clubs passing on the specific resources to relevant target groups where possible to ensure everyone has a chance to absorb them fully ahead of the season starting.

We thank you in advance for your commitment in helping bring this framework to life over the coming months and years. We truly believe that this will help to shape and further grow the game in Surrey.