Recruitment Policy and Procedure

1) Why does the Club have a Recruitment Policy? 

Opportunities for young people to participate in sport would not exist without the time and commitment of our volunteers. Leaders who work with young people are motivated by their desire to put something back into their sport or their community. In order to ensure the experience is positive and safe for young people all persons wishing to take on a role and responsibility for children (whether as volunteers or hires) should undergo a form of recruitment and selection process as appropriate for their proposed role. 

The purpose of the Recruitment Policy is to provide for a lawful, appropriate and objective recruitment process, that best allows the Club to place and support the right people within the right roles. The requirement for clarity and guidance on this issue is also a matter properly identified within the Club’s Safeguarding Risk Assessment and this Policy addresses those risks.

2) What kind of roles does the Club Recruitment Policy cover? 

A standard application process exists for all adults, intending to work as volunteers or to be employed or engaged, with access to or involved in the management of policies concerning children. A non-exhaustive, illustrative sample of the role and functions covered by this Policy is attached at Schedule A.    

3) What is the Recruitment Process?  

The recruitment process should be run by a selected group within the Club tasked with this role, which group must always include the involvement of the Club’s Children’s Officer. Any documentation relating to recruitment is confidential and should only be viewed by the selected group.   

Where a vacancy arises for consideration, the following shall apply for all roles:-  

Job description and responsibilities of the role: 

With all roles, a job description should be prepared to include any expected qualifications, the length and type of experience, plus it will identify the role and the required personal qualities, including child welfare and protection requirement e.g. subject to successful Garda vetting checks. Save where otherwise determined, the job descriptions within Schedule A shall apply in default.

Appropriate Enquiries 

This Recruitment Policy recognises that within a small club, volunteers are often approached and engaged informally in the first instances, such as with parents, players and other persons within our community. However, it is also necessary for the Club to make proper enquiries with any prospective recruit to ensure that they are an appropriate person for the role. This is for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, the protection of volunteers themselves and to promote and strengthen child safety and protection within Club.   

For some roles such as Assistant or Helper that may be achieved by two persons engaging with the prospective volunteer to make reasonable enquiries as to their suitability. 

Those two persons will consist of:-  

a) at least one relevant, experienced Coach  

b) at least one of the following:- An Academy Officer, Member of the Child Welfare Sub Committee /Children’s Officer. DLP or Deputy DLP).   

Those enquiries may properly relate to that person’s motivation for becoming involved, their approach, personal traits, expertise and experience and in a general sense seeking to ascertain whether they fit with the ethos and goals of the Club.  

Any new volunteer applicants must be ratified by the Child Welfare Sub Committee before moving from an applicant list to the Volunteer List.  Once recruited into the club, they should be adequately managed and made aware of the relevant policies and procedures, ensuring they have met with club officials and that they understand the role they are taking on, ensuring they give a commitment to complete the necessary safeguarding training, ensuring they understand that supervision is a vital safeguard for the club so they should avoid working alone and ensuring they know who the Children’s Officer/Designated Liaison Person and Deputy DLP within the Club is and understand the structures of the Club.  

Only as deemed necessary by the Committee, the following shall apply in respect of the process for certain formal positions (as determined by the Committee):-  

Publicise: 

Vacancies within such formal positions may be publicised. Depending on the nature of the post, that may be done either from within the Club’s own membership or from the broader community (including through social media, email alerts, facility notice boards or regional newspapers etc). 

Application form – 

Each applicant should complete an application form, which will include an appropriately worded declaration to be signed in respect of any required eligibility criteria to allow their application to be considered.

Assessment of the returned applications – 

The selection group should examine all application forms.  Previous roles and expertise should be identified and the qualifications and experience checked to meet the requirements; any queries in these areas can be clarified at an interview/meeting.  

Interview/meeting –

Hold interview/meeting to go through questions, check qualifications, scenarios relevant to position and check any queries, allow for questions from the applicant.  

References – 

Check the references of any individual that may be suitable. Telephone references may be obtained – give an explanation of position and purpose, note questions and answers, recording the date and time.  

Final selection – 

This is the responsibility of the recruitment panel. All appointments should be ratified by the committee. The decisions should be recorded in the minutes.  

Garda Vetting & Safeguarding – 

In line with legislation and the Club’s Child Protection Policy everyone working with children or vulnerable adults will require Garda Vetting in order to undertake their role (same to be updated as required). This includes coaches and assistants of children or vulnerable adults as well as Committee members and officers who have a role in formulating or overseeing child protection. An approved FAI or Sport Ireland Safeguarding Course must also be completed once approved for role. 

Confidentiality - 

Documentation relating to any recruitment process is confidential and should only be viewed by the selection group.   

Volunteer List - 

The Club’s Children’s Officer shall keep and update a list, called the Volunteers List, which shall include names and contact details of volunteers, employees, contractors who work with children or vulnerable adults. The Volunteer List shall also confirm the position regarding current Garda Vetting status and Safeguarding course undertaken (including expiry/renewal dates) and age group where the individual volunteers/works.

The Volunteer List shall be confirmed by the Committee annually, prior to each season and as required thereafter, so that an appropriate record can be maintained and a pipeline of actions identified to best ensure current and future compliance with the Child Protection Policy.   

Equality –

All recruitment shall be undertaken in compliance with the Club’s commitments to equality as outlined within the Equality Policy.    

4) Management of Volunteers and Staff following Recruitment 

Following the successful recruitment process all volunteers to be supported and managed by the Club, through the following:-  

A “buddy” system whereby a volunteer is partnered with another appropriate volunteer who has experience in their area, ie Coach, Assistant, Committee member etc (ideally with existing or prior experience from the same age group)  

- They should be made aware periodically of available developmental courses (safeguarding and player development courses). The Club will at all times reserve the right whether or not to fund any non-mandatory advanced course.   

- Club developments and requirements will be communicated to volunteers including the provision of access to FAI and Club policies and procedures as appropriate for their role.  

- All volunteers should receive support and assistance in their role

– Supervision may be a mandatory requirement and provides an effective means to assess future training and education needs. 

Volunteers should avoid working alone with children.  These measures help to minimise the unintentional risk to children through lack of understanding and knowledge.