Welcome The aim of this toolkit is to support the club and its development aims and ambitions. It is also used to help the club to submit an application for approval as a SwordMark accredited club. The process is based on six stages: See where you are at present in relation to the Swordmark criteria Decide where you wish to go long term (The Development Plan) Getting people trained How you are going to get there (Short Term Goals & SwordMark) Policy and procedures within your club Presenting the evidence 6a. Top tips from other clubs

SwordMark Criteria - Where Is the Club at Present? The aim is to challenge your thinking on the development of the club and to identify the aspects of the quality environment that the club is already providing. It may also highlight some areas where the club will need develop to meet the nationally recognised standard, which is covered by the British Fencing Swordmark accreditation The self audit asks you to score the club processes. 2 - we can meet the criteria 1 - we meet some of the criteria 0 - we meet none of the criteria Click here to begin Remember to save the audit for your reference and share with British Fencing at development@britishfencing.com

Your Club in the Long Term. Where do you realistically wish your club to be in the future. By following these six steps you should be able to create and use the plan for your club: Think about who should be involved – whose plan is it? Consider where your club is at now Where do you want your club to be in the future? What are you aims and objectives? What content needs to be in your plan? Remember to use and review regularly For further information and support click here

Get People Trained The provision of a high quality fencing experience for the participants is a key factor in the recruitment and retention of participants. From a SwordMark perspective this means by: having suitably qualified coaches an understanding of safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults a club that recognises equity and diversity, which challenges inequitable behaviour Click for Course lists Sportscoach UK Club Matters

Action Plan for Short Term Club Development and SwordMark Accreditation Based on your self assessment and your longer term planning, you can identify and agree tasks you wish and need to complete Once you have done that, can you add the how, who, costs, and when. Examples - Action plan with one task Objective Actions Resources Lead / Supported by Timescale / Deadline Progress Engage with the current members on their general / overall levels of satisfaction Start of season parents meeting Questionnaire on events and competitions £x.xx John Doe and referee assistant August – October

Policy and Procedures Your self audit will highlight the policies and procedures you have in place. It will also identify the gaps. Below are a links to a number of policies and useful templates. It is advisable that all documentation is read and adjusted to fit your club British Fencing General Policies Welfare Equality Safety Guidelines Sport England Club Matters Clubmark Resoucre Library Club Development Plan

Presenting the Evidence The evidence for Swordmark accreditation is assessed in two ways: Submission of an evidence via web form – the web form is completed in two ways 1) Uploading club documentation and completing information requests. Site visit by a nominated officer to cover the physical checks. To arrange access to the web form and arrange a site visit please contact via development@britishfencing.com The club may consider how it is going to implement the policies, procedures etc. Clubs have used their web pages, produced coaches' handbooks, information packs and included information in newsletters or parents welcome packs,

Top Tips From Other Clubs For the maximum benefit for your club, approach the process as a development tool, not a series of criteria to fulfil Try to build a group of people to work the process, allocate small sections to each person/sub group Once you start, try not to stop, if it gets left for more that 6 months you will probably need to start again. Identify the area which you will struggle to control e.g get people on course. Prioritise these areas, as they can cause delays in accreditation Don't be afraid to ask your local County Sports Partnership, they have been through the process and can support you club Make your evidence file easy to assess, simple labels can reference the criteria. This will also highlight any incomplete criteria to yourself before submission