Clubs

RLSS UK Club Development Programme
Affiliated Clubs
Aspire Clubs
Resources

RLSS UK Club Development Programme

Aim

We acknowledge that a large amount of lifesaving activity is in the clubs. To ensure the health of the society into the future we need strong, safe and sustainable clubs. Additional governance, legislation and competition means that clubs have never been more under pressure. To support clubs in their own development and to meet the industry needs, RLSS UK have created the RLSS UK Club Development Programme (CDP). The programme aims to deliver free, convenient, practical resources to support clubs while they continue to run a safe, sustainable and successful operation. We pledge to support and service RLSS UK Affiliated clubs through the club development programme.

What is the programme for?

The RLSS UK Club Development Programme is relevant to all clubs that deliver lifesaving and lifeguarding awards and activities. It crosses all disciplines, helping to embed good practice and to publicly identify which clubs are well-run organisation with high-quality activities.

Benefits

By affiliating to RLSS UK your club is part of the lifesaving family, allowing access to a range of support, services and resources, these include:

Support

Support establishing a new club
Governance/management support
Assistance with development planning
Assistance with funding applications
User-friendly resources
Advice line

Events

Event recognition programme
Access to national competitions
National conference

Insurance

Public liability
Directors’ and officers’ liability

Public recognition as a quality club.

Recognition through RLSS UK Club Development Programme - logos may be used to promote your club.

Positioned to access funding

Achievement provides evidence and base to support investment and will help meet the grant aid criteria of most organisations.

Programme overview

The activity programme

This area focuses on the activities and opportunities the club offers its members, looking at the:

Programme – the activities offered
Instructors – who delivers these activities
Experience – what is the quality of the experience for members
Equipment and Facilities – are appropriate facilities and equipment being used

The management of the club

Clubs that are well managed tend to be more successful and sustainable, they are planning ahead as well as being prepared in the event of emergencies.

This area will focus on:

Governance – the set up and running of a club
Communication – particularly with members
Finances – key to the success and sustainability of any club

Duty of care

(including safeguarding)

It is the duty of every club to take steps to ensure that participants, instructors and volunteers can enjoy the activities offered by the club in a safe environment.

Member Induction – this means that everyone should understand their roles and responsibilities
Health and Safety – activities should be planned and embedded in the day-to-day life of the club

Club and Community

This is about knowing your club, improving your club, development your club.

Developing volunteers
Growing your club
Engaging with your local community and the wider lifesaving community

Levels

Probationary Club

Probationary is the level for new clubs or clubs new to the RLSS UK club programme. The Probationary level is mandatory for all clubs.

Clubs have a few simple elements to complete which are compulsory to become an affiliated RLSS UK club.

Affiliated Club

At this level RLSS UK Clubs are committed to engaging in some aspects of lifesaving activity (this need not be their sole or main focus).

These clubs have the basic elements in place to provide a foundation for a strong future.

This is the minimum standard we will accept to become an RLSS UK club.

Clubs are free to stay at this level, but we would encourage all clubs to keep maintaining, improving and developing.

From January 2020 all clubs will need to have achieved or be working towards Affiliation, if your club hasn’t started yet please contact: [email protected]

Aspire Club

Club at this level are firmly established and are working towards accreditation.

They have ambitions to develop - maybe to increase number of members, volunteers, to expand programmes, environments or to improve overall management and governance.

Accredited Club

Clubs at this level are strong and efficient and ready to be recognised as such! They have embedded good practice and are publicly identify as a well-run organisation with high quality activities.

Achieving this level shows that the club provides the right environment which ensures the welfare of members and encourages everyone to enjoy lifesaving and stay involved throughout their lives.

An accredited club is recognised as a safe, rewarding and fulfilling place for participants of all ages, as well as helping parents and carers know that they’re choosing the right club for their young people.

This level is mapped against the home nations accreditation programmes, therefore, working through this programme will support clubs to achieve their local accreditation scheme i.e. Clubmark.

Excel Club

This is for those clubs who really excel, they are the best of the best.

This is very much a work in progress and will be the last phase of the programme to be developed.

Get involved

Clubs wanting to get involved should complete this form.

If you have any questions please email [email protected]

Affiliated Clubs

Aberdeen Lifesaving Club	Fleming Park Lifesaving Club	Pisces Swimming School
Abingdon Dolphins Swim Club	Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service	Portsmouth & Southsea Voluntary LGC
Abingdon Swimming Club	Grangemouth Lifesaving Club	Poseidon Lifesaving Club
Apollo Swimming Club	Grantham Life Saving Club	Redditch Lifesavers
Aquarius Lifesaving Club	H2O Swim School	Retford and District Lifesaving Club
Beacon LSC	Hastings & St.Leonards Voluntary Lifeguard Club	Ripley (RASCALS)
Beeslack Life Saving Club	Heanor Swimming and Lifesaving Club	RLSS Boscombe Lifeguards
Billingham Forum Lifesaving Club	Hereford Lifesaving Club	RLSS Monkstown (10002861)
Bingley Life Saving Club	Horsham Life Saving Club	RLSS Poole Lifeguard
Birtley ASC	Hounslow School of Lifesaving	Robin Hood Lifesavers
Bishop's Waltham Community Swimming	Ipswich Life Saving Club	Romford Lifesaving Club
Blyth Lifeguard & Swimming Club	Jersey Aquatic Rescue Club	Ruby Oak Park
Boldon CA Swimming Club	Jersey Surf Lifesaving Club	Salisbury Lifesaving Club
Bootham School	Jersey Swimming Club	Sedgefield 75 Swimming Club
Bournemouth Lifeguard Corps	Kells Lifesaving club	Sheaf Scout Swimming
Bovey Tracey Lifesaving Club	Ken Martin Aquanaut Club	South Shields Volunteer Lifeguard Club
Bradford on Avon Lifesaving Club	King Alfred Lifesaving Club	South Worcester Lifeguard and Lifesaving Club
Broadway Amateur Swimming Club	King Edwards School	St John Berchmans Lifesaving Club
BULSCA	King Edward's School	St Mary's Catholic First School
Carlton Life Saving Club	Kingsteignton Swimming & Lifesaving Club	Sthoee lifeguards Dublin
Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership	Kirkham Lifesaving Club	Stratus
Chalkwell Lifeguards	Laindon Lifesavers	Survive and Save Club
Chepstow Lifesaving Club	Lancashire Constabulary	Thanet Lifeguard Club
Chester Lifesaving Club	Leeds Phoenix LSC	Tinside Surf Lifesaving Club
Citadel Centre Lifesaving Club	Leicestershire Lifeguards Unit	Trent College
City of Lincoln Pentaqua Swimming Club	Lifesaving Club	Trojan Lifesaving Club
City of Rochester Swimming & Lifeguarding Club	Lincoln Asthma Swimming Group	University of Bristol Lifesaving Club
Colchester Lifesaving Club	Littlehampton Wave Life Saving Club	University of Plymouth Surf Lifesaving Club
Crawley Town Life Saving Club	Llanelli Surf Lifesaving Club	Vale Surf Life Saving Club
Crewe Neptune Lifesaving Club	Maldon & Essex Lifesaving Swim Club	Wakefield Lifesaving Club
Dawlish Warren Life Saving Club	Mansfield Lifesaving club	Wantage Life Savers
Dearne Valley Life Saving Club	Melton Mowbray Lifesaving Club	Waveney SLSC
Derby City Lifesaving Club	Mumbles Lifeguard Club	Welwyn Garden Swimming Club
Dolphins Lifesaving Club	Nantwich Neptune Lifesaving Club	West Midlands Police Sports Club
Downe House School	Nithsdale Lifesavers	Westbury Sandwell LSC
Downpatrick School of Lifesaving	North Norfolk Surf Lifesaving Club	Windsor Lifeguard Club
Droitwich Lifesaving Club	North Sea Volunteer Lifeguards	Wisbech and District Life Saving Club
Ely Rookies	Northwich Centurions Swimming Club	Woking Lifesaving Group
Enfield School of Life Saving	Open Water Rescue	Worthing Lifesaving Club
Evesham RLSS Club	Pilgrim Swimming Club	Yateley Life Saving Club
Farnborough Swimming Club	Pisces Adult Swimming & Lifesaving Club

Aspire Clubs

Gravesham Lifesaving Club
Heanor Swimming and Lifesaving Club
Llanelli Surf Lifesaving Club
Poseidon Lifesaving Club

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