By Sbn Sally Gleaves, ITF England
On 17th September 2023, I had the privilege of attending the launch event for the Voices in Sport project, a collaboration between the National Working Group Against Child Exploitation (NWG) and Sport England. This highly impactful event introduced essential safeguarding resources aimed at empowering sports organisations to better protect children and young people by ensuring their voices are heard.
The significance of this project cannot be overstated. The Voices in Sport initiative arose from the Whyte Review, which highlighted the importance of hearing from those who have endured abuse within sport. The resources launched have been developed in collaboration with survivors of abuse, individuals with lived experiences, sports representatives, volunteers, and parents. The input of these groups was invaluable in shedding light on the real, lifelong impacts of abuse, especially when the voices of survivors are ignored or not believed.
Key Resources Introduced
The Voices in Sport project offers a comprehensive suite of resources that will be instrumental in advancing safeguarding training within ITF Taekwon-Do and beyond. These resources provide coaches and volunteers with the knowledge and skills they need to create a safe and compassionate environment for their athletes.
Key learning points from the resources include:
- The lifelong impact of not being believed.
- The lasting emotional damage caused by abuse.
- How to have sensitive conversations when something seems wrong.
- The unintended harm that careless language or behaviour can cause.
- Understanding why individuals may display certain behaviours that require support.
- How to coach with compassion and be a source of emotional support.
- What welfare truly looks like in sport.
- The importance of compassionate coaching in safeguarding.
Call to Action for ITF Coaches
These resources are essential viewing for all ITF coaches. The insights they offer are not only relevant but critical to ensuring that we uphold the highest safeguarding standards within our sport. I strongly encourage every coach, whether working at grassroots or elite levels, to watch and engage with these materials. They provide an invaluable opportunity to reassess how we interact with our athletes and ensure we are creating environments where young people feel safe, heard, and supported.
In addition to these resources, the ITF has established the ITF Harassment Information Centre, which offers comprehensive guidance on preventing and addressing harassment within our sport. Coaches are encouraged to familiarise themselves with this information to further enhance their safeguarding practices.
Furthermore, the ITF Child Safeguarding Policy is a crucial document that outlines the protocols and procedures to protect children involved in Taekwon-Do. It is imperative that all coaches review this policy to ensure they are fully compliant with the latest safeguarding standards.
Conclusion
Attending this event reinforced the importance of continually improving safeguarding practices in the ITF Taekwon-Do industry. The resources launched by NWG and Sport England, alongside the ITF’s own safeguarding initiatives, will be instrumental in that effort, providing the guidance and tools needed to build safer environments. I am confident that by embracing these resources, ITF Taekwon-Do can continue to lead the way in safeguarding and athlete welfare.
I urge all coaches to visit https://nwgnetwork.org/voices-in-sport to access these critical resources and incorporate them into their safeguarding practices. Additionally, please review the ITF Harassment Information Centre and the ITF Child Safeguarding Policy to ensure a comprehensive understanding of our commitment to athlete welfare.
By prioritising the voices of those affected by abuse and implementing these learnings, we ensure that our sport remains a safe space where athletes of all ages can thrive. The Voices in Sport initiative, along with the ITF’s dedicated policies, is an invaluable contribution to safeguarding efforts in the sporting world, and its adoption within the ITF Taekwon-Do community will undoubtedly strengthen our commitment to athlete welfare.
