DIVERSITY EMBRACED BY NEW GRASSROOTS PANEL
Could you play your part in ensuring local grassroots football fully embraces all its diverse disability, ethnicity, faith and GLBT communities? Essex County FA Inclusion Officer, Mark Healy, is currently recruiting members for a brand new voluntary Inclusion Advisory Group (IAG).
English football’s ‘Inclusion and Anti-Discrimination Action Plan’ addresses rare issues and incidents of discrimination across the game, detailing the specific responsibilities of the individual governing, representative and competition bodies as well as their clubs and members. The County FA are committed to this vital agenda, and, the introduction of the IAG will embed positive interventions to address any gaps in provision.
The IAG, which gained approval from the Executive Council recently, will meet four times each year to support the County FA in delivering an Inclusion Action Plan, as well as challenging and overseeing routine outcomes. The group will report directly to the Association’s Board on all issues relating to inclusion, equality and diversity.
In 2010, the County FA were awarded with UK National Equality Standard for Sport ‘Foundation’ status, and the IAG will play an important part in making the next step up to ‘Preliminary’ level. Applications for the IAG are required by Monday 17th March and Mark would like it to represent the entire football population in Essex.
He said: “The membership of the group should reflect the diversity within our county, including representatives of organisations and communities which are able to provide advice and guidance in relation to the challenges we face in local football. Individuals elected require the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to have a positive and meaningful impact.”
If you are passionate about football in Essex and can inspire people at all levels, then the Essex County FA would like to hear from you. An application pack, including a full role profile, can be found at www.essexfa.com.
These are also available in different formats and languages from Mark Healy, who can be contacted on 01245 393 090 or via E-Mail at mark.healy@essexfa.com