Starting a Club

If you find that there is no club in your area that caters for your chosen canoeing discipline, you may choose to start your own club.
Before you become a club, please make sure you have the following:

  1. Discussed with a Canoeing Ireland staff members what you want out of the club and what Canoeing Ireland can do for the club.
  2. Club Affiliation Form sent to CI office – support@canoe.ie
  3. Club Constitution sent to CI office – support@canoe.ie
  4. Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, Safety officer. Children’s Officer (for any clubs interacting with minors, either as members or providing training/events for U18’s)

5. Compliance with all Canoeing Ireland Safeguarding policies and procedures.
6. Minimum of 5 members.
7. Submit to the GDPR recommendations of Canoeing Ireland.

  1. Discussed with a Canoeing Ireland staff members what you want out of the club and what Canoeing Ireland can do for the club.
  2. Club Affiliation Form sent to CI office – support@canoe.ie
  3. Club Constitution sent to CI office – support@canoe.ie
  4. Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, Safety officer. Children’s Officer (for any clubs interacting with minors, either as members or providing training/events for U18’s)
  5. Compliance with all Canoeing Ireland Safeguarding policies and procedures.
  6. Minimum of 5 members.
  7. Submit to the GDPR recommendations of Canoeing Ireland.

(Canoeing Ireland Board have the right to refuse membership.)

Considerations for Club Management

Recruiting a good committee, with a varied skill set, is imperative as it ensures that not all work is left to one person but is managed and shared, ensuring more efficient running of the club.

The role of the club management is to:

  • Ensure the club operates within best practice guidelines for governance and safety including:
    1. Developing and adopting appropriate policies and practices.
    2. Ensuring activities are safe and inclusive.
    3. Oversee club finances.
    4. Implement best practice in relation to child safeguarding.
    5. Develop a health and safety statement and policy.
  • Recruit sufficient volunteers to ensure that the workload can be shared and delegated.
  • Create a development plan for the club.

Committee & Structure

It is essential to recruit a full committee for the club. An appropriate structure is paramount and should be chosen based on the size of the club. Essential personnel include:

Chairperson

Secretary

Treasurer

Safety Officer

Children’s Officer

Designated Liaison Person (DLP)

Committee Safeguarding Requirements

All volunteers and coaches must undergo Garda vetting before working with children or vulnerable adults. They are also required to attend Sport Ireland’s Safeguarding 1 workshop.

Safeguarding for Clubs

At Canoeing Ireland, the safety and well-being of all our members, especially children and vulnerable adults, are of utmost importance. As a club affiliated with Canoeing Ireland, adherence to our safeguarding policies and practices is essential to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone involved in paddle sports. Canoeing Ireland emphasises the importance of embedding safeguarding practices into all aspects of club activities. Key practices include:

1. Safe Recruitment

  • Conduct interviews and reference checks for all staff and volunteers.
  • Ensure all individuals working with children are Garda vetted.

2. Risk Assessments

  • Identify potential risks in club activities and implement measures to mitigate them.

  • Regularly review and update risk assessments to address new challenges.

3. Reporting Procedures

  • Establish clear procedures for reporting concerns or incidents to the Club Children’s Officer or Designated Liaison Person.

  • Maintain confidentiality and support individuals involved in the reporting process.

    4. Regular Training and Updates

    • Ensure all staff and volunteers attend safeguarding refresher courses every three years.

    • Provide ongoing support and resources to promote safeguarding awareness.

        5. Parental Involvement

        • Encourage parents to actively participate in club activities and support safeguarding efforts.

        • Provide clear communication channels for parents to raise concerns.

              1. Appoint Safeguarding Officers: Ensure your club has a Club Children’s Officer and a Designated Liaison Person in place.
              2. Complete Garda Vetting: Submit applications for all relevant staff and volunteers.
              3. Attend Training: Book safeguarding workshops for club leaders and volunteers.
              4. Adopt Policies: Implement Canoeing Ireland’s safeguarding policies and ensure all members are aware of them.
              5. Promote Awareness: Conduct regular meetings and workshops to emphasise the importance of safeguarding.

              Club Governance Documents

              Further information and templates for club governance documents is available from the links below:

              Club Affiliation Form

              Sample Membership Form

              Sample Club Constitution

              Sample Club GDPR Privacy Policy

              Sample Club GDPR Privacy Statement

              DATABASE INSTRUCTIONS:

              There is support available for clubs from Canoeing Ireland –

              Sheena Carroll
              Support, Membership, Database interaction, Billing
              Email – support@canoe.ie

              Ciarán Maguire
              Operations Director
              Email – operations@canoe.ie

              More Team members…

              Steve Fahy
              Development Officer
              Email – development@canoe.ie

              Testimonials: