News & Updates

Safe to Play campaign launch across West Sussex

Posted on 21 February 2023

On Wednesday 15^th February 2023 the NWG Networks sports team were very pleased to help launch their “Safe to Play” campaign across West Sussex. We were delighted to work with our partners from West Sussex County Council and also Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club who helped to arrange, publicise and facilitate the session. Our sincere thanks go to Miriam Williams and Donna Tomlinson from West Sussex County Council for their commitment and enthusiasm for the campaign as well as Richard Valder-Davis from Brighton and Hove Albion FC for hosting the event at their training facility in Lancing and providing excellent hospitality on the day.

The innovative campaign uses augmented reality technology to help keep those involved in sports safe. Over the next year, we will be working with a range of partners, community organisations and key services to raise awareness of safeguarding in sport and to ensure the campaign is fully embedded with sports and physical activity providers across West Sussex.

Sport England has funded the development of the campaign which has allowed the NWG Network to create the ‘Safe To Play’ campaign to provide local sport and physical activity clubs and coaches with FREE pocket-sized cards to distribute to their members, players, parents and guardians – https://stop-ce.org/tackling-cse-in-sports/

These cards, when scanned using the camera of a smartphone or tablet, will act as pocket reminders by calling up a range of engaging digital resources, including dramatised videos telling one family’s story of abuse in sport, video guides on how to identify the signs of abuse, top tips on how to stay safe in sport, and questions parents need to ask before letting their children attend sport or physical activities in the region.

Kevin Murphy, NWG Network’s Safeguarding in Sports lead, said: “Abuse and exploitation are areas that people can often feel uncomfortable talking about and they may find it difficult to raise concerns for fear of being viewed as a troublemaker or falsely accusing somebody. However, the campaign is all about ensuring those low-level concerns are aired before problems escalate. A conversation with those in charge at the club now could stop a potential abuser in their tracks. These resources will give parents the confidence to engage with their child’s sports clubs or activity providers and to be proactive in promoting the safety of their children“

“There is never any harm in questioning your child’s sports club about their safeguarding policies and procedures and the measures they are taking to protect your child.”

Mr Murphy acknowledges that many sports clubs and leisure operators are doing excellent work to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, but says there is still a huge amount to be done and that abusers do target sports clubs and leisure centres as they are public spaces where children congregate.

We do look forward to working closely with all of our colleagues in West Sussex over the next year in embedding the campaign as well as delivering Bystander Intervention training for sports coaches. If any sports clubs or activity providers in West Sussex are interested in becoming a Safe to Play partner then please do get in touch with our team at the contact details below.