Competent Supervision or Beware The Consequences .....

As a general rule, the younger or less experiences the participant, the greater your responsibility as a supervisor to control behaviour and to assess safety.

Supervisors, be they coaches or other personnel acting in a supervisory capacity, usually have a sport and recreation background, but they still need thorough training in regard to supervision.  This training should focus on the following:-

General Policies

• Supervision requirements

• Security requirements

• Interaction with administrative personnel

Safety Procedures

• Appropriate activities for age and development of participants

• Management of participants behaviour

• Facility and equipment inspections

Medical Procedures

• Location of first-aid kit, stretcher, nearest medical practice/hospital

• Ensuring first-aid kit it is stocked

• Policies for use of medical equipment

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Emergency Procedures

• Approved procedures

• Current emergency resuscitation qualification

Accident Reporting

• Forms

• Filing of accurate, timely reports

• Record maintenance and storage

Equipment Management

• Location of storage facilities and procedures for issuing and returning equipment.

Sport and recreation depends to a great degree on volunteerism and most would agree that it is becoming increasingly difficult to attract volunteers to assist at the club level.  The fear of making a mistake, with the possibility of litigation hanging overhead, contributes to the reluctance of people to offer their services.  If the volunteer does not know the expectations of a certain role and receives minimal instruction and resources to help do the job appropriately, that reluctance will grow into refusal.  Organisations need to give their volunteers instruction to give them the confidence to take on the task.  They need to support them with resources such as guidelines and checklists so they know that they are performing their duties in a competent manner.                            ....Continued page 3