Anti-harassment and bullying policy

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Anti-harassment and bullying policy

Purpose:

We recognise that harassment and victimisation is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. As such, harassment or victimisation on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Personal harassment takes many forms ranging from tasteless jokes and abusive remarks to pestering for sexual favours, threatening behaviour and actual physical abuse. For the purposes of this policy, it also includes bullying. 

Bullying is understood to be targeted and persistent offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour and can include the abuse or misuse of power to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient. 

Whatever form it takes, personal harassment is always taken seriously and is totally unacceptable.

Aim:

We recognise that personal harassment does exist and can create a stressful, intimidating and unpleasant environment even amongst a voluntary organisation such as ourselves.

We deplore all forms of personal harassment. The aim of this policy is to inform all parties associated with our club of the type of behaviour that is unacceptable and provide anyone who is the victim of personal harassment with a means of redress.

This policy covers all areas of the football club.

We recognise that we have a duty to implement this policy and all parties are expected to comply with it. We will also endeavour to review this policy at regular intervals in order to monitor its effectiveness. 

Examples of personal harassment:

Personal harassment takes many forms and you may not always realise that your behaviour constitutes harassment. Personal harassment is unwanted behaviour by one party towards another and examples of harassment include:

· insensitive jokes and pranks

· lewd or abusive comments 

· deliberate exclusion from conversations

· displaying abusive or offensive writing or material

· abusive, threatening or insulting words or behaviour

· name-calling

· picking on someone or setting them up to fail

· exclusion or victimisation

· undermining their contribution/position

· demanding a greater work output than is reasonably feasible

These examples are not exhaustive and disciplinary action at the appropriate level will be taken against any party committing any form of personal harassment.

Examples of sexual harassment:

Sexual harassment can take place in many forms and can go undetected for a period of time where parties do not understand that particular behaviour is classed as sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour related to sex, or of a sexual nature, by one party towards another and examples of sexual harassment include:

· lewd or abusive comments of a sexual nature such as regarding an individual’s appearance or body

· unwelcome touching of a sexual nature

· displaying sexually suggestive or sexually offensive writing or material

· asking questions of a sexual nature 

· sexual propositions or advances, whether made in writing or verbally.

Sexual harassment can also take place where a party is treated less favourably because they have rejected, or submitted to, the unwanted conduct that is related to sex or is of a sexual nature. Whether less favourable treatment occurs as a result will be examined broadly and includes areas such as blocking promotion and refusal of training opportunities or other development opportunities. 

Examples of victimisation:

Victimisation takes place when a party is treated unfavourably as a direct result of raising a genuine complaint of discrimination or harassment. Furthermore, any party who supports or assists another party to raise a complaint is also subjected to victimisation if they are treated unfavourably. 

Third party harassment: 

Annbank United Community Football Club operates a zero-tolerance policy in relation to harassment perpetrated against anyone involved with the club, be that management, committee, players or supporters or by a third party, such as an away supporter or visitor to the football club. This for clarification will also cover internal issues as well under this remit. All parties are encouraged to report any and all instances of harassment in line with our reporting procedure, as outlined below. 

If we find that the allegation is well-founded, we will take steps we deem necessary in order to remedy this complaint. This can include, but is not limited to:

· warning the individual about the inappropriate nature of their behaviour

· banning the individual from organisation premises 

· reporting the individual’s actions to the police.

 

In addition to this, our football club will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to deter and prevent any form of harassment from anyone taking place. 

Responsibilities:

ANNBANK UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB requires its management, committee, volunteers, players etc.to behave appropriately and professional at all times. You should not engage in discriminatory, harassing or aggressive behaviour towards any other person at any time. 

Any form of harassment or victimisation may lead to disciplinary action up to and including a ban from the club if it is committed:

· during any situation related to the football club, home or away matches, or such as a social event 

· against a colleague or other person connected to the football club including supporters both home and away, including on social media 

· against anyone acting for the club whether committee, volunteer, player or supporter where the incident is relevant to their suitability to carry out their role for the club or indeed represent the club in the aforementioned capacity.

A breach of this policy by will be treated as a disciplinary manner

Employer responsibilities:

Annbank United Community Football Club will be responsible for ensuring all committee members, management team, players and volunteers understand the rules and policies relating to the prevention of harassing and bullying behaviour during games and at social events. We will promote a professional and positive environment whereby we are alert and proactively identify areas of risk and incidents of harassment, sexual harassment and bullying. 

We will also consider aggravating factors, such as abuse of power when deciding what disciplinary action to take. 

Where an incident is witnessed, or a complaint is made under this policy, the football club will take prompt action to deal with this matter. All incidents will be deemed serious and dealt within in a sensitive and confidential manner. 

Complaining about harassment and/or bullying:

Informal method:

We recognise that complaints of personal harassment, and particularly of sexual harassment, can sometimes be of a sensitive or intimate nature and that it may not be appropriate for you to raise the issue through our normal grievance procedure. In these circumstances you are encouraged to raise such issues with a committee member of your choice.

If you are the victim of minor harassment, you should make it clear to the harasser on an informal basis that their behaviour is unwelcome and ask the harasser to stop.

Formal method:

Where the informal approach fails or if the harassment is more serious, you should bring the matter to the attention of the Chairperson/Vice Chairperson as a formal written grievance. If possible, you should keep notes of the harassment so that the written complaint can include:

· the name of the alleged harasser

· the nature of the alleged harassment

· the dates and times when the alleged harassment occurred

· the names of any witnesses

· any action already taken by you to stop the alleged harassment.

On receipt of a formal complaint, we will take action to allow an uninterrupted investigation to take place. 

On conclusion of the investigation, which will normally be within 14 days of the meeting with you, a report of the findings will be submitted to the Chairperson who will hold the grievance meeting.

You will be invited to attend a meeting, at a reasonable time and location, to discuss the matter once the person hearing the grievance has had opportunity to read the report. You have the right to be accompanied at such a meeting and you must take all reasonable steps to attend. Those involved in the investigation will be expected to act in confidence and any breach of confidence will be a disciplinary matter.

You will be able to put your case forward at the meeting and the Chairperson will explain the outcome of the investigation. You have a right to appeal the outcome, which is to be made to the Vice Chairperson within 14 days of receiving the outcome.

If the decision is that the allegation is well founded, the harasser will be liable to disciplinary action in accordance with our disciplinary procedure, previously detailed. 

Annbank United Community Football Club is committed to ensuring all parties are not discouraged from using this procedure and no individual will be victimised for having brought a complaint. 

Club Chairperson Stephen Agnew (07943 521823), email: stephena@mad-law.co.uk

Vice Chairperson William Doherty (07533 793799), email: wulldoh@gmail.com

Club Treasurer Russ Bates (07812 077382), email: russ.bates@btinternet.com

Team Manager Mark Pringle (07939 281282), email: pringleaufc79@yahoo.co.uk

Match Secretary Steven Barratt (07985 612046), email: s.barrett258@btinternet.com