Wycombe Wanderers are pleased to publish an End of Term Report from its Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and Safeguarding Committee, which can be read in full by downloading the file below.
Background:
During the course of 2021, it was decided to combine the Safeguarding and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committees into the EDIS Committee. By ensuring membership at senior levels within the Club, WWSGL (the Trust) and Wycombe Wanderers Sports & Education (WWSET) the Club has recognised the importance of such initiatives, not only in respect of its staff, but equally importantly, in respect of everyone, home and away supporters, who attend matches at Adams Park. An EDIS report is submitted at all WWFC Board Meetings.
The Club has followed EFL guidelines, training and compliance reporting requirements and has supported the EDIS committee in progress and achievements to date.
It is important to recognise the contributions made over the past year and in the compilation of this report, by the following committee members (in alphabetic order):
Phil Catchpole, David Cook, Stephen Copp, Paul Foley (WWSET), Tom Holder, Nigel Kingston (Trust Chairman), Peter Lerner, Benedict Mwendwa Musola, Liam O’Rourke, Gordon Reilly, David Steel, Trevor Stroud (WWFC Director).
Whilst progress has been made in all areas, it is worth noting that there is always scope for improvement and the EDIS Committee will continue to operate to ensure that Wycombe Wanderers is as safe and inclusive a venue to visit as we can possibly make it.
Executive Summary
Significant progress has been made in the following areas:
- Safeguarding: the Club has satisfied several EFL audits, is awaiting the Barnardos’ audit report and has already taken steps to further strengthen its management structure.
- EFL Code of Practice: The Club successfully completed the EFL’s Code of Practice when the EFL reported that “The Club has demonstrated clear commitment to inclusion, equality, and anti-discrimination within the organisation and this is driven through all sections of the Football Club. The Club have developed a well-constructed, high quality and robust submission that meets the criteria for the Code of Practice”.
- EFL Equal Opportunities Survey Results: In an analysis of Club staff responses to the survey across the five characteristics of gender, disability, ethnicity, religion / faith and sexual orientation, the Club compared well with both local and national demographics. Resulting actions, whilst continuing with its non-discriminatory recruitment practice and actively engaging with the diverse local ethnic community also included the need for a Multi-faith Reflection Room and provision of ethnically diverse food offerings on matchdays.
- Disabled Supporters Association: The DSA has, amongst other things, conducted an access audit, leading to improved facilities, including upgraded toilet facilities, affiliated to Level Playing Field (LPF), the Charity for Disabled Football Supporters, worked with the Club to make available commentary radios for home and away supporters, participated in the All-Quarters initiative, sourced one of its members as a trainer for the Club’s EDI and Mental Health / Wellbeing training sessions, ensured that ramps have been made available for wheelchair users and provided coaches for supporters with disabilities to several away games.
- Communication: The Head of Audio & Broadcast, appointed by the Club mid-season, has joined the EDIS Committee in order to ensure that its successes and initiatives were represented on the Club’s channels.
- Training: Club staff have completed the EFL’s Playing for Inclusion on-line course and have attended Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, Safeguarding and Mental Health Awareness training courses.
- Wycombe Wanderers Women Football Club: All coaches and Team managers have either all got up to date Disclosure and Barring Service ( DBS ) checks or are in the process of being completed. They have all signed the EFL self-declaration form and the WWWFC code of conduct. In addition, of the nine strong management team at WWWFC, two are women and one of the team managers is also a woman.
- WWSET & All-Quarters: The Club and Trust are represented at WWSET’s monthly All-Quarters initiative and have benefited from the support of WWSET in developing multi-faith and ethnically diverse facilities on matchdays. In addition, a presentation by David McArdle, Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at EFL, provided clear guidance on the importance of communicating EDIS’ successes.
