Young Persons Guide to Safeguarding

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding is a term which relates to the action taken to promote the well-being of children and protect them from harm.

Everyone has the right to enjoy their sport in a safe and happy environment.

Triathlon should be fun, friendly, and enjoyable and you should always feel safe. You cannot do this if you feel unhappy, for example, if someone is bullying or abusing you.

Bullying and abuse, in any form, is unacceptable in our sport, whether the behaviour is by a child, young person or an adult. We make sure everyone involved in Triathlon knows and understands how important safety and enjoyment of our sport is.

What can you do to keep safe?

You can follow these points at all times to help you and others keep safe and have fun;

Avoid being alone or with just one other person. If possible keep in groups when training and competing.
Always make sure an adult you know and trust knows where you are at all times.
Travel with a friend, avoid travelling in someone else’s car by yourself.
Avoid going to other people’s homes by yourself.
Carry a mobile phone, phone card or some change.
If something is wrong, you are worried or upset then you need to tell an adult you know and trust. You should tell them straight away!
If something is happening that spoils your fun or that hurts or frightens you, then this isn’t your fault and there are things that can be done to stop it.

When do you know if something is wrong?

You know something is wrong if someone:

Constantly teases you, shouts at you or calls you names.
Threatens you.
Uses violence and hurts you in any way.
Makes you feel uncomfortable by touching you.
Makes suggestive remarks or pressures you to do something you don’t want to.
Damages or steals your belongings.
Is always unkind and makes fun of you or ‘leaves you out’ of games or activities.
Does anything that makes you feel lonely, upset, worried, unsafe, or embarrassed.

If any of these things are happening to you then you need to tell an adult you know and trust; you should tell them straight away! Don’t wait for it to happen again. It is not your fault, there are people who you can talk to and they will help. British Triathlon want to make sure you are having fun and being the best you can; that means not being upset or hurt by anyone.

What to do:

If you are being bullied, abused or if someone tries to make you do things you don’t like, it is not your fault. If any of these things are happening there are some things you can do:

Tell an adult you know and trust as soon as possible; they can help you.
Be firm and tell the person to stop.
Say “No” in a very loud voice.
Make a lot of noise to attract attention.
Get away from the situation quickly.
Keep a note of the date, time and place, what happened, how you felt and the name of anyone who may have seen what happened.
You need to tell an adult you know and trust; you should tell them straight away! If your club has a Club Welfare Officer you can talk to them or any adult you know and trust. They will listen and can help work out what to do.