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Charter Standard

Suffolk County Football Association is actively encouraging grassroots football to raise standards of provision by helping local clubs to achieve the FA Charter Standard Development Award.

The FA Charter Standard Club Development Programme

  • How Good is Your Club Off the Pitch?
  • What do we want our young players to get from youth football?

A Quality Youth Football Programme!

  • Child Friendly Environment
  • Quality Learning Experiences for All
  • Access to qualified coaches
  • Progressive Learning Opportunities
  • Links and exit routes
  • Involve parents in a positive way
  • Opportunities to develop their skills…..Football, refereeing,admin, treasury
  • Backing and support throughout whole organisation

Every Child deserves to be given the chance to play within a…………

FA CHARTER STANDARD CLUB

The scheme looks upon the player as being central to all developmental needs and aspirations and to encapsulate this philosophy, it is helping clubs to provide quality experiences for all players. The programme provides national recognition through three levels of awards;

  • FA Charter Standard Clubs
  • An award available to both Youth and Adult Clubs

Youth Football Clubs need to demonstrate:

Show Parents You Are Progressing Football Positively and Safely

  • Management
  • Child Protection
  • Qualified Coaches 
  • First Aid Qualifications
  • Codes of Conduct
  • Insurance

Adult Clubs require:

  • Management
  • Insurance
  • First Aid Qualifications
  • Codes of Conduct

FA Charter Standard Development Clubs

These clubs must have met the Charter Standard Club Criteria and must also have:

  • At least 5 teams
  • A Football Development Plan

FA Charter Standard Community Clubs

The pinnacle of the Charter Standard Programme:

Community Clubs need:

  • 10 teams
  • Youth to Adult
  • Mini Soccer
  • Boys’ and Girls’ Teams
  • A 3-5 year Development Plan
  • A School Liaison Officer
  • A Volunteer Co-ordinator

Practical support, resources and training courses to assist clubs to achieve the level of award appropriate to their needs, is being provided by Suffolk County FA.

Clubs receiving the award can access a comprehensive benefits package including:

  • Use of Logo
  • Promotional Materials
  • FA Child Protection and Best Practice Guide
  • Footballs
  • Tickets to England Youth Internationals

In Suffolk, Charter Standard Clubs also receive training opportunities including a free tutored Soccer Parent workshop at which clubs are given guidance on how to get the best from the parents of their young players. New Coaching Workshops will also soon be made available.

Importantly also, where Charter Standard Clubs have shown an ongoing and positive commitment to investing their own time in delivering football development activities in local areas – sometimes working in partnership with other local clubs – funding investment in new facilities as well as the costs of delivering the development activity itself, has also been prioritised.

To achieve the Charter Standard award, clubs need to start by ensuring their coaches and volunteers are qualified

For more information please contact:

Sharon O’Donnell

on 01449 776315

or sharon.odonnell@suffolkfa.com