A Chairde,
This week’s bulletin will provide a brief outline of Kildare GAA Children’s Officer Dermot Lavin’s role along with providing an update on this week’s news.
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Ross Glavin has stepped away from the Senior Football Management Team due to personal family reasons. Kildare GAA wishes to thank him for his commitment and dedication in 2020. Emmet McDonnell will now join the set-up and his name will be brought before the County Committee for ratification.
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A number of Clubs are currently competing in this year’s My Life “Every Step Counts” challenge this year. Clogherinkoe, Kilcullen & St Laurence’s are currently high up on the leaderboard with the finishing line in sight. Well done to all involved.
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The GAA Covid Advisory group advised that training / games etc remains suspended following the release of the latest Government’s Plan for Living with Covid-19 update earlier this week.
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GAA Congress takes this Saturday. Due to the current Govt restrictions, the attendees will be the Co Board Chair Mick Gorman & Central Council Delegate Ger Donnelly.
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Be Ready to Play Programme is a Coaching and Sport Science programme aimed at supporting players and coaches during their return to training post Covid and in the build up to playing games again. Registration opens from 2nd March via https://learning.gaa.ie/bereadytoplay
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The GAA this week issued guidelines for online coaching of children. All Mentors & Clubs are asked to brief familiarise themselves with the guidelines which can be found on https://www.gaa.ie/api/pdfs/image/upload/autgrbu6azdjl4tr0gbf.pdf
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Last reminder that the closing date for Sports Capital Grant applications is next Monday 1st March.
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The Club Safety check is fast approaching – Clubs this year will be asked to perform a safety check on all structures within your Club Grounds during the months of March, June & October. Development Officer Petria Dobbins will be in touch shortly with documentation.
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Two Go Games Referee courses will take place on Wednesday 3rd & 10th March. Anyone (must be over 16) wishing to attend these courses are asked to register using the below link
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspxid=hrxFrNSvpUKfwz6H4bd_znf9vpE6aSBGjZrReoaCGeNURUc3WTJQVTNHUFJQTzVYTTk3SjRZOE1ITy4u
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Bord na nÓg are currently seeking amalgamation requests from Clubs. Closing date for submission is Friday 12th March.
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The GAA Museum in Croke Park recently launched a Book Club where a GAA book a month will be up for discussion. To become a member, sign-up on www.crokepark.ie/bookclub The first pick is one that’s close to the heart of the GAA – ‘The Bloodied Field’ by Sunday Times journalist Michael Foley.
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Kildare GAA are currently creating a database where the aim is to connect to our Diaspora on a regular basis. If you know of anyone who is abroad and wishes to remain in touch with Kildare GAA it would be greatly appreciated if you could forward on the below form for completion: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=hrxFrNSvpUKfwz6H4bd_zqxkqPsI6NxIlBZR0jpKYHZUNlZTNUJGREpYRVNDWFIxOFFVNkhISlk0TS4u
Kildare GAA Children’s Officer
The role of the County Children’s Officer is to oversee the implementation and to promote an awareness of the joint Code of Behaviour with the co-operation of Clubs in the County and with Club Children’s Officers. Some of the responsibilities include:
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Ensure that each Club in their County has appointed a Club Children’s Officer and that these Children’s Officers are aware of their roles and responsibilities.
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Regularly liaise with all Club Children’s Officers; respond to their queries; support and assist them to develop and implement an annual work plan in the County.
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Ensure that Clubs maintain up to date Garda Vetting procedures and adequate Safeguarding training for all volunteers.
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Ensure that all clubs are provided with up to date guidelines and procedures with regard to best practice when dealing with young people.
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Deal with breaches of the joint Code of Behaviour (Underage) as per relevant guidelines and to support clubs in dealing with same.
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Monitor and report on any significant trends or developments relating to the participation of young people in Gaelic Games.
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Maintain regular communication with the National Children’s Office.
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Take on a role as member of the County Management Committee.
It is a requirement for all Counties and Clubs to have a Children’s Officer in order to comply with Child Safeguarding legislation. Although unseen, Children’s Officers are busy throughout the year in implementing and promoting best practice guidelines in your club in accordance with legislation and with the Code of behaviour for young people in the GAA. Over the course of the past year since I took up this role, I have been in contact with personnel from all the clubs in Kildare and a day rarely goes by without a phone call or email from a club querying some aspect of the role.
Youth Committee
As County Children’s Officer I also take on the role of Chairperson of Kildare GAA Youth Committee. The remit of this group is to look at important issues and topics that affect young people, and to promote participation and enjoyment of GAA activities of young people throughout Kildare.
One of the items that will hopefully be taken on by the Youth Committee this year is facilitation of a study by NUIG named ADAPT. This is a piece of research which aims to assess the impact of lockdown on teenagers. A member of the Youth Committee may be in touch with your club soon to explain how you can help.
Other pieces of work which the Youth Committee would like to further this year is the expansion of ‘GAA For All’ and the increased participation in our games by those young people with additional needs, and hopefully it will be possible to organise a Youth Forum in some format in the second half of 2021 in which young people can come together to discuss the issues which matter most to them.
