A neurodivergent individual wants to join your club, but you aren’t sure how to best support them. A parent expresses concern about inappropriate behaviour on the sidelines but doesn’t know how best to deal with it. You want to make your club more welcoming but don’t know where to start.
This is where Sport Welfare Officers come in.
We offer free, friendly, practical support to clubs, coaches and parents – helping you build the kind of culture where every child, young person and adult can thrive.
Our Sport Welfare Officers are here to:
Working with Sue and Energise Me has helped us look at how we could be even more inclusive, welcoming and supportive.
Paula Williams, Club Secretary & Training Coordinator at Fareham Running Club
So far, our Sport Welfare Officers have supported over 300 clubs across Hampshire and Isle of Wight.
We’ve delivered several online and in-person events, covering topics such as ‘Championing Safe Sport’, ‘Internet Safety for Sports Clubs’, ‘Lower-Level Concerns’ and ‘Mental Health Awareness’.
We’ve also created digital resources to bring together trusted safeguarding advice, guidance and tools all in one place.
And there’s plenty more to do!
We know that most Club Welfare Officers, committee members and coaches are volunteers, spinning several plates at once. We’re here to help you join the dots; sharing what works, signposting to training and network opportunities, and supporting you to use resources so you can identify and celebrate the strengths of your clubs and reflect on where you can grow and develop.
Check out the Safeguarding In Your Pocket for Clubs resource.
We offer free guidance and resources for parents whose children are involved in sport and physical activity. So, whether that’s key questions to ask a club when your child joins, or how to support your child in a positive way, we’re here to make sure your child gets active in a safe and friendly environment. And we’ll support you playing your part in that.
Check out the Safeguarding In Your Pocket for Parents resource.
We work with National Governing Bodies and local statutory and voluntary partners to build a culture that puts wellbeing at the heart of sport and physical activity. Safeguarding isn’t a tick-box exercise, but everyday practice that makes a club a place people want to return to.
Our work in this context consists of collaborative projects with local safeguarding partnerships, attending National Governing Body events and working with our county and regional colleagues across sports.
I’ve learnt not to compare my child with others.
Parent who attended our Swim Workshop in January 2026
Sport Welfare Officers don’t replace your club’s safeguarding/welfare officer or your National Governing Bodies’ safeguarding teams and procedures. We sit alongside them. We help clubs build an everyday welfare culture. So, concerns should continue to be reported via the proper channels.
For safeguarding concerns – follow your club’s reporting procedure or contact your National Governing Body’s safeguarding team.
For questions, conversations, support and ideas – that’s us!
Our Sport Welfare Officers have set up peer support networks for Club Welfare Officers and volunteers working at local clubs. In these spaces, you’re able to connect with and learn from local people doing the same roles and facing the same challenges as you.
Interested in joining? Email: sportwelfareofficer@energiseme.org
Our Sport Welfare Officers are part of a wider programme which will see 63 Sport Welfare Officers employed across the network of 43 Active Partnerships.
The programme works towards the Uniting the Movement strategy (Sport England’s 10-year vision to transform lives and communities through sport and physical activity). It is also one of Sport England’s commitments in the policy response to the Whyte Review, published by Sport England and UK Sport.
Helping us tackle inactivity to boost health and happiness
