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Background

A large part of this code has been derived from the code produced by the Lead Body for Sport & Recreation. The code is a framework within which to work and is a series of guidelines rather than a set of instructions.

Further although the code was written with specific reference to club officers (the committee, instructors, and examiners), however, most aspects of this code are also applicable to other people involved with the sport / hobby. Therefore all members of the club should be aware that this code also applies to them.

The Code

Club officers are expected to conform to ethical standards in a number of areas: humanity, relationships, commitment, co-operation, integrity, advertising, confidentiality, abuse of privilege, safety and competence.

Humanity

Officers must respect the basic human rights, worth and dignity of each member and their ultimate right to self-determination. Specifically they must treat everyone equally within the context of his or her activity and ability, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, cultural background, sexual orientation, religion or political affiliation.

Relationships

The good officer will be concerned primarily with the well-being, safety, protection and future of the individual performer. There must be a balance between the development of performance and the social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of the individual.

A key element in an official relationship is the development of independence. Members must be encouraged and guided to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and performance in training, in competition, and in their domestic, academic or business life.

Officers are responsible for setting and monitoring the boundaries between a working relationship and friendship with members of the club. This is particularly important when the member is a young person. The officer must realise that certain situations or friendly words and actions could be misinterpreted, not only by the individual, but also by others motivated by jealousy, dislike or mistrust, and could lead to allegations of misconduct or impropriety.

The relationship between an instructor and student relies heavily on mutual trust and respect. This means that the student should be made aware of the instructors Qualifications and experience, and must be given the opportunity to consent to or decline proposals for training, performance or competition.

Commitment

Officers who become aware of a conflict between their obligation to the club and other external obligations (or other organisation employing them), must make explicit to all parties concerned the nature of the conflict, and the loyalties and responsibilities involved.

The member (parent/guardian in the case of a minor) should inform the relevant club officer of any change in circumstances that might affect the relationship.

When coaching, the instructor

Co-operation

Officers should communicate and co-operate with other sports and allied professions in the best interests of their members. An example of such contact could be the seeking of

Officers must communicate and co-operate with registered medical and ancillary practitioners in the diagnosis, treatment and management of their members' medical and psychological problems.

Integrity

Officers must not encourage members to violate the rules of their sport. They should actively seek to discourage and condemn such action and encourage members to obey the spirit of the rules.

Officers must never advocate or condone the use of prohibited drugs or other banned performance enhancing substances.

Officers need to ensure that the activities, training and competition programs they advocate and direct are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual member.

When coaching, the instructor needs to

·        Treat opponents with due respect, both in victory and defeat, and should encourage their members to act in a similar manner. A key role for a coach is to prepare members to respond to success and failure in a dignified manner.

·        Accept responsibility for the conduct of their students and discourage inappropriate behaviour in training, competition, and away from the sporting arena.

·        Encourage members to value their performances and not just results.

Advertising

Advertising in respect of qualifications, training and/or services must be accurate and professionally restrained. Officers must be able to present evidence of current qualifications upon request. Evidence should also be available to support any claim associated with the promotion of their services.

Officers must not display any affiliation with an organisation in a manner that falsely implies sponsorship or accreditation by that organisation.

Confidentiality

Officers inevitably gather a great deal of personal information about members in the course of a working relationship, and prior agreement is required about what is to be regarded as confidential information (i.e. not divulged to a third party without the express approval of the performer).

Confidentiality does not preclude the disclosure of information about a member to persons who can be judged to have a right to know. For example:

·         Evaluation for competitive selection purposes.

·         In pursuit of disciplinary action involving members within the sport.

·         In pursuit of disciplinary action by a sports organisation against one of its members.

·         Legal and medical requirements for disclosure.

·         Recommendations to parents/family where the health and safety of performers might be at stake.

·         In pursuit of action to protect children from abuse.

Abuse of privilege

A officer must not attempt to exert undue influence over the membership in order to obtain personal benefit or reward.

Officers must consistently display high personal standards and project a favourable image of their sport and of coaching to performers, their parents/families, other coaches, officials, spectators, the media and the general public.

Personal appearance is a matter of individual taste but club officers have an obligation to project an image of health, cleanliness and functional efficiency.

Instructors should not drink alcohol so soon before coaching that it would affect their competence to coach, compromise the safety of the performers or obviously indicate they had been drinking (e.g. smell of alcohol on breath).

Safety

Within the limits of their control, officers have a responsibility to ensure as for as possible the safety of the members with whom they work.

All reasonable steps should be taken to establish a safe working environment.

The work done and the manner in which it is done should be in keeping with the regular and approved practice with their sport as determined by the national governing body (the British Model Flying Association).

The activity undertaken should be suitable for the age, physical and emotional maturity, experience and ability of the members.

Everyone has a duty to protect children from harm and abuse.

The members should have been systematically prepared for the activity and made aware of their personal responsibilities in terms of safety.

Officers should ensure members have adequate insurance to cover all aspects of the sport including temporary insurance cover for new members.

Competence.

Instructors/examiners shall confine themselves to practise in those elements of sport for which their training and competence is recognised by the appropriate national governing body (the British Model Flying Association). Training includes the accumulation of knowledge and skills through formal coach education courses, independent research and the accumulation of relevant verifiable experience.

The British Model Flying Association R/C Power Instructor Scheme provides the framework for assessing competence at the different levels of coaching practice.

·         Registered Club Instructor: club nominated by officers.

·         Approved Instructor: club nominated and tested by Chief Instructor

·         Chief Instructors: nominated and ratified by BMFA Area committee.

Competence to coach should normally be verified through evidence of qualifications. Competence cannot be inferred solely from evidence of prior experience.

Instructors must be able to recognise and accept when to refer students to other coaches or agencies. It is their responsibility, as for as possible, to verify the competence and integrity of any other person to whom they refer a student.

Instructors/examiners should regularly seek ways of increasing their personal and professional development.

Instructors/examiners should welcome evaluation of their work by colleagues and be able to account to students, the national governing body (British Model Flying Association) and colleagues for what they do and why.

Instructors/examiners have a responsibility to themselves and their students to maintain their own effectiveness, resilience and abilities. They should recognise when their personal resources are so depleted that help is needed. This may necessitate the withdrawal from coaching/examining temporarily or permanently.