Our committed team of volunteers at Harpenden Colts FC always strive to meet the needs of our all players, parents and carers in delivering our Mission Statement, Vision and Club Philosophy. We have very high standards, with respect, inclusion, safety, fairness and enjoyment at the forefront.
However, we’re human. Occasionally the Club or our volunteers might fall short of these high standards. Or you may have observations that can help improve what we do and how we do it.
In most cases, issues should be raised with your relevant Squad Lead in the first instance and be capable of being dealt with effectively by them. This may include concerns about footballing, logistical or communication matters regarding the running of the squad.
However, there may be times where your Squad Lead can’t resolve the issue or it’s not appropriate to raise it with them directly. When that happens, we want to make sure your comments are heard and, we hope, addressed to everyone’s satisfaction.
Our process for this is set out below.
When concerns arise, we want you to be able to contact the right person so that any issues can be dealt with quickly and effectively.
As explained above, this will normally be the relevant Squad Lead in the first instance.
However, as set out below, the right person in each case will depend on what or who your concern is about.
Contact your child’s Year Lead. If you’re unsure who this is, an up-to-date list of Year Leads can be found here for Boys and here for Girls. If your concern relates to a safeguarding or welfare issue, please copy our Club Welfare Officer into any communications (childwelfare@harpendencolts.com). Our Club Welfare Officer will handle all concerns or complaints relating to such issues.
Contact our Boys’ Football Lead (boyslead@harpendencolts.com) or Girls’ Football Lead (girlslead@harpendencolts.com). If your concern relates to a safeguarding or welfare issue, please copy our Club Welfare Officer into any communications (childwelfare@harpendencolts.com). Our Club Welfare Officer will handle all concerns or complaints relating to such issues.
Contact our Inclusive Section Officer (harpendencoltsinc@gmail.com). If your concern relates to a safeguarding or welfare issue, please copy our Club Welfare Officer into any communications (childwelfare@harpendencolts.com). Our Club Welfare Officer will handle all concerns or complaints relating to such issues.
Contact our Resolution Manager (resolutionmanager@harpendencolts.com). Please see the section headed “What if I’m not happy with the way my concern was addressed, or its outcome?” below for further information.
Whoever you contact, please remember to do so respectfully and considerately. Harpenden Colts FC is run by a team of volunteers giving up their time to help a huge number of kids instil a life-long love of football. We know emotions can run high when it comes to matters affecting our children, but please try to assume good intentions – from those trying to help players progress and those trying to resolve your concerns.
Harpenden Colts FC is committed to resolving any concerns fairly, consistently and transparently.
We may ask you to provide further information about the concern, and may need to discuss issues raised with Club volunteers and/or external third parties (such as Hertfordshire FA). When this is necessary, we will discuss such issues on a confidential basis.
We aim to resolve all concerns in a timely way, but please remember we’re volunteers so sometimes patience may be needed. We would rather take the time needed to resolve concerns appropriately than rush into a decision.
All decisions will be reasoned and be true to our Club Philosophy.
We want to resolve concerns to everyone’s satisfaction where we can, but recognise this may not always be possible.
However, it’s important to us that decisions taken by the Club’s representatives are fair, consistent and transparent.
Therefore, if you’re unhappy with the way a concern raised with a Year Lead, Boys’ Football Lead, Girls’ Football Lead, Club Welfare Officer or Inclusive Section Officer was addressed, or its outcome, you may refer it for a second-stage review by the Club’s Resolution Manager (resolutionmanager@harpendencolts.com).
During the second-stage review, the Resolution Manager will:
(a) be independent from the initial handling of the concern;
(b) assess whether the concern was handled appropriately in the circumstances; and
(c) assess whether the outcome was reasonable and true to our Club Philosophy.
The Resolution Manager has the power to issue a different decision if appropriate to do so in all the circumstances.
If you remain unhappy following the conclusion of the second-stage review, you may contact Hertfordshire FA by email at contactus@hertfordshirefa.com or by phone on 01462 677622.
