Our aim as a club is provide a happy and safe environment for all of our members and volunteers. Anti-bullying awareness is promoted at all levels of football the club have a child friendly flier around anti-bullying that is distributed to all juvenile players in a bid to support the clubs aim. 

At Lusk United AFC we do not tolerate bullying within our club. We endeavour to educate and discourage our young people, young adults and volunteers from engaging in such behaviours and support them in managing such incidents.  
 
Bullying may be defined as persistent offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour or abuse of power, conducted by an individual or group against others, which makes the recipient feel upset, threatened, humiliated or vulnerable, which undermines their self-confidence, and which may cause them to suffer stress.  
 
Examples of bullying may include, but are not restricted to the following; (it should be noted that this list should be considered to detect victims and perpetrators) :

• teasing or taunting

• threatening behaviour

• verbal abuse

• insults, and name calling

• abusive telephone calls/ texts

• using a person as a constant butt of jokes

• derogatory/offensive nicknames

• public humiliation

• slandering or maligning by the manipulation of a person's reputation by gossip, rumour, and ridicule

• persistent unwarranted criticism

• social media and or being treated differently due to their cultural background

 
It is the responsibility of all members and volunteers to create a climate at any club activities where bullying, harassment and bullying is unacceptable.  All volunteers should ensure that their personal conduct is acceptable and does not cause offence to other Volunteers, parents and or our young people.  
 
Young people, their families and volunteers can also use Lusk United’s complaints process to address any perceived or alleged incidents of bullying by other young people, Parents, volunteers and or visitors to our club.  
 
Signs and Symptoms/Detection: 
A member/volunteer may indicate by signs of behaviour that bullying is taking place. Volunteers should be aware that these are possible signs and that they should investigate as they could be indicative of someone being bullied on their team. Volunteers should be mindful that this list identifies only some of the warning signs that may be associated with being bullied.   

Other signs and symptoms may exist which may include a member/volunteer;  

• possibility in a change of a member/ young person’s frequency of phone usage

• having items regularly stolen/ going missing

• lending items to an unlikely ‘friend’

• avoiding/ constantly pulling back from the group

• frequent absence from training/games/ activities

• becoming distressed or distracted

• withdrawal in group setting

• experiencing nightmares

• being frightened to say what is wrong

• noted deterioration in one’s mental health

 
Risks associated with having access to the internet, emails and other forms of social media include the exposure to bullying, the facilitation of a form of bullying by sending malicious messages via email, social networking websites, etc. The bullying, harassment or threatening of any volunteer/member through the circulation and downloading of pornographic material and compromising or offensive images known as sexual exploitation. The use of the internet and emails to 'groom' potential victims by those who wish to abuse young people. 
 
The executive committee will ensure safety for young people and staff by ensuring that all visitors to any session have an identified purpose for being there. No person without an identified purpose will be permitted entry to the club or any club activities. The executive committee and volunteers will ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place to ensure safety for the young people.
 
Procedure:
Volunteers/parents/committee members to:

• Recognise the potential for bullying

• Acknowledge that members and volunteers have the potential to be the victims or perpetrators of bullying behaviour

• Volunteers understand the potential of bullying occurring and the associated risks of bullying within the club through Safeguarding training

• Volunteers recognise the need to prevent and not just manage bullying using discussion at training, parent meetings, team meetings and at manager meetings

• Volunteers to create a safe environment which encourages young people to disclose and discuss incidents of bullying

• The executive committee to ensure that any perceived or alleged incidents of bullying are explored with both the victim and the perpetrator- if appropriate

• Make available the complaints policy to young people/ their families and volunteers in the event of bullying

• The executive committee will respond to incidents of bullying in a fair and equitable manner that is comparable with the nature and extent of the incident

• Ensure that the Tusla protocols are followed in the event of an incident of bullying occurring within the club which will include any child protection concerns reported via the online Tusla portal in line with Children’s First

• Access and provide information on the signs, symptoms, and effects of bullying to the young people

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