USASF Professional Responsibility Code 2020-2021 Vol 10.0 | Page 33

APPENDIX E - ADDRESSING BULLYING POLICY
APPENDIX E - ADDRESSING BULLYING POLICY

APPENDIX E - ADDRESSING BULLYING POLICY

The following is a model policy for owners to implement within their program . U . S . All Star Federation programs are required to have an action plan to address bullying and the plan must be reviewed with and agreed to by all athletes , parents , coaches and other adults at the program . If a program chooses not to , or is unable to , create a written action plan , the following plan will become the default plan for that program , and the program will be expected to implement these procedures when reports of bullying are made . Once a customized plan is developed and approved by your program , the default plan will no longer apply . Each member program has the responsibility to approve and implement its action plan .
ACTION PLAN OF ( insert name of program ) TO ADDRESS BULLYING
PURPOSE
Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at [ insert the name of the program ] ( the “ Program ”) and will not be tolerated . Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim . The Program is committed to providing a safe , caring and friendly environment for all of our members . If bullying does occur , all athletes and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively . Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach , program owner or athlete / mentor .
Objectives of the Program ’ s Bullying Policy and Action Plan :
1 . To make it clear that the Program will not tolerate bullying in any form .
2 . To define bullying and give all program owners , coaches , parents and athletes a good understanding of what bullying is .
3 . To make it known to all parents , athletes and coaching staff that there is a policy and protocol should any bullying issues arise .
4 . To make the process of how to report bullying clear and understandable .
5 . To spread the word that ( Name of Program ) takes bullying seriously and that all athletes and parents can be assured that they will be supported when bullying is reported .
WHAT IS BULLYING ?
The U . S . All Star Federation Professional Responsibility Code prohibits bullying . Generally , bullying is the use of aggression , whether intentional or not , which hurts another person . Bullying results in pain and distress . Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one or more U . S . All Star Federation members of oral , written , electronic or other technological expression , image , sound , data or intelligence of any nature ( regardless of the method of transmission ), or a physical act or gesture , or any combination thereof , directed at any other member that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of :
1 . Causing physical or emotional harm to the other member or damage to the other member ’ s property ;
2 . Placing the other member in reasonable fear of harm to himself / herself or of damage to his / her property ;
3 . Creating a hostile environment for the other member at any U . S . All Star Federation activity ;
4 . Infringing on the rights of the other member at any U . S . All Star Federation activity ; or
5 . Materially and substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any U . S . All Star Federation activity , which for the purposes of this section shall include , without limitation , practices , workouts and other events of a member program or Event Producer .
REPORTING PROCEDURE
An athlete who feels that he or she has been bullied is asked to do one or more of the following things : 1 . Talk to your parents ; 2 . Talk to a Team Coach , Program Owner , or other designated individual ; and / or 3 . Write a letter or email to the Team Coach , Program
Owner , or other designated individual .
There is no express time limit for initiating a complaint under this procedure , but every effort should be made to bring the complaint to the attention of the appropriate program leadership as soon as possible to make sure that memories are fresh and behavior can be accurately recalled and the bullying behavior can be stopped as soon as possible .
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