Social Media Policy

Social media can be and is used by Norwich Rugby Club (NRFC) as an effective tool to pass on information, express views, comments, and ideas, create interest in and promote the club and advertise forthcoming matches and events. Social media should never be used in any other way than to represent the broader values of the Rugby Football Union (RFU) - Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship and the broader values and expectation of NRFC.

Social media refers to all social networking sites such as (but not limited to) Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, LinkedIn, Discord, Google +, WhatsApp, emails, NRFC website, and team sites such as Pitchero and Teamer. This policy aims to provide guidance on how NRFC uses the internet and social media to communicate with members and the wider community and outlines how we expect staff, volunteers, parents, carers and players to behave online in a manner that protects themselves, others and the integrity of NRFC. This policy has been written using RFU's guidelines on social media and the codes of conduct recommended by the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport unit (CPSU). All club members and volunteers must have access to, be aware of and agree to abide by the terms of this policy.

The aims of our online safety policy are:

  • To protect all children (under 18s) and adults (over 18s) involved with NRFC and who make use of technology (mobile phones, computers, laptops, games consoles, smart TVs and the internet) in regard to NRFC.
  • To provide staff, volunteers, parents and players at NRFC with our policy and procedures regarding online safety and inform them on how to respond to incidents regarding social media and internet content.
  • To ensure that NRFC is operating in line with our values and within the law regarding how we behave online.

Use of mobile phones or other technology to communicate

When using mobile phones or other devices to communicate by voice, video or text (including email and other instant messages) NRFC will take the following precautions.

  • Coaches/Team Managers will contact young players (under 18) only through a named parent or carer and will not hold a young person's personal mobile number. Contact with parents should ideally be through the clubs formal channels; face to face, team Whatsapp, team facebook or group emails. If face to face is not possible, 1:1 contact with parents can be used where more individual communication is needed, i.e., regarding membership, injury follow up, enquiries from new parents, etc.
  • In the unlikely event that a coach does need to directly contact a young person (i.e. there is an immediate risk to the child that can be lessened by direct contact) a parent should be informed of any communication that has taken place immediately.
  • Facebook. Communication (by over 13s only) is permitted on approved club endorsed facebook pages (run by individual age groups) only where the content is public and such content will be regulated by at least 2 approved moderators (coaches/managers). 1:1 messaging via facebook messenger is not approved between coaches and young people.
  • Instagram. Comments made to club approved Instagram pages will be regulated by at least 2 club approved moderators and direct messaging between young players and moderators is not allowed.
  • Twitter. Twitter can be used for broadcasting information but not for direct messaging or conversing between adults and young people.
  • WhatsApp. WhatsApp is regularly used to communicate training times and schedules, kit needs, timings etc, young members of NRFC are permitted to have their own team WhatsApp groups but adults and players should not be in the same groups and no 1:1 WhatsApp messages between coaches/managers and young players is allowed.

If a young person tries to engage a coach/manager personally in conversation on any form of social media, the adult must:

  • End the conversation and recommend discussing the subject further at the next practice or event with themselves and another adult, preferably the parent, another coach or adult volunteer.
  • If a coach is concerned about a young person's experiences at NRFC they should contact and provide the young person with the contact details for the club's lead welfare officer. In the event of an emergency (an immediate threat to the young person's health and safety) they MUST contact the appropriate local welfare agency or the police.

Managing our online presence

All media content publicised or shared should always show respect to the rights and beliefs of our members and others in the wider rugby community. The re-posting and re-tweeting of inappropriate content represents an endorsement of that content and can be actionable against the club. It is not acceptable to post items that may include reference to a person's ethnic origin, colour, race, nationality, faith, gender, sexual orientation, or disability or use abusive, derogatory, vulgar or sexual language. The club's social media is there to celebrate, educate and communicate about NRFC to our rugby and the wider community and as such our online presence on our website or through social media will adhere to the following guidelines:

  • All social media accounts will be password-protected and at least 2 members of the coaching/management team will have access to each account and password.
  • The account will be monitored daily so that any inappropriate posts or comments can be dealt with and removed immediately.
  • Players and parents will be made aware of who is managing their team's accounts and who to contact if they have any concerns over content.
  • Adult coaches/managers/volunteers will not 'friend' or 'follow' any young person's personal account.
  • Photo consent will be sought from all parents/carers at the beginning of each season and be recorded on the RFU's Games Management System. Wherever possible photos/videos of young people will represent the play not the person. Where photos are of individual young people there should be no information regarding names, addresses or other personal information that would help a stranger to target them or engage in further conversation. Where names are used, photos should not accompany them. Head and shoulder shots are preferable to full body images and young people should always be shown in suitable clothing to minimise photos being used for inappropriate purposes.
  • Club members may not initiate a social media outlet that is intended to be used by NRFC members without the express permission of the director of their division, mini, youth, girls/women's or senior rugby.
  • All media content should reflect the players, the club, opposing teams, referees and supporters in a positive light. Social media is not to be used for the criticism or humiliation of players, coaches or opponents. The club's social media is not the forum for personal grievances or disputes. These should be taken through the appropriate management committee channels.
  • Parents should only take photos/videos of their own children. They should not post photographs of other teammates without the express permission of their parents and adhere to all of the above photo posting rules.
  • Young people should be made aware of this online safety policy and adhere to its guidelines.

Further information on internet safety