Strategic Plan

                             2006-2011

                 August 2006

 

 

                                 Foreword

This document, the Plan of the Sussex Society of Rugby Football Union Referees, provides guidance and direction for the management of the Society. It has been revised and is now re-issued to cover the 2006-2007 Season.

The Plan is in line with the Constitution of the Society, but recognises the need, in the light of any future change, for amendment of existing rules, policies and practices in order to meet the needs of our members and those to whom we provide a service.

The Plan has been prepared by the Committee whose members give it their full support. It is important for the continuing success of the Society as a whole that we should all move forward in line with the Plan, which will be kept under regular review.

 

Contents

 

     RFU Strategic Objectives for Training and Education

1       Introduction

 

2       Management of the Society

2.1     The Committee

2.2     Communications

2.3     Finance

2.4            Administration

 

 

3   Referee Development

3.1     Management

3.2     Recruitment & Retention

3.3     Training

3.4     Grading

3.5     Appointments

3.6     Assessors and Coaching

 

RFU Strategic Objectives for Training and Education

2006 – 2013

The Society supports the Strategic Objectives of the RFU together with the supporting plans prepared by the Referee Department. Some of these plans have an impact on the management and operation of the Society and these are identified in the appropriate section of this Society Plan.

 

RFU Key Objective 171

·        Provide a competent referee for every game.

• Achieve a player/referee ratio of 30:1 by the end of the plan period.

‘Competent refereeing is essential to a flourishing game as is the administration of refereeing. This in turn requires a ‘best match officials development system’ to be in place by the end of the plan period. ‘Competent’ in this respect means either a suitably qualified Society referee, or if not a Society member, then of sufficient experience for the level of the game, which has been confirmed by a person designated by the Society. By extending a target of referees outside Societies to clubs, schools and colleges, the quality of the game for all participants will be enhanced.’   (RFU)

1.    Introduction

The aims of the Society, as described in the Constitution, include the provision of officials to the rugby playing community. In support of these aims the Society will:

• Recruit, train and appoint referees, touch judges, assessors and coaches.
• Assess and grade referees, touch judges, assessors and coaches.
• Manage the development of all members.

For each of these functions the Society Plan describes the current position, sets out the strategic aims and identifies priority activities for the 2006 - 2007 Season. The Plan also addresses in the same way:

• Communications.
• Administration.
• Finance.
• Overall management of the Society.

In so doing, where appropriate, the Plan takes into account the RFU Strategic Objectives for Training and Education and the Strategies and Plans of the Referee Centre.

This document, which seeks to meet the needs of all members, is intended to evolve as a rolling plan. Produced for the start of each season, it reviews the previous season, sets out the strategic issues facing the Society and establishes priorities for the coming season.

Any numbering of bullet points in this document is for ease of reference. No priority order should be inferred.

The term "Referee" may be used to include other match officials. .

 

2.     Management of the Society

2.1    The Committee

The Society is managed by the Committee under the overall direction of the Chairman. The Committee structure and individual member responsibilities are shown below:

Officers:

President   Figurehead of Society. External relations. Organisation of speakers for, and chairing annual dinner.  Chairing AGM. Acting as sounding board for Chairman. Deputising for Chairman when the latter is unavailable.

Immediate Past President   Sounding Board and aide to President.

Chairman Management of the Society and its overall relationships with external organisations Strategic and business planning. To chair the Sussex Society Rugby Football Union Referees Monthly Meetings and Committee Meetings.

General Secretary Lead Administrative Officer of the Society. Membership. Maintenance of the Society entry in Sussex Rugby Handbook. Contact with clubs (Referee Liaison Officers, Code of Conduct). Liaison with outside bodies. Publicity, PR and media relations. Legal matters. Disciplinary matters. Secretarial support to the Society (correspondence, records). Maintenance of Society Plan. Society Representative to Sussex RFU.

Treasurer  Management of finances. Society accounts. Invoicing Clubs and Schools and collection of subscriptions from these and members. Payment of expenses. Budgetary planning and control. Sale of Society merchandise.  Insurance.

Referee Training and Development Officer  Training Coordinator.   Recruitment. Induction. Development of referees and touch judges. Referee performance. Points of Law. Fitness training and testing.

Member of the Grading Committee.

Training programmes, equipment and materials. Course and examination, administration and Training.

Chairman of Assessors Recruitment. Training. Development. Member of Grading Committee.

Referee Appointments Secretary Administration of local appointments. Liaison on Federation and SEG. appointments. Reappointment activities.

 

Members’ Representative Attends Committee meetings, to represent members’ views to the Committee.

Social Secretary   Social activities (e.g. Annual Dinner). Newsletter Editor.

Exchange Secretary  Organisation of Exchange appointments.

Welfare Officer   Organising CRB clearances and liasing with RFU. Referee Welfare and Safety.

Non-Committee Posts:

Training Officers                                                                    responsible to Referee Devt Officer

Webmaster                                                                             responsible to Secretary

Merchandising Officers                                                         responsible to Treasurer

Society Adviser Development Officer (SADO)                   responsible to Chairman of Assessors

Strategic Aims:

·        Ensure that strategic issues and priority activities are periodically reviewed.

·        Involve more members in the running of the Society in order to benefit from skills and experiences not currently exploited; and reduce the risk of being over reliant on too few individuals.

·        Continue to contribute to the management of the SSRFUR.

·        Maintain productive links with the Sussex RFU and member clubs.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                             Action                 Target Date

RFU: Ensure all referees are registered with the RFU	Secretary	Ongoing
1. Identify members to understudy and/or fill Committee posts.	All Committee members	Ongoing
2. Identify members to assist in other key tasks and projects.	All Committee members	Ongoing
3. Encourage members to remain in the Society	All Committee members	Ongoing

   

2.2    Communications

The management of Society communications is the overall responsibility of the Secretary supported by the Society Web Master and the Editor of the Society newsletter Outline.

Strategic Aims

·        Raise the awareness of members that Society meetings and other events are recognised as occasions worth attending.

·        Maintain the flow of information needed to keep members informed.

·        Make the best use of technology to improve information flow between the Society and its members.

·        Maintain communication with the rugby playing community.

·        Be proactive in contacts with other organisations, so that the Society continues to be seen as a front-runner in the world of refereeing.

·        Make effective use of the media for the benefit of the Society.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                  Target Date

RFU: To improve communications between the RFU, Federations and Societies	All Committee members	Ongoing
RFU: To ensure the exchange of good practice by Federations and Societies	All Committee members	Ongoing
1. Improve & maintain the society communications aids (e.g. Website, Society newsletter, etc.)	All Committee, non-committee members and membership	Ongoing

 

2.3    Finance

The Society’s finances are under the management and control of the Treasurer, whose remit also includes the sale of merchandise.

Costs are covered by subscriptions from members, clubs, colleges and schools, donations and miscellaneous income. Club subscriptions are set according to the numbers of teams requesting referees. A school's subscription is set by the numbers of teams or terms it operates.

Strategic Aims

·        Develop and maintain appropriate budgetary procedures to ensure the funding of the  key elements of the Plan are feasible within the financial framework.

·        Continue efforts to develop income streams from established and new sources, including sponsorship, to fund the running of the Society.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                 Target Date

1. Review Subscriptions.	Treasurer	AGM
2. Timely payment of Expenses	Treasurer	Ongoing
3. Presentation of Accounts	Treasurer	June
4. Carry out Society Audits.	Treasurer	Annually
5. Manage the Society merchandise	Merchandising Officers	Ongoing

 2.4   Administration

The Society is administered through the Committee with the lead taken by the Secretary.

Strategic Aims

• Maintain efficient and effective administrative systems.
• Understand the data and information needs of the Society and introduce systems to meet them.
• Recognise and reward support to the Committee from members.

. Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                  Target Date

RFU: To update Society Administrators on disciplinary matters
1. Appoint a Welfare Officer	Committee	Annually
2. Continue to Implement Child Protection Measures	Child Protection. Officer	Ongoing
3. Review and revise  the Society’s entry in the Sussex RFU Handbook.	Secretary	July
4. Coordination of Disciplinary Matters, within the Society	Secretary	Ongoing

 

3      Referee Development

3.1    Management

The development of referees is the responsibility of the Referee Training and Development Officer, with support from other members of the Committee. Referees are encouraged to come forward with issues they see as related to their personal development.

Strategic Aims

·        Ensure that the development of referees takes due account of their stated aspirations.

·        In support of members’ development, pursue working relationships with other Societies.

·        Incorporate the appropriate elements of the RFU Community Rugby programme into the training and development of referees.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                 Target Date

RFU: To establish fast-track options for referees
RFU: To improve the quality of all match officials at all levels
1. Fully support new referees in their first matches, coaching and mentoring where needed.	All	Ongoing
2. Identify candidates for the SE Federation Squad.	Grading Committee	September 2007

 

3.2    Recruitment and Retention

Currently there is no individual responsible for recruitment and retention of referees within the Society. The task falls in general to the Committee as an ongoing process, to the Society Training Officer and to all referees with links to the CB to identify potential recruits in Sussex clubs.

Strategic Issues

·        Recruit through a continual process of contact between members and clubs, schools and colleges, sufficient officials to meet the Society’s appointment needs.

·        Focus resources on the Induction and Probation processes with the aim of retaining new referees.

·        Maintain referees’ interest in refereeing and all members’ long-term commitment to the Society through initiatives in training and development and through the recognition of achievement.

 

 

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                  Target Date

RFU: To devise innovative programmes for recruitment and retention of referees
1. Encourage all members to assist with recruitment	Committee	Ongoing
2. Arrange Innovative training programmes and activities	Referee Development Officer	Ongoing

 

3.3    Training

The Referee Development Officer identifies training requirements for referees and seeks to satisfy them through programmes arranged and managed by the Training Coordinator.

Strategic Issues

·        Through effective training continue to improve referee performance at all levels.

·        Respond to changes in the Referee Training Programmes produced by the Referee Centre.

·        Work with the S E Federation in making the best use of resources in providing joint training with the Kent Society.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                 Target Date

RFU: To continually improve the quality of performance of all match officials at all levels
1. Liase with the Referee Centre re: changes from the Foundation Course to the Entry Level Referee Award. (ELRA)	Referee Development Officer	Nov 2006
2. Work with the Federation Training Coordinator to integrate training at Federation Level	Referee Development Officer	2007
3. Identify Society Trainers	Referee Development Officer	Ongoing

 

3.4    Grading

The grading of referees is the responsibility of the Committee, which reviews and ratifies recommendations produced by the Grading Committee in consultation with others as appropriate.

Prior to Society grading, new referees spend a short period under induction, followed by a probationary period of one or two months, at the end of which, subject to their own wishes and completion of the Entry Level Referee Award they are graded. Regrading takes place as and when the evidence becomes available.

Strategic Aims

·        Make the most effective use of all information available for frequent appraisal of referees.

·        Manage the grading process to take account of the realistic aspirations of members.

·        Select referees to receive coaching and/or mentoring.

·        Identify suitable Referee, Assessing & Coaching candidates for elevation to S.E. Group level.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                 Target Date

1.Grading sub Committee to meet to review grades of all active referees	Grading Committee	Ongoing
2. Present regular statistics to the Grading Committee following analysis of assessor and coaching Reports	Club Report Collator	As Required
3. Review and revise grading guidelines	Grading Committee	Ongoing
4. Identify suitable Referee, Assessing & Coaching candidates for elevation to SE. Group level.	Grading Committee	Ongoing

 

 

3.5    Appointments

The administration of appointments and reappointments is the responsibility of the Referee Appointments’ Secretary, in consultation with the SE Federation Appointments’ Secretary and the Exchange Appointments Secretary, under the guidance of the Grading Committee and Training and Development Officer.

Strategic Aims

·        Provide suitably qualified officials to the rugby playing community

·        Make appointments that recognise the current level of referees.

·        Support the S E Federation and the South East Group (SEG).

·        Operate an effective exchange programme for developing Society referees.

·        Liaise with the Federation Appointments Secretary.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                                      Action        Target Date

RFU: To create a measurable system of monitoring referee Appointments
1. Update database with revised club contacts and referees personal details	Appointments Secretary	Ongoing
2. Update database with fixtures	Appointments Secretary	Ongoing
3.Develop schedule of exchange appointments	Exchange Appointments Secretary	Ongoing
4. Appoint / reappoint referees to matches and publish to referees, advisers and clubs.	Appointments Secretary	(Appointments) Monthly & (re-appointments) Weekly in season
5. Appoint / reappoint referees to all Cup and League matches as required. Publish to referees and clubs.	Appointments Secretary & Exchange Appointments Secretary	As required

 

3.6    Assessing and Coaching

The co-ordination of assessing and the administration of Exchange and Society referee reports is the responsibility of the Chairman of Assessors. The Society Adviser Development Officer (SADO)is responsible for the development of assessors and coaches and is responsible to the Chairman of Assessors.

Strategic Aims

·        Recruit Assessors and Coaches of suitable quality.

·        Provide suitable training, advice and guidance for newly appointed Assessors and Coaches.

·        Expand the coaching role.

·        Maintain a regular interface with referees so that they receive speedy and positive advice on their development.

·        Work with the Federation Training Coordinator to integrate training at Federation level.

Priority Activities

Aim                                                            Action                 Target Date

1. Prepare a pre-season training session for Advisers and Coaches	Chairman of Assessors and SADO	August 2007
2. Liaise with the Federation Advisor / Assessor Development Officer	Chairman of Assessors and SADO	August 2007
3. Obtain aims and aspirations of assessors and coaches	SADO	August 2006
4. Identify Assessor / Coach candidates for the Federation Development squad	Chairman of Assessors and SADO	Ongoing

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