Sport Welfare Officer Steps Up Support for Clubs in 2026

Active Black Country’s Sport Welfare Officer, Liz Griffin, is looking forward to offering a package of support to sports clubs and community organisations delivering physical activity across the Black Country.

“In 2026, I’m relishing the opportunity to provide a wide range of resources to clubs and organisations, and to develop connections and strengthen collaborations,” Liz says.

“They can expect continued one-to-one support, including help with safeguarding and sport welfare policies and procedures, and signposting to the best training resources.”

She adds: “Delivery of online webinars will also continue, and I’ll be encouraging clubs to keep sharing what support they need so that sessions stay relevant. There will also be new face-to-face training opportunities, designed to strengthen safeguarding and mental health awareness across sport.”

Pictured: the Cancer Kickers Walking Football group. In 2025, Liz helped to facilitate improvements in adult safeguarding at the club.

New training opportunities

Safeguarding Awareness (formerly Level 1) will be a half-day, face-to-face session and will be free for clubs and community groups organising physical activity opportunities to get people active.

It’s aimed at anyone wanting a solid understanding of safeguarding basics. While it isn’t a qualification or a replacement for designated safeguarding officer training, it’s a good refresher between certifications.

There will also be a First Aid for Mental Health offer. This includes Level 1 (half day) and Level 2 (full day) options, as well as First Aid for Youth Mental Health (Level 2). All courses come with a 3-year certification.

Bespoke training shaped by clubs

Based on Liz’s conversations with club leaders and site visits, bespoke training will also be available.

This includes Beyond the Game: The Truth About Drugs in Sport, a 90-minute face-to-face session exploring the impact of drugs and alcohol on performance, the law, emergency response and where to get support.

Another option is Active Bystander Training, an approx. 2hr face-to-face session. This training is designed to give volunteers the confidence and tools to challenge inappropriate behaviour and help create safer environments. It focuses on intervention strategies, safeguarding concerns and issues such as violence against women and girls.

Pilot opportunity

Finally, there’s an exciting pilot opportunity this year. Five clubs or community organisations will be invited to help trial the new Culture Reflection Toolkit – a practical resource designed to support safer, more welcoming and inclusive environments.

This isn’t an audit. It’s a collaborative process that helps clubs:

• Reflect on what’s working well in your current culture.
• Identify simple, meaningful improvements to strengthen welfare and inclusion.
• Access tailored support to make those changes happen.
• Share insights and learning that will shape best practice across the sector.

Building on sport welfare work in 2025

Active Black Country’s sport welfare and safeguarding support in 2026 builds on a busy 12 months of work with existing and new partners.

Our Sport Welfare Officer provided tailored one-to-one support to more than 50 clubs, all shaped around their individual needs. Support included helping clubs review, update and co-create safeguarding policies, procedures and risk assessments, as well as offering practical checklists, raising safeguarding officer awareness, and signposting to local and national resources.

Clubs were supported with funding bids in partnership with Sported UK, and with sourcing the right face-to-face training for their specific needs. A wide range of online and in-person sessions were also delivered in collaboration with fellow Active Partnerships, Local Authorities, and trusted national organisations such as the NSPCC.

Topics covered included: GDPR awareness and DBS eligibility; mental health in sport; the role of a Local Authority Designated Officer; safeguarding refreshers; children online safety, facilitating conversations; and Show Racism the Red Card.

“The turnout for these sessions was brilliant. Every session delivered in 2025 was shaped directly by club feedback, gathered through surveys and conversations facilitated by Active Black Country,” Liz says. “In 2026, we have a great opportunity to help even more clubs and organisations with the support they need to grow and thrive.”

Successful partnership working

Mandy Williams, Physical Activity Project Manager at Sandwell Council, has worked closely with Liz on some key projects over the past year, including helping to upgrade safeguarding at Cancer Kickers Walking Football.

“This is one of our success stories and an amazing piece of partnership work. We looked at key partners and through a series of meetings development plans and some budget from public health, the sessions commenced in March 2025,” Mandy says.

“This is now embedded in the Sandwell sports and physical activity offer with partners including the Active Wellbeing Society coaches through the Public Health Active Green Spaces programme, a cancer specialist from Places Leisure and now the Albion Foundation. Ongoing support is provided by the Sandwell public health team with regular input from Liz.”

Around 40 Sandwell residents have accessed the sessions with 20-plus people attending weekly sessions. There are now plans for a celebration tournament in the summer.

Liz is in regular contact with Mandy and the Sandwell public health team about her work to support organisations and clubs with training and governance support.

Liz recently shared the results of the barriers to exercise survey from the National Fitness Day at Midland Metropolitan University Hospital, which has contributed to the development of Sandwell Council’s Physical Activity Framework that will shape its priorities for the next few years.

“Whenever I contact Liz, she responds promptly to any enquiries and is someone I know I can rely on. She has enhanced the sense of partnership working I and colleagues have with Active Black Country and I look forward to continuing our work together.”

Culture Reflection Toolkit

If you are interested in the Culture Reflection Toolkit Pilot, complete the short form here. Deadline for submissions of interest is 31 January.

If you have any questions or would like more information about how Active Black Country can help you, contact our Sport Welfare Officer Liz Griffin: liz.griffin@activeblackcountry.co.uk.