AWA Coaching | Youth Athletics Training in Sheffield

1. Purpose of This Policy

This Acceptable Use Policy sets out the rules for using the AWA Coaching platform. It exists to:

Protect children and young people from harm
Maintain a safe, respectful, and positive environment
Ensure the Platform is used for its intended purpose (athletics coaching)
Comply with legal obligations, particularly safeguarding legislation
Protect the rights and safety of all users

By using the Platform, you agree to comply with this policy. This policy applies to all users: Parents, Athletes, Coaches, and Administrators.

2. Prohibited Activities

You must not use the Platform to:

2.1 Safeguarding Violations

✗Send inappropriate, sexual, or suggestive content to minors

✗Request personal contact information (phone numbers, addresses, social media) from athletes

✗Attempt to arrange private meetings outside of official coaching sessions

✗Share, request, or possess inappropriate images or videos of minors

✗Engage in grooming behavior or any form of child exploitation

✗Bully, harass, intimidate, or threaten any user, especially children

✗Make discriminatory comments based on race, religion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation

✗Encourage self-harm, dangerous behavior, or illegal activities

2.2 Messaging System Misuse

✗Send spam, advertisements, or unsolicited commercial messages

✗Share malicious links, viruses, or malware

✗Impersonate another person or organization

✗Use profane, offensive, or abusive language

✗Share false or misleading information

✗Circumvent parental visibility controls

✗Delete or edit messages to hide misconduct (messages are immutable for safeguarding)

✗Use the messaging system for purposes unrelated to coaching

2.3 Account and Security Violations

✗Share your login credentials with others

✗Access another person's account without permission

✗Create multiple accounts or fake accounts

✗Provide false information during registration

✗Register on behalf of a child without proper parental authority

✗Attempt to bypass security measures or authentication

✗Exploit vulnerabilities in the Platform

2.4 Inappropriate Content

✗Upload pornographic, sexually explicit, or indecent content

✗Share violent, graphic, or disturbing images or videos

✗Post hate speech, extremist content, or content promoting terrorism

✗Upload content that infringes copyright, trademarks, or intellectual property

✗Share personal information of others without consent

✗Upload viruses, malware, or files designed to harm systems

2.5 Technical and System Abuse

✗Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform

✗Interfere with or disrupt the Platform or servers

✗Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) without permission

✗Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Platform

✗Attempt to overwhelm the system (denial-of-service attacks)

✗Access or attempt to access restricted areas or data

2.6 Illegal Activities

✗Use the Platform for any illegal purpose

✗Facilitate or encourage criminal activity

✗Violate any applicable laws or regulations

✗Breach court orders or legal obligations

3. Expected Behavior

All users should:

✓Treat everyone with respect and dignity

✓Communicate professionally and appropriately

✓Use the Platform only for coaching-related purposes

✓Report concerns or suspicious behavior immediately

✓Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information

✓Respect photography and media consent preferences

✓Follow all Codes of Conduct

✓Be honest and truthful in all communications

✓Respect intellectual property rights

✓Cooperate with safeguarding investigations

✓Keep account information accurate and up to date

✓Use secure passwords and enable MFA

4. Monitoring and Enforcement

4.1 Content Moderation

We employ the following safeguarding measures:

• Keyword monitoring: Automated flagging of concerning language in messages
• Image moderation: AWS Rekognition scans uploaded images for inappropriate content
• Virus scanning: All file uploads are scanned for malware
• User reporting: Message flagging system for users to report concerns
• Parental visibility: Parents can request access to their child's conversations
• Immutable messages: Messages cannot be edited or deleted to preserve evidence

4.2 Investigation and Review

We reserve the right to investigate any suspected violation of this policy. This may include reviewing messages, files, and account activity. We will cooperate with law enforcement and relevant authorities when required.

4.3 Privacy and Safeguarding Balance

While we respect your privacy, safeguarding children takes priority. In cases where we identify safeguarding concerns, we may access and review your communications and report them to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and relevant authorities.

5. Consequences of Violation

Violations of this Acceptable Use Policy may result in one or more of the following actions:

Minor Violations

• Warning and education
• Temporary account restriction
• Removal of specific content
• Mandatory policy review

Moderate Violations

• Temporary account suspension
• Messaging restrictions
• Parental notification (for athletes)
• Formal written warning

Serious Violations

• Immediate account termination
• Permanent ban from the Platform
• Reporting to Designated Safeguarding Lead
• Removal from coaching program

Criminal Violations

• Reporting to police
• Reporting to local authority (LADO)
• Cooperation with investigations
• Legal action if appropriate

Important: Account termination does not exempt you from legal consequences. Safeguarding violations, child exploitation, and other criminal activities will always be reported to the appropriate authorities, regardless of whether your account is terminated.

6. Reporting Violations

How to Report Concerns

If you witness or experience behavior that violates this policy, please report it immediately:

Safeguarding Concerns

Email: safeguarding@awasportscoaching.com

Emergency: Call 999

General Policy Violations

Email: admin@awasportscoaching.com

Use the message flagging feature within the Platform

All reports are treated seriously and confidentially. You will not face retaliation for making a good faith report, even if it turns out to be unfounded.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy to reflect changes in the Platform, legal requirements, or emerging safeguarding concerns. Material changes will be communicated via email and platform notifications.

Your continued use of the Platform after policy updates constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Acceptable Use Policy

Zero Tolerance for Safeguarding Violations