Over the years we have formulated the Badger Best Practices to ensure we uphold our vision of promoting women in football and creating an inclusive community.

We adjust and add to these as we evolve and grow.

The Badger Basics:

  • Treat all Badgers equally.
  • Respect everyone equally, regardless of race, religion, privilege, gender, age, sexual-orientation or ability.
  • Be welcoming and inclusive of all club members at all times. Offer to help your fellow Badgers (especially new members) whenever you can. Whether it’s with the booking apps, lifts to games, game rules, skills training or just company. Invite them to social gatherings. Check in on them.
  • During games, talk directly to people in a respectful way. Be open to hearing people asking each other to play in a more gentle manner. Recognise the different abilities on the court.
  • Say sorry if you accidentally hurt someone during play, whether physically or emotionally. Accept apologies from your fellow players.
  • Remember the aim of the club and at all times try to help build a community where everyone feels included and heard.
  • No verbal or physical violence will be tolerated.

When interacting with fellow Badgers, visitors, spectators or other teams:

  • Use respectful and inclusive language
  • Be mindful of the space you are taking up physically and verbally, individually and as a group. Be inclusive in your body language and recognise the boundaries of others
  • Remember that everyone has a different background, story, identity and culture to you
  • Maintain a positive attitude towards fellow badgers, coaches, referees, other teams and visitors
  • Banter is part of football, but will not be tolerated in a manner that demeans someone on the grounds of their ability, race, sexuality, gender or other characteristics
  • As a club focused on promoting women in football, woman refers to trans, cis, intersex and non-binary individuals
  • Respect someone’s choice of pronouns
  • We are collectively responsible for holding ourselves and each other accountable with regards to any harmful behaviour. Listen to each other, be ready to apologise, make amends, learn from mistakes, be sensitive to each others’ feelings and support each other to take accountability constructively and in good faith.

We have a zero-tolerance approach to racism, sexism, classism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and all other prejudice or discrimination. Steps will be taken to address any such behaviour, should it arise. Anyone can contact the BFA Team to raise any issue. They will be taken seriously. We have an accountability procedure in place to deal with incidents in as timely, proportionate, fair and transparent a way as possible.

We are all capable of harmful words and actions. We believe that our community is made stronger by holding people to account (should they choose to engage) rather than shutting them out. At the same time, we must prioritise the safety of our members. We are mindful that accountability processes can easily impact the mental health of all involved, and require additional time and labour on top of an already demanding voluntary role.

Response Level 1

  • Lowest and most common form of intervention.
  • Useful for harm caused by low-level oppressive speech. A way to flag our Behaviour Policy and remind someone to think about their words more carefully in future.
  • Can be done in person or via email by any member of BFA
  • Be honest and clear in communicating what needs to be said but also be open to dialogue and try to be generous as they may feel embarrassed.

Response Level 2

  • For addressing more serious incidents eg. verbal abuse, low-level harassment.
  • Should be handled in person by at least two BFA committee members.
  • Make clear the behaviour is an unacceptable breach of the Behaviour Policy.
  • Ask them to take time out, reflect & stay away from the person they hurt.
  • If the person hurt says they would, in time, feel able to work towards a resolution, offer to facilitate a process for this, which might include:
    • an apology from the person who caused harm
    • evidence of engagement in understanding the harm they caused and work towards transformative, personal growth to change their behaviour

Response Level 3

  • In extreme (and very unlikely!) circumstances, the BFA committee may decide to suspend someone from the club, temporarily or permanently:
    • For a serious breach of the Behaviour Policy eg. physical, verbal or sexual violence
    • If someone refuses to be held accountable for harm they caused
    • If it is felt the safety of a fellow  member(s) is at immediate risk
  • They will be notified of the decision in writing. This will be accompanied by details of the procedure for their return, if the suspension is temporary.

Accountability processes should be as timely, objective, confidential and fair as possible.