Club Support Toolkit

In order to support our clubs, Scottish Rowing have created the Club Support Toolkit (CST). The CST has been created to:

• Expand and retain knowledge and skills within clubs;
• Maximise time efficiency within clubs;
• Minimise risk for all members within clubs;
• Enhance experiences for all members within clubs.

The CST is a holistic support network for clubs. This support network aims to identify as many of the factors required to run and manage a rowing club and provide valuable, easy to use and free resources to clubs to help with these areas. In order to create and source the resources, we have defined a rowing club as people performing activity in a place. We have then identified several areas within each pillar of a rowing club:

We have created this toolkit to support clubs.  This suite of resources will expand as the rowing landscapes evolves. The toolkit includes information, guidance, "how to" guides, templates, links to additional resources and Scottish Rowing staff time and expertise.

Please click here to find the list of resources currently available.

Who are your people?

• Committee – Committees manage and delegate club operations and activity. You should ensure that committee members understand their role and are able to complete their objectives while in post.
• Volunteers – It is vital that clubs recruit and retain volunteers to assist with the many tasks required to assist with the running of a club.
• Coaches – Coaches are essential to ensure training and racing opportunities are safe, fun, planned and meeting your member’s needs.

What are your activities?

• Governance – Your club should have the appropriate structure and legal status to deliver the vision for the club and to keep members safe. The committee should be aware of the standards it should operate to and its role in managing the club operations and activity through policies, procedures and practices.
• Club operations – Club operations are the day to day elements of running a club; ensuring the right people are involved, meeting the needs of your members and welcoming new members effectively.
• Financial management – In order to provide security to your current and future activities, your club needs to have appropriate financial procedures in place.
• Planning & sustainability – Planning & sustainability can help to grow capacity of your club through business and development planning.

Where are your places?

• Facilities & equipment – Appropriate and safe facilities and equipment are vital to ensure that your members needs are catered for and opportunities are provided for current and future members.
• Marketing & communications – The effective promotion of your club can help your club sustain and grow membership and attract investment.

How to use the CST

All the resources within the CST are free to any Scottish Rowing Club. To request a specific resource, simply contact our Development Manager, Mark Senter at mark.senter@scottish-rowing.org.uk .

The CST has been designed to allow clubs to follow their own individual journey. It is hoped that clubs will adapt how they make use of it to suit their needs. The Club Assessment Tool has been created by Scottish Rowing to guide and direct your clubs development. This tool can be completed in collaboration with your RDM or by yourself. It asks several questions related to the various sections of the CST. By providing accurate answers to the questions, the tool will help clubs identify where you are performing well and where you can look to improve. It can help your club prioritise areas to focus on and signpost towards the relevant resource within the CST. This resource is free to all Scottish Rowing Clubs and is available upon request.

Scottish Rowing have also created the Club Assessment Priority Exercise. This tool can be completed in collaboration with Scottish Rowing or by yourself. This exercise suggests multiple measures of success within a rowing club and asks users to rank these in order of importance. This exercise can help clubs identify the areas, goals and characteristics of success that they most identify with, which can assist with strategic planning. This resource is free to all Scottish Rowing Clubs and is available upon request. The CST has been created for all Scottish Rowing clubs and as such we always appreciate feedback on it. If there is a resource that is not currently available and you feel would help support your club’s development, then please get in touch:

Mark Senter  (Development Manager) mark.senter@scottish-rowing.org.uk