HARLEQUINS IDEA COMMITTEE

The Brantford Harlequins Rugby Club is delighted to announce our recent movements toward creating an even more inclusive, equitable and diverse Club. The Executive has recently put policies and procedures in place to help us support and navigate questionable situations, and to ensure members of our Rugby community always feel a sense of welcome and belonging. The Harlequins Rugby Club has adopted the policies and procedures set forth by Rugby Ontario and can be found here:
https://sportlomo-userupload.s3.amazonaws.com/uploaded/galleries/13555_uploaded/389cf3214155df8486fae218a54b11b7e9702f14.pdf (Section 3.13)

https://rugby.ca/uploads/attachments/files/RC_Harassment_and_Bullying_Policy.pdf

Maintaining a Rugby Club that supports safe and inclusive actions, language and behaviours, has led us to navigate goals for dealing with potential incidents of harm. The Club will be launching an online reporting process that will allow members of our Club community to report (anonymously or by name) any unwelcomed behaviour that may have caused another member discomfort. Upon reception of a report, our IDEA (Inclusivity Diversity Equity Anti-Racism) committee, along with the Executive, will proceed with an inquiry, with the intention of working toward restorative justice. This will allow involved parties to communicate their needs and repair any intentional and/or unintentional harm. If needed, a progressive discipline framework will be used.

As we establish our IDEA committee, we want to ensure that there is representation from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds, genders, and sexualities. Please email HarlequinsIDEA@gmail.com if you are interested in this opportunity. For those that have reached out already, we’ll be in touch within the next 2 weeks.

Our intention is that our new initiative will help us deal with potential incidents swiftly and with resolve. We sincerely hope that we have created a needed vehicle for our Rugby Community members to feel supported should an act of racism, discrimination and harassment take place. Our IDEA Committee will also act proactively by providing professional development for our Executive and Coaching staff, so that we can continue to strive toward maintaining our Club as one of safety, love and support.

To submit a confidential, online complaint of harassment, offense or racism - please see the following form, and an IDEA Committee member will action it : https://forms.gle/12A2miVqKp2vSMxN8

Rugby Values

TEAMWORK
Teamwork is essential to our sport. We welcome all new team members and include all because working as a team enriches our lives. We play selflessly: working for the team, not for ourselves alone, both on and off the field. We take pride in our team, rely on one another and understand that each player has a part to play. We speak out if our team or sport is threatened by inappropriate words or actions.

RESPECT
Mutual respect forms the basis of our sport. We hold in high esteem our sport, its values and traditions and earn the respect of others in the way we behave. We respect our match officials and accept our decisions. We respect opposition players and supporters. We value our coaches and those who run our clubs and treat clubhouses with consideration.

ENJOYMENT
Enjoyment is the reason we play and support rugby union. We encourage players to enjoy training and playing. We use our sport to adopt a healthy lifestyle and build life Skills. We safeguard our young players and help them have fun. We enjoy being part of a team and part of the rugby family.

DISCIPLINE
Strong discipline underpins our sport. We ensure that our sport is one of controlled physical endeavour and that we are honest and fair. We obey the laws of the game which ensure an inclusive and exciting global sport. We support our disciplinary system, which protects our sport and upholds its values. We observe the sport's laws and regulations and report serious breaches.

SPORTSMANSHIP
Sportsmanship is the foundation upon which rugby union is built. We uphold the rugby tradition of camaraderie with teammates and opposition. We observe fair play both on and off the pitch and are generous in victory and dignified in defeat. We play to win but not at all costs and recognise both endeavour and achievement. We ensure that the well-being and development of individual players is central to all rugby activity.