Creating diverse committees

Lots of young cyclists prepare to race off

Why inclusivity is important

Inequalities persist in all aspects of sport and physical activity. If all members of your committees share similar characteristics, they're more likely to have common viewpoints and experiences.

As a result, they might have less awareness of the challenges and barriers that others face.

Having people in positions of responsibility who represent different groups within your local community can help create a welcoming environment. 

This can lead to better decision making, with a focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion.

It can also promote growth and good community relationships.

Benefits of inclusive committees

Involving a range of people on your committee can have a number of benefits.

This includes complying with ‘A Code for Sports Governance’, which is necessary if you want to apply for funding from Sport England or UK Sport.

This is because:

It encourages diversity of thought and helps people to challenge each other in a supportive way.
It enables open debate, helping you to make more informed decisions and reach better solutions.
It helps organisations to act confidently on inclusion and demonstrate this to stakeholders (including funders).
It will help you to develop in ways that are attractive to local people, as you'll understand their needs and priorities.
Diverse committees will show that your organisation champions inclusion.

Top tips for inclusivity

Make a commitment to positive change

Your existing committees should act as the catalyst for change and be open to inclusive ways of working.

If your committee members are resistant, achieving positive change will be more difficult.

Look for any gaps

Look at the make-up of your existing committees and consider if they are representative of your membership, volunteers and local community.

Consider carrying out an audit to see if any groups are under-represented.

Once you have identified any gaps, address them with an action plan.

Review how your committees operate

Consider whether your committees support the needs of the groups you want to attract. 

Being open and listening to different views will help to create an environment where participants are comfortable speaking up without feeling judged.

Work to address any barriers that might stop some people from being involved. For example, can you be flexible in the time or location of your meetings? Or pay any expenses like travel and childcare? Or host meetings virtually?

Consider if your principles match your policies

Review your organisation’s policies and procedures to ensure they are clear about your commitment to equality, inclusion and diversity.

National governing bodies and Active Partnerships have produced polices outlining their commitment.

Examples include:
- UK Athletics Diversity Action Plan.
- RFU Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.
- Kent Sports Equality Action Plan.

Look at their key principles when you're reviewing your policies and procedures.

Identify how to promote opportunities

Look at where you advertise any vacant roles and consider if this will reach your intended audience.

You may need to go beyond your traditional recruitment channels. Get advice from local organisations that already engage with the group(s) you’d like to recruit.

Look at how you recruit and fill committee roles

Consider developing selection criteria that take account of traditional skills, but bring in diverse perspectives, experiences and views.

Create clear role descriptions outlining key roles and responsibilities for any vacant positions.

This will help potential recruits decide if it is something they can commit to.

Role descriptions should be written in a way which encourages a wide pool of applicants. Think about the language you use, the tone of your communications and any imagery.

Provide inductions

Consider providing an induction to all new committee members.

This could include assigning mentors and running induction sessions to help new members of your committee settle in and feel part of your organisation.

Look at how long people serve on committees

Consider the length of time you ask people to serve on a committee and your rules regarding re-election. Limiting both can encourage new blood.

Where possible, try to create a pipeline of new committee members through your succession planning activities.