The UOP Sport Charter

At UOP Sport we look after a number of sports facilities across a number of services and physical activity programmes for the University of Portsmouth. We want to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy. We want our customers to share our vision and aim to foster respect for the spaces we use promoting safety and building strong connections within our community to ensure everyone has a positive experience while using our facilities. We are launching a UOP Charter to make it clear on the behaviours we expect and that you can expect of us.

What is the UOP Sport Charter?

As a university department delivering sport and physical activities, we serve a range of users, from students and staff to schools, community groups, children, and the public. We must cultivate an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.

By embracing shared values, we promote mutual respect, advocate for ourselves and others, and create a positive space for all who use our facilities.

The UOP Sport Charter details expectations relating to the behaviours and attitudes of users taking part in any activity at any UOP Sport facility. The UOP Sport Charter includes all users to adhere to, regardless of membership or booking level, category, or status. If you’re taking part in an activity with us the UOP Sport Charter relates to you.

We wanted to clearly outline the practices, behaviours, and attitudes that we expect all users to follow. It is important to us that everyone understand the behaviour standards while using our facilities to promote accountability and build a community where respectful behaviour is demonstrated by all.

1. Be Safe

Being Safe means demonstrating care towards ourselves, other users, Sport and Recreation staff and anyone else we engage with whilst using UOP Sport facilities. Staff within Sport and Recreation have a duty of care for all users, which means that staff are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of everyone who uses our facilities.

UOP Sport users can be safe by:

Ensuring compliance with relevant rules and regulations, staff guidance and terms and conditions at all times.
Undertake activity that is appropriate to our ability, abiding by staff guidance and regulations to ensure we don’t endanger ourselves or others.
Follow safeguarding procedures to ensure young people (under 16 years) are supervised by an adult at all times. For Ravelin Sports Centre activities: Juniors aged 11 to 13 must be accompanied by a responsible person aged 18 or over. Juniors aged 14+ can attend on their own with parental consent.
Understand that only suitably qualified Sport and Recreation staff and student workforce are permitted to undertake instruction or coaching of activities within Ravelin Sports Centre.

Examples of safe practices include:

Adhering to the signage and staff instructions relating to safe practices and activity rules during our time in the facility.
Working with staff who are responsible for managing safe activity, including undertaking swim tests and safety inductions when requested.
Supervision of young people in our care.
Ensuring our phones are not used in designated no-phone areas; changing rooms cubicles/swim pool viewing areas

2. Be Person-Centred

A person-centred environment puts our users and staff at the centre of our community and provides connection and a non-judgemental culture within our community.

UOP Sport users can be person-centred by:

Treating others with the respect we expect to receive, being courteous and considerate of personal space.
Being friendly and approachable, encouraging connection between other users, and staff, to create a community environment where differences are respected and embraced, as an opportunity to learn and develop from each other.
Communicating our needs to each other in a positive and effective way.

Examples of being person-centred include:

Being an active bystander - raising concerns of negative behaviour to Sport and Recreation staff.
Being curious, not judgemental. If we’re unsure of someone’s intentions or communication style, ask them politely to explain.
Ensuring we fairly share the facilities and associated equipment. This includes being patient and courteous towards other users.

3. Be an Advocate

Being an advocate means being wholly inclusive and representing our diverse community to ensure our facilities are a positive environment for all using them.

UOP Sport users can advocate for themselves and others by:

Supporting each other and raising concerns to Sport and Recreation staff if we witness any form of behaviour or language that discriminates on the grounds of race, gender, disability, nationality, religious or philosophical belief, age or sexual orientation.
Have a supportive, non-judgemental outlook towards other users, acknowledging we all have different reasons for using facilities and differing goals whilst undertaking activity.
Being a positive role model by displaying respect and care towards others.

Examples of being an advocate include:

Developing a welcoming and safe community, accepting others regardless of experience or ability.
Building connections with others and sharing commonalities as community members.
Support community users by upholding the Charter framework.

4. Be Responsible

We are committed to delivering a customer-focused culture through the delivery of our activities. We value transparency, honesty and accountability.

UOP Sport users can be responsible by:

Showing accountability for our own behaviour, considering and accepting the consequences of our actions and decisions.
Abiding by activity time limits for the health, safety and wellbeing of ourselves, and others.
Consideration for all users; understanding that shouting, the use of offensive/abusive language, intimidation/threats of violence and negative behaviour are not tolerated in our community.

It’s important to note; Sport and Recreation do not tolerate any form of harassment or abuse towards our users or staff. All UOP Sport users are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful manner whilst using our facilities. Any user who acts in an intimidating, abusive, violent, or disrespectful manner may be required to leave the facility and may have their membership and ability to use UOP Sport suspended or terminated without being refunded.

Examples of being responsible include:

Ensuring we use our personal membership (not using someone else's membership), booking into sessions on the app, and arriving/leaving sessions or bookings on time.
Being respectful towards our facilities, using equipment correctly and cleaning, then returning the equipment to the correct location after use.
Wearing clothing that’s appropriate for the activity we’re undertaking.
Putting our belongings in lockers, to keep activity areas clear and keep our belongings safe.