We have a variety of Volunteer Training Courses available including Safeguarding, Reasonable Adjustment, Branch Officials Training (BOT), New DC Training, Risk Assessments and the new series of Webinar Wednesdays!
The Pony Club recognises three levels of training:
1) Safeguarding for Equestrians – Initial Training, Tutor Lead (delivered face to face virtually)
2) Equestrian Advanced Safeguarding – Refresher Course, Self-Guided
3) Club Safeguarding Officer – For Area and Branch or Centre Safeguarding Officers, Tutor Lead (delivered face to face virtually)
The first approved safeguarding workshop attended must be face to face or virtual. This may be followed three years later by the online refresher course. However, as a minimum, individuals should attend a face to face/virtual course every six years.
All individuals who carry out a role in regulated activity/work must attend an approved safeguarding workshop. The only exception to this rule is for:
It is strongly recommended that any other persons carrying out regulated activity/work on an overnight basis at residential camps should also attend an approved safeguarding workshop.
For those residing in Scotland only, please be aware you need to complete Module One from Sports Scotland prior to attending this course. Please ensure you register for a course at least 20 days before taking the virtual course to enable us to set up the registration with Sports Scotland.
An individual who has attended a safeguarding workshop externally delivered can apply for their learning to be taken into consideration as an alternative to attending the Pony Club offering.
Please see the following options.
The Pony Club also has a list of pre-approved courses that can be attended in place of the BEF Safeguarding for Equestrians course. These do not need approval.
The pre-approved courses include:
* Please provide a copy of certification to support processing on to PELHAM
For those courses not listed on the pre-approved list, the APL procedure should be followed.
The APL form can be downloaded below and should be submitted along with a copy of the certificate of attendance and course content details (e.g. learning outcomes and/or copy of presentation/handout). The procedure is detailed within the form.
To be shared with safeguarding@pcuk.org
Branch Officials Training, also referred to as BOT, is a self-guided training package designed to support DCs and Branch Officials with their roles.
Through BOT training, you will gain an understanding about:
The training is mandatory for all new DCs, and must be completed before being ratified, and is open for all Branch Officials and Committee Members to attend if they wish. BOT must be repeated every six years.
The training day is designed with New DC’s in mind, building on and furthering their understanding and knowledge that has been achieved in the Branch Officials Training Course.
The day will comprise of a series of presentations from senior officials and specialist Development Officers, focusing on the fundamentals of running a Branch and will including topics such as Safeguarding, Governance, Health and Safety and marketing.
Learning Outcomes
Through this training, you will gain an understanding about:
• Your role and responsibilities
• How Branches should run in accordance with The Pony Club and charity rules
• Fundamentals of compliance, including safeguarding and safety
• The IT systems available to support with your membership
This is a great opportunity to meet other DC’s, learn and share ideas and ask questions.
The Pony Club provides training to support those carrying out Risk Assessments for activities, this training is open to all- Members, coaches, volunteers and officials.
The training runs through the basics of carrying out a Risk Assessment such as identifying a Hazard and measures which could be put in place to support a safe event. These are run online via zoom and are bookable through the link below.
This training is ideal for all volunteers, especially committee members and event organisers. Whether you’re a parent volunteer running small rallies or organizing large area competitions, this training is essential!
At The Pony Club, we are committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all members, parents, volunteers, officials and stakeholders irrespective of age, gender reassignment, disability, race or ethnicity.
The Pony Club endorses the principle of sports equality and strives to ensure that everyone who wishes to be involved in Pony Club Sport and Activities, whether as participants, team members, spectators, volunteers, coaches or staff:
Further information and links to document templates can be found in the Resource Hub.
The Pony Club is excited to announce the launch of Webinar Wednesdays, a new monthly training initiative designed to support our dedicated volunteers and officials. Held on the third Wednesday of each month, these informative webinars will be hosted on Microsoft Teams at 7pm.
Each session is free and will be led by team members and volunteers with extensive experience in the related field. The webinars will cover a range of topics relevant to our volunteers, providing valuable insights and practical advice.
Webinar Details:
Participants are encouraged to submit their questions in advance through Entry Master during sign-up or via the Teams Q&A chat during the session. If any questions remain unanswered by the end of the webinar, they will be addressed in a follow-up communication.
To ensure accessibility and convenience, all sessions will be recorded. Although participants will be off camera and muted, the chat feature will remain available for questions. The recorded webinars will be uploaded to The Pony Club’s YouTube channel a few days after the live session, allowing those who could not attend to catch up.
Please note, there will be no sessions in August due to The Pony Club Championship commitments. Additionally, December’s session will take place on the first Wednesday of the month to accommodate holiday schedules.
We look forward to your participation in Webinar Wednesdays and to continuing to improve our training for the benefit of our members.
See below for 2024 session dates and subjects.
Sessions for 2024:
19th June 2024 – Top Tips for a successful Pony Club Camp
17th July 2024 – How to grow your branch membership
18th September 2024 – Governance Structure & Processes
16th October 2024 – YELA: Inspiring Leaders of the Future
20th November 2024 – Calendar Planning for 2025
Earlier session – 4th December 2024 – Finance: Branch Returns
Sessions for 2025:
15th January 2025 – Membership
19th February 2025 – How to use PELHAM