Great interest from Aachen sports clubs

The protection of children and young people has been on the agenda of the Stadtsportbund Aachen e.V. for many years. With the entry into force of the State Child Protection Act in

In spring 2022, the development, application and review of protection concepts is required for all providers of services in accordance with the NRW Child and Youth Support Act.

Sports clubs have a special responsibility to ensure that athletes feel safe and supported at all times. In order to ensure this safety, it is essential that concepts for protection against sexualized and interpersonal boundary violations, violence and (power) abuse are developed and implemented.

Help for sports clubs with the development and implementation of a protection concept

The Stadtsportbund Aachen e.V. would like to support its member clubs in this important topic and organized together with the youth welfare office of the city of Aachen

a networking event on September 26 on the topic of "Look, educate and act! - United against sexualized violence in sport!". In addition to the member clubs of the Stadtsportbund Aachen, the specialist advice centers, the sports committee and the sports administration of the city of Aachen were invited.

There was great interest from the sports clubs. Björn Jansen, Chairman of the Stadtsportbund Aachen e.V., welcomed almost 70 club representatives to the Nadelfabrik. "We provide our sports clubs with advice and support in the development of measures for the prevention and intervention of sexualized and interpersonal violence in sport," emphasized Björn Jansen.

Horst Hütten from the Department of Children, Youth and Schools of the City of Aachen praised the necessary and good cooperation with the Stadtsportbund Aachen: "Today's joint event is another important step in the cooperation between the sports clubs and the Youth Welfare Office. We want to support organized sport with the resources available to us in order to offer children and young people a non-violent and safe place."

Sexualized violence is no longer a taboo subject in sport - the need for a protection concept

Bernd Reiners, Head of the Educational Counseling Center/Child Protection Center Aachen

introduced the topic of the evening with his keynote speech "Help-oriented child protection in sports clubs -
Recognizing, assessing and acting prudently".

The examples of danger in sports clubs in particular opened the eyes of the guests and it became clear that there are also areas and risks that need to be protected in sports clubs. A participatively developed protection concept should help to make sports clubs safe places that are also able to act when children and young people, regardless of where they have experienced sexual or interpersonal violence, find contact persons and help.

The need to develop a protection concept was recognized by the participants. Silvia Alles from the Youth Welfare Office of the City of Aachen, responsible for institutional child protection, was able to explain the structure of a protection concept and point out the various options for support services.

In addition, the information on the advisory services that the NRW State Sports Association provides to clubs free of charge each year was very helpful for the club representatives.

Nadine Frey, Managing Director of Stadtsportbund Aachen, led the subsequent panel discussion. In addition to the experts Horst Hütten and Bernd Reiners, Uta Röwekamp, Fachstelle gegen sexuelle Gewalt Städteregion

Aachen; Ümit Agirman, consultant for child protection at the NRW State Sports Association and Tanja Schweig as club representative from SV Neptun.

It was particularly exciting for the audience to take a look behind the scenes at how the club made it into the NRW State Sports Association's quality alliance, how the protection concept is practiced in the club and what stumbling blocks there were along the way.

Prevention is a joint task and networking
At the final extensive networking session with drinks and snacks, the association representatives were able to exchange ideas with each other, with the specialist advice centers of the City of Aachen and the Youth Welfare Office of the City of Aachen.

At the end of the evening, the organizers, Stadtsportbund Aachen and the Youth Welfare Office of the City of Aachen, summed up together: "Today's event has expanded and strengthened the network for child/youth protection in Aachen. A great success for everyone involved!