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East Midlands Orienteering Association

Aims & Development Plan

January 1999

The aims of the Association shall be to further the development of and the participation in orienteering within the East Midlands as defined by the British Orienteering Federation, to represent the interests of Orienteers based within that area on representative bodies and to support their activities within the sport. To achieve this the Association will act as a catalyst for the development of the sport by supporting existing and potential clubs: universities, school and youth groups, e.g the provision at mapping grants and the coordination of funding requests to outside bodies.


The Association should utilise the available development funds to promote participation in orienteering throughout the region, especially in those areas where it does not occur at present and amongst those disadvantaged and otherwise under-represented parts of society.

The Association will work to this development plan to further these aims and it shall be the responsibility of a nominated member of the Executive Committee to keep the development plan under regular review.

The Association will seek regular feedback from the clubs and regional officials to facilitate the review of progress towards these aims and the plan itself should be reviewed at least every second year.

The EMOA is to coordinate the activities of clubs within the region, in particular the scheduling of fixtures. It will endeavor to maintain and improve standards within the sport by means of a regional coaching programme and training programmes for mappers and event officials, and by supporting an East Midlands Junior Squad.

It is important that, where appropriate, specific deadlines are set and adhered to if the Association is to achieve these objectives and, as such, the development plan must be a working document. Such matters as are relevant will be included in the agenda of the appropriate Committee meetings for discussion by the elected Officers and the club representatives.

There are seven distinct areas that need to be systematically developed:-
  • Publicity, promotion and information
  • Members' orienteering skills by coaching, instruction and training
  • The organisational and technical skills of volunteer officials
  • The promotion of a coordinated programme of interesting and diverse events
  • Access and the environment
  • Encouragement and support for participation in the sport at all levels
  • The efficient administration of the Association

1. Publicity, promotion and information
Communications and publicity
The Association should support the activities of BOF nationally, appointing delegates to attend BOF Councils and Committees as appropriate.

Clubs have had only initial success getting outside publicity for the sport and EMOA will guide and assist them where required, particularly in the promotion and organisation of major events.

EMOA external communications should work to publicise the correct image of the sport to other regional bodies and other interested parties. This should include advising land-owners, of both large and not so large areas of suitable land within the region, of the nature of orienteering and the role of the EMOA and the clubs.

In order to increase awareness of the sport and the responsible attitudes of the participants dialogues should be maintained regionally with:-
  • Various institutional land owners e.g. Forest Enterprise, The Woodland Trust and The National Forest Company;
  • Local authorities, the Sports Council and any organisations promoting sport generally;
  • Other users or the areas e.g. shooting and angling clubs, golf clubs, ramblers etc.

The Officers of EMOA and the regional club membership in general should aim to take every opportunity to provide details of club membership to encourage involvement in the sport.

Appointment of officials and access permissions for events must be concluded sufficiently early for all events to be registered by the EMOA Fixtures Secretary in good time to ensure maximum publicity within the sport both regionally and nationally.

Communications with the clubs in the Association must be maintained within an appropriate time scale, including requests for feedback concerning items raised by the various BOF Committees, These communications, in whatever form, should aim to include all available guidance on technical matters e.g current land access developments environmental issues, mapping, and any other suitable guidelines relating to the promotion and organisation of orienteering events, including planning and controlling.

EMOA should endeavour to produce a regular newsletter issued directly to the members providing information on activities within and current issues affecting the region and the sport in general.

Support for university, school and other closed groups or clubs.

EMOA should support and promote orienteering to appropriate groups interested in participating in the sport and at the same time publicising the rote of the EMOA.

Contact with all universities and colleges should be made in the Autumn at the start of each university year offering support, guidance and encouraging participation.

Every opportunity should be taken to promote the sport to the Scout and Guide movements, other youth groups and other athletics clubs,

Support should be provided to other closed clubs e.g. the police, the armed forces, etc.

EMOA should encourage provision of support and guidance to schools both within and outside the national curriculum including, as funds permit, assistance in the production of school maps and should also provide a regional schools league programme.

Support for recreational orienteering

EMOA should itself take every opportunity and should also encourage constituent clubs to develop permanent orienteering courses. Local authority parks departments and country park authorities etc should be assisted in the design of courses and the production of suitable maps.

The Association should monitor permanent orienteering courses in the region and encourage the clubs to help to maintain them.

Every opportunity should be taken to publicise the existence of Permanent Orienteering Courses. Tourist Information Centres, libraries, schools, colleges universities and other appropriate organisations should be kept advised and club events and event results should also be used.

2. Development of individual orienteering skills by coaching, instruction and training
The principal aim of the EMOA should be to appoint a Regional Coaching Co-ordinator who should:-
  • Coordinate activities on National Coaching Day
  • Encourage clubs to give instruction to new participants and to provide ongoing coaching, i.e. shadowing and de-briefing
  • Stage an annual Coaching Day within the region aimed at all levels of ability
  • Appoint a Regional Junior Squad Coordinator to organise a coaching programme for them


3 Development of the organisational and technical skills of volunteer officials
Planners and Controllers:-
The Regional Technical Officer, with the assistance of experienced controllers from within the membership, should aim to arrange training for prospective planners, and controllers, preferably each year: and should ensure regular seminars are held to encourage the consistency and efficiency of controlling within the region.

The Association should ratify the appointment of Grade 3 controllers and maintain a record of qualified controllers within the region.

The Association should oversee the appointment of controllers for all C2 and C3 events held within the region.

Mappers:-
The EMOA Mapping Adviser should aim to develop skills within the membership both in surveying and the computer drawing of maps. Whilst clubs obviously need to employ professional mappers from time to time it is important to maintain and develop a skill base within the regional membership. With this in mind EMOA and its constituent clubs should seek out new potential areas, no matter how small, and encourage members to practise their skills to produce maps. Small pockets of land, often including some streets and roads, together with small woods and country parks, both in and adjoining urban areas are usually suitable for this purpose.

The aim should be for regional training courses in mapping to be organised regularly and preferably each year.

Coaches:-
Utilising the facilities and assistance available from BOF, the Regional Coaching Co-ordinator should aim to provide assistance in the following areas:-
  • To encourage and support individuals to gain BOF Coaching qualifications
  • To maintain a record of qualified coaches within the region
  • To encourage coaches and instructors to put their skills into practice
  • To regularly update coaching skills through in-service training
  • To keep abreast of and to publicise coaching developments within the sport
  • To stage an annual seminar for coaches within the region


Organisers:-
The Association should promote, with the clubs, the participation or members in this element of the sport by encouraging them to assist more experienced organisers with their club's events.

The Association should also provide on-going training as required in line with BOF recommendations.

4. The promotion of a co-ordinated programme of interesting and diverse events
The aims of the EMOA should be:-
  • The co-ordination of any BOF events within the region
  • To operate a Galoppen scheme for the region
  • To co-ordinate a short N5 night league comprising of at least three events
  • To coordinate activities of clubs in staging 'Try Orienteering' events
  • To encourage each club to incorporate a Trail-O into its programme at least once a year preferably on terrain which is suitable for disabled participation
  • To encourage clubs to promote C5 summer league and/or informal training events with where practical, an element of coaching
  • To encourage clubs within the region to provide each year at least three events of C3 status or higher, one of which shall be nominated to be the East Midlands Championships

To encourage the clubs within the Association to stage a further thirty C4 events each year

Potential participants with learning difficulties should be encouraged to take part on string or suitable Colour Coded courses and the Association should encourage clubs to develop relationships with special needs agencies and to bear in mind their requirements when planning events.

5. Access and the Environment
In maintaining regular contact with various institutional land owners, e.g. Local Authorities, Forest Enterprise, The Woodland Trust and The National Forest Company, it is essential for regional officials and club representatives to try to search out new areas. Access to land is one of the prime requirements of orienteering and with some natural wastage as land use changes, a regular supply of new areas is needed if the sport is to stay healthy and viable.

The Association should continue to support reclamation projects which could eventually be a source of new venues but there are still many areas within the region where access is denied. In these cases, EMOA should identity individual members with the appropriate skills and experience who will be able to satisfy land-owners' concerns and environmental considerations and who can be volunteered to assist with difficult negotiations should clubs wish them to do so if circumstances so arise.
v The Association should also act as a conduit to the Regional Sports Council to enable clubs to utilise their assistance in these matters.

The principal Officers of EMOA should work to raise the awareness of landowners and conservationists of the low environmental impact of orienteering as an organised recreational sport.

6. Encouragement and support for participation in the sport at all levels
The participation of the EMOA membership in regional and national events is to be promoted. The EMOA must encourage such participation by helping bring events to the notice of members and, where practical, helping to arrange or coordinate transport, etc.

EMOA should continue with the current policy of making available via grants some financial support for members of the region selected to attend BOF tours and events.

7. The efficient administration of the Association
The objective of the Association should be to be effectively administered by an annually elected Executive Committee and to be governed by a formal Constitution.

Levies will be raised that are sufficient to provide the finances needed to re-imburse the Officers and to fulfill the necessary functions which will include financial support for a Junior Squad. A budget should be set at the Annual General Meeting each year for the development of the sport within the region with the funds being transferred to the development fund unless sufficient monies are already available in the fund.
The principal Officers will be elected at the Annual General Meeting and clubs will nominate delegates to the Executive Committee. At the first Committee meeting after the AGM the Committee should decide on the functions necessary to support the aims of the Association and to ensure that the affairs of the Association are run efficiently and competently and to find members to fulfill the roles as designated.