1. Forming a Committee

The foundation of any new Area is its committee. You need three people to start, with the following key roles: Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary. Additionally, appointing a Children’s Officer is mandatory (this role can be combined with one of the other positions) as is a Company Member.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • Chairperson: Leads the committee, oversees meetings, and ensures the Area operates smoothly. They represent the Area at County-level meetings.
  • Treasurer: Manages finances, keeps accurate records of income and expenditure, and ensures compliance with financial regulations.
  • Secretary: Handles communication and administration, including meeting minutes and correspondence with County officials.
  • Children’s Officer: Ensures child safeguarding policies are implemented and acts as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns.

Each committee member will receive an official email address (via Gmail) to facilitate communication. These email addresses must be checked regularly as you will be receiving regular emails from Head Office, County, general public etc.

Training for Committee Members

Some training is provided free of charge in the first year. This includes safeguarding training, coaching courses, and more. Access training resources here: Training Courses.  

There are many more roles available at a Committee Level – at Area, County, Province and National – to find our more. Please visit this page to find out more:

2. Affiliation Process

To operate officially as part of Cairn Community Games, your Area must affiliate with your County. Follow these steps:

  1. Boundary Setting
    Consult your County Secretary to define your Area’s boundaries. This ensures clarity for participants and organisers. Find your County details at County List. For example:
  1. Register Your Area
    Use the Online Registration System (ORS) to affiliate your Area. The first year of affiliation is free. Visit ORS Portal.
  2. Annual General Meeting (AGM)
    Hold an AGM annually to review activities, elect committee members, and plan for the upcoming year.

3. Children First – Safeguarding Requirements

Safeguarding children is paramount in Cairn Community Games activities:

Key Steps:

  1. Complete a Risk Assessment and Child Safeguarding Statement every 3 years using pre-populated templates available on the Safeguarding Page.
  2. Display this statement prominently at events or online.
  3. Ensure all volunteers (no matter their role) are Garda vetted before engaging with children.

4. Adhering to Policies

Adherence to our policies is essential for ensuring safety, inclusivity, fairness, and ethical governance across all Areas. We follow Sport Ireland’s Governance Code for Sport and the Charities Regulator Governance Code to ensure ethical governance practices across all committees and boards. This includes principles such as integrity, transparency, accountability, and effective leadership.

Some of our main policies include:

Child Protection Policy

Every Area must adhere to Children First guidelines by completing a risk assessment and preparing a Child Safeguarding Statement. These documents must be signed by the Chairperson and Children’s Officer.
Visit: Safeguarding Page.

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct Form outlines expected behaviour for participants, volunteers, parents/guardians, coaches, officials, and committee members. All members must sign this document before participating in any activity or event.
Visi and sign our Code of Conduct Page.

Equality & Inclusion Policy

Promote equality by ensuring every child has access to participate regardless of background or ability. Cairn Community Games is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all children feel valued.

GDPR Compliance

Comply with data protection regulations by:

  • Obtaining consent forms for all children participating in events.
  • Securely storing personal data and using it only for its intended purpose.
    Visit: GDPR Page.

5. Volunteer Recruitment

Volunteers are essential for running events successfully. To recruit volunteers:

  • Encourage parents, teachers, coaches and community members to get involved.
  • Provide induction opportunities at the Area level.  You can ask your county for support to organise a Development or Information evening.
  • Ensure all volunteers complete Garda Vetting before participating in activities. Learn more about Garda vetting at Safeguarding Page.

6. Organising Events

Once affiliated, you can begin organising events for your Area:

  1. Set Dates
    Coordinate with your County Secretary to align event dates and deadlines with national schedules. Check the calendar at Community Games Calendar.
  2. Insurance Requirements
    Ensure insurance coverage by confirming affiliation on the ORS before commencing any Event.  If you are not sure if your event is covered please seek additional information here
  3. Event Rules & Guidelines
    Review updated rules for each activity on our Event Pages. For detailed guidance on planning events, visit Event Guidebooks.
  4. Event Risk Assessment
    Complete a risk assessment before any event to ensure safety for all participants.  You can fill in our easy to use form on our website.  

7. Fundraising & Financial Management

Fundraising is a vital part of sustaining your Area’s activities while fostering community engagement and ensuring financial stability.

Fundraising Strategies

  1. Local Initiatives
    Organise community-based fundraising events such as raffles, sponsorships, coffee mornings, or quiz nights. These activities are excellent for raising funds while strengthening community ties.
  2. Bag Packing
    Partner with local supermarkets to organise bag-packing days. This is a popular and effective way to raise funds while engaging with the wider community.
  3. Church Gate Collections
    Seek permission to hold church gate collections in your locality. These collections can generate significant support from local parishioners.
  4. Councillor Discretionary Funds
    Reach out to local councillors for discretionary funding. Councillors often have access to funds specifically allocated for community projects and initiatives that benefit local residents. Learn more about discretionary funding mechanisms through your local council.
  5. Nominal Fees
    Consider charging a small fee for participation (e.g., €2 per child per activity). This helps cover costs while ensuring accessibility for families.
  6. Support from Local Businesses
    Approach local businesses for sponsorship or donations in exchange for advertising opportunities at your events.
  7. ‍Find Your Local Sports Partnership (LSP)
    Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) can provide guidance, support, and sometimes funding opportunities for your Area’s activities.‍

Setting Up a Bank Account

To ensure transparent financial management:

  • Open a dedicated bank account specifically for your Area.
  • Ensure multiple signatories (e.g., Treasurer, Chairperson) are included on the account.
  • Provide proof of ID/address for signatories and submit relevant documentation (e.g., constitution or club documents) to the bank.
  • Regularly deposit funds raised through events, sponsorships, or fees into the account.

Read the Fundraising Policy

It is essential to adhere to our fundraising guidelines to ensure ethical practices and compliance with organisational standards. The policy provides detailed instructions on acceptable fundraising methods and accountability measures.
Visit: Fundraising Policy.

8. Promoting Your Area

By using a variety of communication tools and outreach strategies, you can ensure your Area thrives and reaches as many children and families as possible.

1. Engaging Schools

Schools are one of the most effective channels for promoting your Area’s activities:

  • Distribute Flyers or Posters: Share promotional materials with local schools to display on noticeboards or distribute to students.
  • Presentations: Offer to deliver short presentations at school assemblies to explain the benefits of participating in the games
  • Teacher Collaboration: Work with teachers to identify children who might benefit from participating in sports, arts, or cultural events.
  • PE Classes: Partner with schools to introduce activities during PE classes or extracurricular programmes.

2. Using WhatsApp Groups

WhatsApp is an excellent tool for quick and direct communication:

  • Create Dedicated Groups: Set up WhatsApp groups for parents, volunteers, and committee members to share updates about events, meetings and deadlines.
  • Broadcast Lists: Use broadcast lists for one-way communication when you need to send announcements without group discussions.
  • Event Reminders: Send reminders about upcoming events, registration deadlines, or training sessions.

3. Leveraging Social Media

Social media platforms can significantly increase your reach:

  • Facebook Pages: Create a Facebook page for your Area to share event details, photos, and updates.
  • Instagram Posts & Stories: Use Instagram to showcase the fun and inclusive nature of Cairn Community Games through engaging visuals.
  • Community Groups: Share posts in local community groups on Facebook to reach families in your area.
  • Canva Pro Templates: Use Canva Pro accounts provided by Head Office free of charge to design professional-looking posters, posts and banners.

4. Local Media Outreach

Reach out to local newspapers, radio stations, or online community forums:

  • Press Releases: Write press releases about upcoming events or achievements within your Area.
  • Radio Interviews: Arrange interviews with local radio stations to promote your Area’s activities and encourage participation.

5. Word-of-Mouth

Encourage parents and volunteers to spread the word about your Area:

  • Share their positive experiences with friends and neighbours.
  • Invite families to attend events as spectators or participants.

6. Access PR Training Tools

To enhance your promotional efforts:

  • Take advantage of PR training tools available on the Volunteer Training Page. These resources provide guidance on effective communication strategies, branding, and outreach techniques.

9. Inclusivity

We are proud to prioritise diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of our organisation. As a recipient of the Investors in Diversity Silver Accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity, we are committed to creating an environment where every child, volunteer, and participant feels valued and respected. This achievement builds on our previous Bronze accreditation and reflects our ongoing efforts to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) at every level of the organisation.

How Your Area Can Commit to EDI

To ensure your Area aligns with our commitment to EDI, follow these steps:

  1. Welcome Every Child
    Ensure every child feels welcome regardless of their background, ability, or circumstances. This includes adapting activities to accommodate children with disabilities or additional needs.
  2. Promote Equality and Diversity
    Actively promote equality and diversity in all activities. This can be achieved by:
    • Including diverse cultural elements in events (e.g., through the Culture Corner category).
    • Encouraging participation from underrepresented groups.
  1. Collaborate with Schools and Communities
    Work closely with schools to raise awareness about Cairn Community Games and encourage participation from children of all backgrounds. Distribute flyers, host presentations, or partner with teachers to identify children who might benefit from joining.
  2. Use Communication Tools
    Share updates quickly using WhatsApp groups or other messaging platforms to reach families effectively. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can also be used to showcase inclusivity through event photos and stories.
  3. Read Our EDI Policy
    Familiarise yourself with Cairn Community Games’ EDI Policy to understand best practices for promoting inclusivity. Visit our Policy Webpage for more details.
  4. Training Opportunities for Inclusivity

We regularly provide training opportunities to help volunteers and organisers create inclusive environments. Visit our Training page to find out more.

10. Training Opportunities

We offer training opportunities for volunteers regularly and some of these are free of charge during their first year:

  • Safeguarding Levels 1, 2 & 3
  • Coaching Children courses
  • Coaching Teenage Girls in Sport
  • Physical Literacy
  • Autism Awareness
  • LGBTQ+ courses
  • DEI courses

Visit our Volunteer Training Page for upcoming courses and some click and go courses.  

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