Young Shooters - what do other clubs do?

[Individual]

Excellent. My lad, aged 11, wants to shoot, and there is another chap in my club with a son of much the same age and interest. I can't imagine many youngsters being able to get to Bisley without a parent transporting them, so I doubt that there is a lot of need for the child protection malarkey (on the rebuttable assumption that the presence of a parent negates the need for child protection). Most clubs don't seem to allow under 14s.

Shugie,

I've heard that there is an active and interesting Airgun Field Target club at Bisley, with a fair few young members, could be ideal for an 11 year old to get started.

[Individual]

There is actually no age limit in law for membership of a Home Office Approved club.
Iain

I'd need to check but I think our club allows .22RF at age 12 and above, then Gallery CF from 14 up.

[IainWR]

So from what you have said so far the NRA does not insist that the child's parent or guardian is present?

Correct. We (I) require the club of which the child is a member to accept supervisory responsibility, but that does not always have to be the parent. If the "club" was the NRA itself (hasn't happened yet) I would place the responsibility for arranging supervision on the parent, but I would not absolutely require them to do it. If a parent can't use their judgement to select another responsible adult to look after their child temporarily, we are in the wrong place.

Iain

[IainWR]

I'd need to check but I think our club allows .22RF at age 12 and above, then Gallery CF from 14 up.

Most clubs are legally private members clubs, and can impose such conditions on membership as they see fit, provided they don't contravene the various Discrimination laws. Age limits are a useful tool to avoid arguments - there is a point at which most children are simply too young to cope, and another at which most children cope without problem, and a club is fully entitled to draw its own lines in that grey area as it sees fit.

[Individual]

I'd need to check but I think our club allows .22RF at age 12 and above, then Gallery CF from 14 up.

Most clubs are legally private members clubs, and can impose such conditions on membership as they see fit, provided they don't contravene the various Discrimination laws. Age limits are a useful tool to avoid arguments - there is a point at which most children are simply too young to cope, and another at which most children cope without problem, and a club is fully entitled to draw its own lines in that grey area as it sees fit.

Which is as it should be and has my full support. On the other hand if the club is quoting the 'new fangled child protection' as the reason it doesn't want juniors around....I'm less supportive. Especially if NRA affiliated.

[Individual]

So from what you have said so far the NRA does not insist that the child's parent or guardian is present?

Correct. We (I) require the club of which the child is a member to accept supervisory responsibility, but that does not always have to be the parent. If the "club" was the NRA itself (hasn't happened yet) I would place the responsibility for arranging supervision on the parent, but I would not absolutely require them to do it. If a parent can't use their judgement to select another responsible adult to look after their child temporarily, we are in the wrong place.

Iain

That's an excellent way to put it. Many Thanks.

[hitchphil]

On the other hand if the club is quoting the 'new fangled child protection' as the reason it doesn't want juniors around....I'm less supportive. Especially if NRA affiliated.

I have seen a county org state they will have no youngsters attending because of the CP requirements & have had another club refuse to let a local scout pack use their purpose build air rifle range!

To my view introducing shooters kids to shooting is not sufficient to ensure the longer term future of the sport & is almost an 'own goal'?

So I challenge further .... I think its should be a condition of NRA affiliation that a club actively seeks to introduce & support youngsters into the sport by making their facility, expertise & some time available to suitable organisations such a school, Uni, cadet corp, scout troop, guide pack, company sports assoc etc.....

What do other people do was the original question - well what we do is:

We reciprocate some membership with a Uni & share targets & they provide some marking to us & them, they fill in when we have less shooters per target than is cost effective & we lend them decent TRs for the Universities match & we ask them to coach us in some county events to get experience & we coach them in the Univ match. We invite them to shoot some club events alongside (& at a reduced cost because we try not to make profit form them on it) They bring good beer too!

We actively put members thru RCO / instructor & Coaching courses to gain the legitimacy in parents eyes to properly conduct & train / coach their precious offspring. My employer will fund that too! Neat eh.....

2 of our club are Scout skills Instructors & 1 a Cadet instructor. - by doing that you can tap into all the CP & safe operating info you need & they get some help / kit at Scout shoots.

We invite our local Scout shooting club to use the range when we cant or to use it alongside as guests using our guest days - they provide CP & welfare of the youngsters, we provide cheap ammo, rifles & targets & qualified coaching. They pay a bargain range fee that covers basic costs & get a good experience to boot. We all help clear up after.

We advertise the NRA open days in our employers & company(ies) encouraging them to attend with their families.

QED? or are there any more good ideas out there ..........

[dromia]

Regarding children and vulnerable people we have a policy in place along with a CRB checked child protection officer.

We have no age limit but the person concerned must be able to handle their gun of choice, children and vulnerable people must be accompanied by a parent or designated carer/responsible adult. Both children and vulnerable adults are members and regular shooters at our club.

[karen]

I've heard that there is an active and interesting Airgun Field Target club at Bisley, with a fair few young members, could be ideal for an 11 year old to get started.

Yep its the British Field Target Organisation (BFTO) and they shoot 365 days a year!

Any newcomers can come along on Wednesday evenings or all day Sunday and see what its all about. I work with two of the guys who started the club so got this from the horses mouths

http://www.bfto.org.uk/

Love

Karen