Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is proud to launch today the latest programme under its landmark AFC Academic Centre of Excellence (ACE) - the AFC Certificate in Child Safeguarding (ACCS).
The AFC is firmly committed to protecting the rights of children and ensuring that they can play football within a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. Developed exclusively by the AFC, the ACCS aims to raise awareness on child safeguarding and equip participants with the knowledge and skills to keep children safe from harm when engaged in all football activities.
The ACCS will be delivered online in six different languages – English, Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, Persian and Russian – and comprises three different courses: Insights, Fundamentals and Essentials.
The Insights curriculum will consist of eight modules, which include Introduction to Child Safeguarding, Child Safeguarding in Football, The AFC Child Safeguarding system and Reporting concerns and managing risks, to name but a few. Further details are set to be finalised in due course for the latter two portions.
AFC General Secretary Datuk Seri Windsor John, who noted the tremendous progress made in recent years by the AFC in promoting child safeguarding, said: “While the AFC continues to play a significant role in developing the capacities of Member Associations (MAs) and Regional Associations (RAs) to strengthen their child safeguarding practices in football, there is a need to further empower our stakeholders in developing, implementing, and strengthening Child Safeguarding systems on their own.
“Every child deserves a safe and conducive environment in which to enjoy football, and through the delivery of the ACCS’ curated content, we are confident that participants will be equipped with the required competencies to further develop Asian football with the utmost integrity.
“Most importantly, the ACCS – the latest in the AFC ACE’s range of transformative programmes – will serve to further reinforce the AFC’s Vision and Mission of strengthening the capabilities of our MAs, RAs and the wider Asian football ecosystem.”
By defining child safeguarding and providing an understanding of its concepts and best practices, as well as its importance in football, the ACCS will also provide guidance on the day-to-day practical applications of child safeguarding within an organisation.
Additionally, the ACCS welcomes independent applicants, regardless of their direct or indirect connection to football and/or the larger sporting ecosystem and in particular the AFC stakeholders, as it will provide a better understanding of the AFC’s child safeguarding expectations.
The programme is the second to be launched this year in the AFC ACE's range of purposeful and innovative initiatives following the AFC Certificate in Football Leadership, and the fourth overall after the AFC Football Management Certificate and AFC Football Management Diploma.
Registration for the inaugural edition of the ACCS is now open.