Ards Rugby Club is committed to fostering a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for everyone involved in our community. As part of this ongoing commitment, our Club Welfare Officer Jill Shaw recently attended a workshop organised by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) in partnership with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, focused on Respect, Consent and Allyship in Rugby.

This important initiative is designed to support rugby clubs across Ireland to build positive cultures, reinforce zero-tolerance to sexual violence, and equip club members with practical tools to recognise, prevent and respond to harmful behaviours.

Rugby and Community: A Shared Responsibility

Sport plays a central role in our communities — bringing people together, promoting wellbeing and teamwork. But, like wider society, it is not immune to societal issues such as sexual violence and harmful social norms. In Ireland, recent data shows that significant proportions of both women and men report experiencing sexual violence, and many people still hold misconceptions about consent.

The IRFU-DRCC partnership aims to tackle these issues by bringing respectful conversation and education into rugby spaces at all levels — from clubs like ours to the national game.

What This Means for us at Ards RFC

Valuing and Supporting All Members

A fundamental message from the session was the importance of valuing and supporting all members of our club — including women and girls at every age and involvement level. Ensuring representation is key, but equally important is creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable, supported, and confident to speak up or report concerns. This kind of culture builds trust and strengthens our club community.

Understanding Sexual Violence and Consent

Sexual violence includes any unwanted sexual activity or contact — whether physical or non-physical — and can occur even when behaviour isn’t strictly criminalised, yet still causes significant harm. The workshop stressed that consent must be clearly understood: it is freely given, informed, and can be withdrawn at any time. By educating ourselves and our younger members about consent, we help build safer relationships both within and beyond sport.

Everyone Has a Role to Play

Sporting communities have enormous influence. Each of us — players, coaches, volunteers, parents and supporters — has an opportunity to be an active ally and help prevent abuse. That includes having the courage to have difficult conversations, to challenge inappropriate behaviour, and to reinforce positive norms. A powerful resource to support this message is the That Guy Scotland video: “Don’t be that guy who says nothing. Have the difficult conversation.”

? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAUOMHsm51E

We are grateful for the great IRFU-DRCC interactive and action-oriented workshop covering topics like gendered stereotypes, myths and misconceptions around sexual violence, consent and the law, how to be an ally, and where to find supports. These sessions are helping all our clubs to continue embedding a culture of respect, accountability and open dialogue throughout rugby.

Promoting Welfare and Culture at Ards RFC

At Ards Rugby Club, we remain committed to:

• Promoting strong Club Welfare practices
• Supporting good mental health and wellbeing
• Encouraging open and respectful communication
• Providing safe, inclusive spaces for all members

We know that rugby can be a powerful force for good — but only if we work together to ensure it reflects our values both on and off the field.

If you’d like to learn more or explore the resources discussed in the session, please get in touch with our Club Welfare Officer Jill Shaw.

If you need support, please get in touch with our Club Welfare Officers, Mental Health Officers and Club Chaplin who can help;

Club Welfare Officer, Jill Shaw:
Phone: 07742 045798
Email: Jillyshaw@gmail.com

Deputy Club Welfare Officer, Stephen Nutt:
Phone: 07783 475153
Email: DirectorOfRugby@ArdsRugby.co.uk

Club Chaplin, Gareth McBurney:
Phone: 07842651797

Mental Health Officers:
Jill Shaw - 07742 045798
Stephen Nutt - 07783 475153
Simon Hamilton - 07702550856