Welcome to the Clubmark website. It has been developed to provide everyone involved in the scheme with a dedicated, all-inclusive bank of relevant, up to date information, to share best practice and to learn from the many successes that we shall be celebrating.

Clubmark is a cross-sport quality accreditation for clubs with junior sections. According to research conducted by the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 2004, three fifths (60.5%) of young people belong to a sports club outside school. It is vital that these clubs serve young people well. Sports clubs that work with children and young people need and deserve support to improve the quality of work they do so that we can:

• Ensure the well-being of young people whilst in the care of adults, other than their legal parent(s)/carer(s).
• Enthuse young people to enjoy sport and active recreation to build a healthy and active lifestyle.
• Enable young people to use their leisure time creatively.
• Allow young people to optimise their talents and personal ability.
• Identify and support the development of the most talented young people.

National governing bodies (NGBs) and county sport partnerships (CSPs) award Clubmark to proven high quality clubs. The national scheme has been in place since 2002 and there are now almost 4,000 accredited clubs across 29 sports. Our aim is that by the end of 2008 this will have increased to 5,000 and that Clubmark will be the stamp of approval to which all sports clubs aspire.

All organisations involved in accrediting clubs are subject to a licensing process, following the recommendations of the Clubmark Review (March 2006). This highlighted the need for cross sport moderation, robustness and integrity within the system. The licence is designed to ensure that all organisations involved work to a minimum operating framework and can prove it. This will help to establish Clubmark as the mark of high quality junior clubs.