Did you know that 80% of teens reportedly experience some form of teen dating violence?
Thanks to support from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Preventing Gender-Based Violence: the Health Perspective investment, the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) has added three new modules to the Support Through Sport eLearning series designed to empower coaches to recognize and act when it is suspected that a teen sport participant is involved in an unhealthy dating relationship.
“With over half of Canadian teens experiencing some form of violence in their dating relationships, coaches and sport leaders will find themselves equipped to play a powerful support role to teens at risk. This important eLearning series provides valuable training to help coaches recognize the signs of gender-based violence and identify how best to support athletes when they do. Any leader working with teens in sport will benefit from this training.”
Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO of the Coaching Association of Canada
“Coaches play a pivotal role in young people’s lives. They are in a privileged position to get to know the youth they coach, and to influence their behaviours in positive ways. Congratulations to CAC on the development of these new modules. They will make a positive impact in the lives of youth who may be at risk of unhealthy dating relationships by giving coaches the tools to recognize, prevent, and address gender-based violence and teen dating violence.”
Adam van Koeverden, Member of Parliament,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and to the Minister of Sport
The Support Through Sport series is an important resource that now includes four eLearning modules to support coaches to recognize the signs that a participant may be experiencing violence, understand their responsibilities and take the appropriate action to support them. These are critical skills for coaches to help participants in unhealthy situations.
Understanding Teen Dating Violence is the foundational module in this series and focuses on creating healthy environments for sport participants between the ages of 11 and 24 years. Coaches will learn to identify elements of healthy relationships, define teen dating violence, and take action when teen dating violence is suspected or known.
As of June 1st, three new supplementary modules are now available, including;
Bystander Empowerment: In this module coaches will participate in several activities to help improve their skills in being a helpful bystander. After completing this eLearning module, coaches will be able to recognize different forms of violence, identify helpful and hurtful bystander behaviour, and use strategies to intervene as a bystander in situations of violence.
Modelling Healthy Relationships: In this module coaches will participate in several activities that will help improve their skills at modelling healthy relationships in the sport environment. After completing this eLearning module, coaches will be able to recognize the elements of a healthy relationship, identify opportunities for modelling healthy relationships in the sport environment, and identify strategies for how to set, maintain and uphold expectations for healthy relationships.
Gender-based Violence in Sport: In this module coaches will participate in several activities to help improve their skills at recognizing and reducing gender-based violence in their sport environment. After completing this eLearning module, coaches will be able to recognize forms of gender-based violence and Identify strategies to use to prevent gender-based violence in your sport environment.
All four modules are available for free in the eLearning section of the Locker.
In addition to the training, the Support Through Sport website hosts a Toolbox full of downloadable resources and materials including infographics, one-pagers, posters, and social media assets to drive awareness, and understanding around the issue of gender-based violence and teen dating violence.
Visit coach.ca/SupportThroughSport for more information.
About the Coaching Association of Canada
The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) unites stakeholders and partners in its commitment to raising the skills and stature of coaches, and ultimately expanding their reach and influence. Through its programs, the CAC empowers coaches with knowledge and skills, promotes ethics, fosters positive attitudes, builds competence, and increases the credibility and recognition of coaches. Learn more at www.coach.ca.
About the Coaching Association of Canada’s Project: Preventing and Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Sport project
The Coaching Association of Canada’s project is currently supported through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Preventing Gender-Based Violence: the Health Perspective investment. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Coaches’ influence in the lives of youth is well-documented. Coaches are in a unique position to step in and stop parts of sport culture that may contribute to unhealthy relationship behaviour. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate an educational program, available in English and French, to assist coaches in recognizing, preventing and addressing gender-based violence and teen dating violence, and to promote healthy relationships in and through sport.