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About this Program

With funding from the Government of Canada’s Women and Gender Equality Canada Women’s Program and the federal government priority of gender equity in sport by 2035, the Coaching Association of Canada developed and added the WAGE Program to its existing Women in Coaching program in 2024.

Program Leads

Community of Practice Lead

Siobhan Rouke

Research Team

Diane Culver, uOttawa

Program Goal, Objectives and Outcomes

Goal and Objectives

Goal

Advance gender equality, leadership development and knowledge transfer through a mentorship program for women in coaching via a Community of Practice (CoP).

Objectives
  • To advance gender equity in sport and women’s representation as coaches
  • To lead a Women in Coaching mentorship program
  • To lead a Community of Practice (CoP) for 16 sport organizations each running their own unique Women in Coaching Program
  • To revise and create new Women in Coaching (WiC) assets
  • To connect the sport community by creating consistency in the application of WiC mentorship program
  • To build leadership, expertise and capacity for the sport system to advance gender equity in coaching

Outcomes

  • To develop a women and gender equity in coaching mentorship CoP with 16 organizations
  • To develop, deliver and evaluate new training and assets for women and gender equity coach development

Program Activities

The WAGE Program is comprised of the following program activities:

In-person meeting

A 2-day in-person meeting with all selected sport organizations, and their mentor:mentee pairings.

Virtual meetings

Monthly sport organization leads virtual meetings to discuss, share and learn from one another through a Community of Practice.

Mentor:mentee pairing opportunities

Sport Organizations provide up to two mentor:mentee pairing opportunities for their sport for self-identified women (cis and trans) and non-binary coaches from your sport.

Eligibility Criteria

The CAC offers opportunities to eligible sport organizations (NSOs, PTCRs, and the COPSI Network) that organize and operate programs and initiatives to increase the number of coaches who identify with one or more of the CAC’s Priority Groups. In the CAC’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, Priority Groups include “women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and people that identify with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community”

  • National Sport Organizations
  • Multi Sport Organizations
  • Provincial/Territorial Sport Organizations
  • University/College Athletics Department/Sport Programs
  • Regional Clubs
  • Indigenous Sports
  • Organizations with women and gender equity programs/initiatives that are established, growing or new

 

 

WAGE Program

Selected Sport Organizations

  • Athletics Canada
  • Baseball Canada
  • Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association/Boccia Canada
  • Canadian Sport Institute – Atlantic
  • Canoe Kayak Ontario – Sprint
  • Curl BC
  • Cycling Canada
  • Football Canada
  • Gymnastics Canada
  • Karate Canada
  • Manitoba Fencing Association
  • Ringette Canada
  • Speed Skating Canada
  • Sport Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Table Tennis Canada
  • Volleyball Alberta

For more information

All questions regarding the WAGE Program can be directed to Kate Boyd, Manager, Special Projects at kboyd@coach.ca.

Kate Boyd

Manager, Special Projects

Acknowledgements

This project has been funded through Women and Gender Equality Canada's Women’s Program. The Coaching Association of Canada is grateful for the support of Women and Gender Equality Canada and the opportunity to advance gender equality within sport and coaching in Canada.