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Building a Safe Sport Environment Together

Creating a culture where everyone can thrive is a shared responsibility. Safe Sport Training was developed to help anyone involved in sport — whether you have direct contact with athletes or work in the background — to promote physical, psychological, and social health, in line with the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport.

Information for Members of the Media

The news releases and other resources below provide more background on the Coaching Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training:

For media inquiries, please contact communications@coach.ca.

What you will learn from Safe Sport Training

Acknowledgement
Understand that everyone has a role to play in keeping sport safe, how the misuse of power leads to maltreatment, and the principles of the Universal Code of Conduct.

Awareness
Learn about the various types of maltreatment, the conditions that enable them, and how to recognize signs that they may be happening.

Action
Find out what to do if you suspect maltreatment, and how you can create a culture that protects all participants.

How does Safe Sport Training Work?

Step 1
Contact the CAC to confirm access to the Locker for your organization.

Step 2
Promote the training to your members. Have them create their own Locker accounts to complete the training.

Step 3
Work with the CAC to track and manage your members’ training progress through Locker reports. 

Our Locker platform provides detailed reporting and analytics to help you monitor compliance and keep track of who has completed the training. View insights anytime and pull customized reports whenever you need them.

Why choose the CAC’s Safe Sport Training module?

With Safe Sport Training from the Coaching Association of Canada, you get:

  • A complete program of Safe Sport Training at no cost
  • An eLearning module that works with all computer operating systems, mobile phones, tablets and other devices
  • Training in your choice of English or French
  • Online training that provides accessible options
  • Professional development points for certified coaches
  • A suite of marketing tools, resources and support to help promote Safe Sport Training

How Safe Sport Training was developed

In February 2019, after a series of nationwide safe sport consultation summits, federal-provincial-territorial sport ministers signed the Red Deer Declaration, committing to the elimination of abuse, discrimination and harassment in sport. In response, the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport was developed as a foundation for a coordinated implementation strategy to prevent and address maltreatment across the sport system in Canada.

With the support of Sport Canada, a CAC Safe Sport Task Force for Mandated Training was developed to provide expert advice and feedback on the development and delivery of training activities to meet the goals and objectives of the mandatory training on harassment and abuse within the national sport system. The task force included representatives of national and provincial sport governing bodies, subject-matter experts, athletes, and advocacy organizations.

The CAC’s Safe Sport Training module is recognized as meeting the requirements for mandatory training on harassment and abuse. Certified coaches are also eligible for Professional Development points toward their maintenance of their certification.

The Coaching Association of Canada’s Safe Sport Training was designed to meet the needs of national-level sport organizations, but its principles apply at any level of sport.

Why does Sport Canada require this training?

Sport Canada is committed to the health of athletes across Canada, and recognizes the damaging effects maltreatment can have on their physical, emotional and mental health. Safe sport training in line with the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport ensures that everyone involved in sports organizations can recognize maltreatment and take steps to prevent or address it. National Sport Organizations may also opt to use their own training, as long as it is compliant with the minimum standards.

Why is Safe Sport Training so important?

Maltreatment can harm athletes and other sport participants in many ways: physically, emotionally and mentally. Safe sport training that aligns with the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport helps organizations, coaches and others create sporting environments that are safe for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

To prevent maltreatment in sport, all Sport Canada-funded organizations are required to make safe sport training available to anyone under their immediate authority. Safe Sport Training from the Coaching Association of Canada meets the minimum standards for this mandated safe sport training. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about the Safe Sport Training eLearning module.

Why am I being asked to complete this training?

All Sport Canada-funded organizations must make mandatory training on harassment and abuse available to their membership by April 1, 2020. If you are under the immediate authority of a national sport organization or multi-sport services organization, you are required to complete safe sport training. Your organization may also have asked you to complete the training to comply with its own policies. Check with your sport organization to confirm.

Who is required to complete safe sport training?

As of April 1, 2020, anyone in any of the following roles within a Sport Canada-funded organization must be trained on conduct to prevent and address maltreatment:

Decision-makers

  • Senior staff
  • High-performance directors
  • Case managers
  • Adjudicators
  • Investigators
  • Operational Board members

Those with direct athlete contact

  • National team athletes
  • Parents of junior athletes
  • Coaches
  • High-performance staff
  • National training centre staff
  • Nationally appointed coach Developers
  • Integrated support team personnel (mental, strength and conditioning, nutrition, physio, massage, etc.)
  • Contractors
  • Officials

Those with no direct athlete contact

  • Organizing committee members
  • Administration/finance staff
  • Governance committee members
  • Judicial board members
  • Governance board members (no operational involvement)
  • Event volunteers
  • NSO office staff
Should I complete the Training even if I am not required to?

Maltreatment can occur in sports organizations at any level. While the Coaching Association of Canada Safe Sport Training was developed specifically for Sport Canada-funded organizations, it is available free of charge to anyone who wishes to take it. The more people who learn how to identify and address maltreatment, the safer all sport environments will be.

How do I know if Safe Sport Training is the training my organization wants me to complete?

Check with your affiliated sport organization to confirm which training program you should complete.

Am I required to complete this training annually?

Sport Canada will determine the requirement and will communicate to the Sport System once it is determined. NSOs and MSOs have the ability to determine requirements for their organization that go above the minimum standard, as appropriate. As an individual, you are always welcome to access additional training.

As a Provincial/Territorial Sport Organization (PTSO), should I follow the guidelines of my provincial/territorial government, or those of my NSO for mandated training?

PTSOs can follow their respective provincial or territorial government’s existing requirements for Safe Sport Training (i.e. Manitoba and Saskatchewan), as it is within their jurisdiction. As with other training and development initiatives, NSOs and their PTSOs may agree to additional learning opportunities in safe sport training.

I am involved in multiple sports. Will they all accept this Training?

The CAC’s Safe Sport Training meets all requirements set by Sport Canada. Some organizations may choose to follow a different program. Speak with your sport organizations to confirm which training program you should take.

How long does Safe Sport Training take?

The eLearning will take approximately 1–1.5 hours to complete.

Do I have to complete the Training in one session?

You can complete the Training in multiple sessions. You can save your progress and pick up where you left off.

How much does the Training cost?

Safe Sport Training is offered free of charge to participants.

Can I earn professional development points for taking Safe Sport Training?

If you are an NCCP-certified coach, you can earn 2 professional development points by completing this module.

What is the Locker?

The Locker is the Coaching Association of Canada’s online learning platform. Create a free account to engage in NCCP eLearning, register for events, access your NCCP coaching transcript and more.

I don’t have a Locker account. Can I still complete the Training?

You’ll need to create a free Locker account to access the Training. Simply register an account and visit the eLearning page to access the Safe Sport Training.

How do I make a Locker account?

Visit https://thelocker.coach.ca/account/login and click Create an NCCP account. Fill in the required information and click Register.

How will I know that I’ve completed the Training successfully?

The process is straightforward:

  1. Log in to the Locker and click the tab with your name at the top right of the screen.
  2. Click the Certification tab in the top banner.
  3. Your transcript will list all trainings you have completed that are tracked in the Locker.
Can I complete the Training on my mobile phone or tablet?

Yes. The Training is accessible on all technology devices including desktop, mobile devices and tablets.

In which languages is the Training available?

The Training is available in English and French.

Does Safe Sport Training meet online accessibility standards?

Yes, the Training is accessible. Please email coach@coach.ca or call 613-235-5000 for information on accessibility options for Safe Sport Training.