Call for Applications: Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches Development Team

Background:

The Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), through previous funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), developed, implemented and evaluated a Support Through Sport Program designed to prevent and address Gender-based Violence and Teen Dating Violence. The previous project consisted of a literature review, data collection with athletes and coaches regarding existing knowledge and competencies regarding teen dating violence, and the development of an educational toolkit and four eLearning modules.

Numerous recommendations have been made to prevent and address dating violence among youth, of which most focus on education and training. As the research suggests, youth peer led interventions have proven to be effective. By engaging youth coaches in adapting the education program and building capacity for our upcoming coaches, we are well positioned to make significant gains in addressing gender-based violence in dating relationships and promoting and modelling healthy relationships in and through sport.

The Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches project has two expected outcomes:

1. Increased awareness and understanding of the context within which youth live and an increase in literacy among youth coaches of dating violence, leading to improved coaching practice and healthy relationships; and
2. Improved knowledge, skills and abilities of youth coaches, athletes, coaches, parents/guardians, sport leaders and sport administrators on youth dating violence, gender-based violence and modelling healthy relationships.

Mandate: 

The Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches Development Team is a 5-year working group of the Coaching Association of Canada that will support the following project objectives:

1. Enhance content: Implement an action research initiative and work with youth coaches, and members of expert partner organizations to develop, pilot and launch a youth-driven peer intervention program using new and existing educational resources to improve accessibility and relevance to diverse youth populations and to increase support within key populations and diverse audiences.
2. Increase Accessibility: Increase accessibility to and awareness of the educational materials to prevent, address and intervene in youth dating violence and model healthy relationships, through youth coaches for all coaches. We will pursue this through the engagement of diverse youth in adapting existing education intervention program and advocacy resources.
3. Knowledge transfer: Evaluate the action research program and document evidence. Implement a larger scale intervention by strategically promoting and marketing the revised Support Through Sport educational program and tools to new and diverse audiences across Canada and highlight the trained youth coaches to increase capacity of the YDV educational programs through the CAC network, project partners and larger sport community.

The youth members of the Development Team will be involved in a needs assessment, and responsible for providing contextual advice on youth dating violence and educational needs.

Roles and Responsibilities

All members of the Development Team will perform the following key duties throughout the multi-year commitment:

• Complete the required training activities:
  • Abuse-Free Sport Program training
  • Unconscious bias and trauma-informed training (during Development Team training meeting)
  • Support Through Sport eLearning modules
  • Gender-based Analysis Plus course
• Participate in Development Team meetings, both virtual and in-person:
  • Project orientation meeting (virtual)
  • Development Team training meeting (in-person)
  • Project insight meetings (virtual)
  • Project Close-out meeting (in-person)
• Review outputs and provide feedback for the project, including but not limited to:
  • Existing research, materials and modules
  • Content and resource development
  • Branding and other marketing and communication assets
  • Project evaluations
• Provide recommendations with the following perspectives:
  • Improving equity, diversity, and inclusion;
  • Ensuring cultural safety and trauma-informed practice;
  • Meeting the needs of the partners
• Contribute recommendations for resources
• Assist in outreach to relevant partners as required

The Youth Coaches representatives on the Development Team will be engaged in additional activities, including:

• Review outputs and provide feedback for the project, including but not limited to:
  • Needs assessment (Youth members only)
• Pilot the adapted education program to peer groups within the identified sports and other peer groups, and provide feedback
• Deliver the final adapted programming

Composition

The Development Team will be comprised of the following representatives:

• Two Coaching Association of Canada representatives (Director, Sport Safety, and Manager, Equity Programs)
• University of Toronto Research Team
• Up to a maximum of twelve youth coaches (aged 16 to 28)
• Up to a maximum of three provincial/territorial or national sport organization representatives (e.g. administrators)
• Up to a maximum of three Subject Matter Experts in dating violence, gender-based violence, healthy relationships, and/or related fields.

The CAC’s project manager will Chair all meetings and manage all meeting logistics.

As an organization in a diverse and multi-cultural country, the CAC embraces equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognize that it is important to respect and reflect the diversity of experiences, perspectives and backgrounds of people in Canada and reflect that in our workplace and our projects. In accordance with the CAC’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policy, the task force will be formed to represent the diversity of people living in Canada, which includes women, visitable minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and people that identify with the 2SLGBTQI+ community. By leveraging Canada’s diversity, we can positively impact the sport community, better develop coaches and athletes, and play an important role in Canada’s continued growth and success as a sporting nation.

All Development Team members must adhere to the Abuse-Free Sport Program.

Compensation

The Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches Development Team will be eligible for a $300 honoraria per event, as supported by the funding agency for the project. All members will be eligible for the honoraria, unless there is a conflict of interest.

For travel during the project, the Coaching Association of Canada will cover all required expenses including transportation, accommodation, and a per diem for food and meals. All expenses must be discussed and pre-approved by the project manager.

Decision-making process

The Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches Development Team is a collaborative effort on behalf of the CAC that will produce final recommendations to the CAC whom will have the final authority.

Meetings

The Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches Development Team will meet throughout the course of the 5-year project at the following approximate and proposed times:

• Project orientation meeting (virtual, February 2025)
• Development Team training meeting (in-person, Spring/Summer 2025)
• Project insight meetings (Virtual, as required between Summer 2025 to October 2028)
• Project Close-out meeting (in-person, November 2028)

All meetings will be held either virtually on a video conferencing platform or in-person. Length of meeting will vary.

Members may be asked to attend other meetings or events upon request.

Acknowledgement

The Coaching Association of Canada will publicly acknowledge all Development Team members’ work through the Support Through Sport for Youth Coaches project.