The Need:

Studies have repeatedly shown that girls and women drop out of sport at a significantly higher rate than boys. As girls enter adolescence, 1 in 3 drop out of sport compared to just 1 in 10 boys.  Beyond adolescence, women 19-31 years old participate in sport at just half the rate of men.

The Solution:

In this workshop designed for coaches, recreation leaders, teachers and sport administrators, participants will explore:

• the key factors that are central to supporting girls and young women as athletes and leaders, including training environments, injury prevention, and role models;
• how to holistically design programs to meet the psycho-social needs of girls to increase their participation and retention in sport and physical activity; and,
• practical recommendations for applying learnings in different environments.

The Impact:

This workshop will help sport leaders create lasting solutions for keeping girls and women in sport and physical activity.

In a recent survey of program participants:

• 94% of respondents reported that they learned specific skills on how to design programs for girls to help retain them in sport and physical activity;
• 97% of respondents reported that the workshop content was practical for their physical activity setting; and,
• 98% of respondents reported that they are confident to implement new ideas taken from the workshop.

“It was striking to learn that 90% of female CEOs played sports as children. The most valuable part [of the workshop] was a reminder of the biases I have had ingrained since childhood and to challenge my own thought patterns so I can empower the next generation.”

Program Participant

“I found it really interesting that for girls, the most important consideration is feeling socially accepted, while for boys it’s all about effort. As a mother of two boys, this has been helpful for me to reiterate to them how important it is for them to make girls feel welcome and confident in gym class and the co-ed sports they play – hockey and baseball.”

Program Participant

The post Retaining Girls in Sport & Physical Activity appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

The Need:

Research suggests that diverse, inclusive and equity-focused boards are stronger, including having higher creativity, improved collaboration and a better understanding of a diverse end user. Despite this, women remain underrepresented in leadership positions within the sport system. Data collected in a recent survey of all nationally funded sport organizations illustrates that only 40% of board members and 28% of board chairs are women.

The Solution:

Canadian Women & Sport has developed two workshops aimed at increasing the presence of women on boards. The first is designed specifically for individual women looking to take on leadership positions. The second is designed for organizations committed to working towards gender equity.

Women on Boards Presentation – For Individuals

This presentation is designed to help women take up more space on boards by exploring:

• the value and importance of women on boards;
• strategies to navigate the challenges involved in accessing a board position and succeeding in the role; and,
• ways women can develop personal leadership plans to take on a board role.

Women on Boards Presentation – For Organizations

This organization-focused presentation will leave participants with:

• an understanding of how to create an inclusive board culture;
• the value of having women on boards; and,
• strategies to assist in overcoming challenges and recruiting more women.

 The Impact:

“I think it’s very exciting that Canadian Women & Sport has created these workshops. This is not something that existed when I first began to serve on Boards, and I believe it would have been very helpful on my journey. Having a resource such as this provides a roadmap for all of us to improve how we recruit, support and retain female leaders from diverse backgrounds.”

Gail Hamamoto, Executive Director of BC Wheelchair Sports Association (BCWSA) and Vice President of the Canadian Paralympic Committee

“I believe that sport will benefit from having more women participate as Directors and leaders. Supporting sport organizations in leading more effectively is an area of passion for me. When people of diverse perspective can find common ground through shared values, the organizations they serve are given the opportunity to thrive.”

Dina Bell-Laroche, Partner, Sport Law & Strategy Group, and author of the Canadian Women & Sport Good Practices Guide to Creating Gender Equitable Boards

The post Women on Boards Presentation appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

The Need:

While progress has been made towards greater 2SLGBTQ+ inclusion in sport, there is still much work to be done.  According to the Out on the Fields study, 81% of Canadian participants witnessed or experienced homophobia in sport.  Everybody in sport has a role to help make sport safe and inclusive for those who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

The Solution:

This workshop provides sport leaders, including coaches, athletes and officials, with the opportunity to understand what LGBTQphobia is and how it can hurt their organization.

Designed to allow for an open and honest conversation about LGBTQphobia and how sport leaders can play a role in making sport more accepting of sexual and gender diversity, participants will build an understanding of:

• Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and two spirit (2SLGBTQ+) language;
• How to deal with sensitive issues such as same-sex relationships amongst teammates; and,
• How to review policies and practices to ensure they are equitable.

The Impact:

“I’ve learned how to create a Brave Space and how to acknowledge and navigate blind spots in my own LGBTQI2S inclusion knowledge to help support athletes and participants so that our programming can be more inclusive of people’s lived experience.”

Program Participant

In a recent survey of program participants, 100% of respondents said the information and skills they gained through this workshop were valuable to their work and they would share lessons learned with their network.

Leading the Way: 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sport workshops and presentations are delivered by the Canadian Women & Sport Program Lead for 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sport, Christine Hsu. Known for their subject-matter expertise in 2SLGBTQ+ sport inclusion, Christine will tailor the session to meet each organization’s needs.

The post Leading the Way: 2SLGBTQ+ Inclusion in Sport appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

In the workplace, effective communication is the foundation for better job performance and relationship building. After this workshop participants will be more strategic and efficient in their communication.

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Conflict Resolution
• Influencing Change
• Creating Work-Life Balance
• Effective Networking
• Leading With Confidence

The post Effective Communication appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Conflict, in its many forms, is an inevitable part of our personal and professional lives. This workshop will ensure participants can understand and resolve conflict professionally.

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Effective Communication
• Influencing Change
• Creating Work-Life Balance
• Effective Networking
• Leading With Confidence

The post Conflict Resolution appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Whether influencing change in your organization, across the sport and physical activity system, or more broadly in society, this workshop will provide participants with theory and practical tools for success. 

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Effective Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Creating Work-Life Balance
• Effective Networking
• Leading With Confidence

The post Influencing Change appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

For many women, balancing the demands of work, family, friends, and personal time is a challenge. This workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to explore a variety of strategies to add more balance to their lives.

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Effective Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Influencing Change
• Effective Networking
• Leading With Confidence

The post Creating Work-Life Balance appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Strong networking skills can be a valuable tool, both personally and professionally. From building organizational partnerships to knowing about upcoming events, building your network is a long-term investment with great payoffs.

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Effective Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Influencing Change
• Creating Work-Life Balance
• Leading With Confidence

The post Effective Networking appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

This interactive workshop is designed to uplift the skills of the next generation of Canadian sport leaders – university and college aged young women involved in sport and physical activity (e.g. varsity athletes, kinesiology or sport management students). Participants will explore the experiences of female leaders, reflect on the value of sport and physical activity in their leadership journey, and consider how they can further develop their skills to be strong leaders now and in the future.

This workshop is part of our Women and Leadership series of six professional development workshops that blend theory with practical applications and provide an opportunity for women working or volunteering in the sport or physical activity sector to share their experiences, reflect on ideas, develop their skills, and build their networks.

Our other Women and Leadership workshops are:

• Effective Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Influencing Change
• Creating Work-Life Balance
• Effective Networking

The post Leading With Confidence appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.