This report provides sport leaders, funders and partners an inside look at the Playbook process and the state of gender equity within a cross-section of Canadian National Sport and Multi-Sport Service Organizations (the Playbook organizations).

This report highlights key learnings, triumphs, challenges and visions for growth that can be used to inform policies, investments, and actions broadly in the sport system. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the commitment to real and impactful change by the Playbook organizations.

Advancing gender equity is a team effort. The Gender Equity Playbook Report would not be possible without the collaboration of Canadian sport organizations and our research partners.

We acknowledge the financial support of Sport Canada in this project.

1. Massengale, D., & Lough, N. (2010). Women leaders in sport: where’s the gender equity? Joperd: The Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 81(4).

The post Winning Plays: The Gender Equity Playbook Report appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Engaging and integrating newcomers into all aspects of community life is a priority across Canada. This handbook outlines key considerations and provides recommendations based in practice so we can better engage newcomer girls and women in sport and physical activity.

Inside you will find:

• Snapshot of the Canadian Landscape and Immigration trends
• Key considerations for working with newcomer girls and women
• Strategies to recruit and design programs for newcomer girls and women
• Tools, checklists and how-to guides

Canadian Women & Sport thanks the following partners for their participation and commitment to making sport in Canada an inclusive space for all women and girls:

We acknowledge the financial support of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada in this project.

The post Engaging Newcomer Girls & Women: Physical Activity & Sport Handbook appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Creating a positive social environment that intentionally fosters a sense of belonging is integral to the retention of girls in sport and physical activity. For many boys, good performance creates a stronger sense of social belonging. In contrast, for many girls, feeling a strong sense of social belonging will enhance their performance.

This resource is designed for coaches who are ready to intentionally support equitable sport. She Belongs offers practical recommendations to create social connection and better engage girls in the Learn to Train and Train to Train stages of the Long-Term Development in Sport and Physical Activity Framework (LTD). Everyone involved—sport and physical activity organizations, coaches, managers and leaders, as well as parents/guardians—plays an integral role in creating the environments where girls can participate and have fun.

Check out this infographic (PDF or JPG) if you want to share a few of the tips from She Belongs on how to enhance social connection, which helps to keep girls in sport!

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As a catalyst for change, CS4L offers an opportunity to address the recognized shortcomings of the Canadian sport system. It is time to create optimal conditions and systems that support women and girls to be active at all stages of participation and competition, as coaches, officials, leaders and in other roles related to sport and physical activity.

Information in this resource will support national, provincial/territorial and community sport and physical activity organizations in enhancing their CS4L/LTAD implementation strategies. It will guide sport and physical activity leaders, coaches, educators and health promoters in developing and implementing quality programs and providing equitable support for women and girls as a priority. Parents and family members will find this resource helpful when making decisions about how to encourage and support the full and active participation of their daughters and female family members. 

Download the full resource.

Supplementary documents:

• Recommendations for Families and Caregivers (.pdf, 323 KB)
• Recommendations for Community Program Leaders and Coaches (.pdf, 323 KB)
• Recommendations for Educators and School Administrators (.pdf, 314 KB)
• Recommendations for High Performance Coaches and Leaders (.pdf, 315 KB)
• Recommendations for NSOs and P/TSOs (.pdf, 322 KB)
• Recommendations to Make Sport More Welcoming to Sexual and Gender Diversity
• FUNdamentals Stage Considerations for Women and Girls (.pdf, 303 KB)
• Learn to Train and Train to Train Stage Considerations for Women and Girls (.pdf, 301 KB)
• Train to Compete and Train to Win Considerations for Women and Girls (.pdf, 302 KB)
• Active for Life Stage Considerations for Women and Girls (.pdf, 302 KB)
• The “Three Rs” of Leadership Development for Women in Sport  (.pdf, 298 KB)
• Injury Prevention for Female Athletes Infographic (.pdf, 149 KB)

The post Actively Engaging Women and Girls: Addressing the Psychosocial Factors appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

This resource provides sport leaders with information and tips to enhance good practices or dial up efforts to support gender-equitable boards.

The recommendations shared in this resource were informed and inspired by:

• Insights shared by Canadian sport leaders whose organizations have women representing 40-60% of the board directors
• Canadian Women & Sport documents and comparative analysis of our research looking at the number of female directors and executive directors/CEOs between 2015 and 2018
• Promising practices from other organizations with expertise on inclusive governance
• A review of relevant literature

If you’re looking for a quick summary of why diverse boards are important and some suggestions on how to recruit women to the boardroom table, review and share our infographic (PDF / JPG)!

The post The Leading Edge: Good Practices for Creating Gender-Equitable Boards in Sport appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Women on Boards: A Guide to Getting Involved contains information originally produced in Australia by the Department of Victorian Communities – Office of Women’s Policy as part of an initiative to encourage and develop the capacity of women to serve on government boards.

Canadian Women & Sport was granted permission to revise this information to reflect a Canadian context and use it as part of its Women and Leadership Program. The guide demystifies the workings of boards and strives to improve recruitment and retention of women as board members by:

• Describing why boards need more women
• Providing advice on how to find a suitable board to join, and how to secure a position on it
• Providing straightforward descriptions of typical board roles, terminology and processes
• Identifying challenges that may be faced by women serving on boards, and proposing strategies for addressing them

The post Women on Boards: A Guide to Getting Involved appeared first on Canadian Women & Sport.

Although there has been progress in making sport more welcoming to those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (transgender), two-spirited, queer or questioning (LGBTQ2S), much more work needs to be done. Coaches play a critical role in creating a sport environment that is safe and respectful for all, regardless of a participant’s ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Leading the Way: Working with LGBTQ Athletes and Coaches is based on the lived experiences of Canadian athletes and coaches. The resource highlights current issues in Canadian sport, from playground to podium, and aims to make sport a more welcoming place for those who identify as LGBTQI2S. Leading the Way provides information to help coaches understand LBGTQphobia and the negative impact it has on everyone in their sport. It suggests best practices for creating a sport environment that is safe and respectful for all.

Other Resources

• Check out resources on sex and gender diversity designed for the Canadian sport community by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport;
• Download ViaSport BC’s comprehensive PDF guide LGBTQ Resources for Sport Organizations;
• Re-watch our webinar ‘Experts Connect: Creating Safe Environment for All Girls’, where we chatted with Christine Hsu about how we can create braver sport spaces where LGBTQI2S youth can be their full selves;
• Share the LGBT Youthline with young people in your life so they know where they can access confidential, nonjudgmental, and informed peer support;
• Read  resources from Egale Canada, including mental health tips for LGBTQI2S folks, inclusive and affirming language guidelines, and tips on how to practice allyship.

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Our vision is to see as many women between the ages of 55 and 70 engaged in physical activity as possible. You and your organization are integral to seeing this vision become a reality.  Getting more women in this age group physically active in a community is not the responsibility of any one group, but the collective responsibility of a wide variety of partners.  Stakeholders will need to come together to explore creative solutions, develop or adapt existing programs and services and jointly invest money, time and resources. 

Our goal in developing this report is to provide you with concrete evidence that makes the case for investing in physical activity initiatives for women 55–70.  It uses current information from the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, Statistics Canada and other published sources.  It also includes information (including quotes) from women 55–70 and community stakeholders who participated in cross-Canada focus groups. The credible statistical research, combined with anecdotal and candid personal experience provides a unique perspective.  Many of the challenges faced by these women and people who program for them are outlined, and real-life examples of how to overcome the barriers are given.

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As an enthusiastic and committed leader, this Handbook provides you with the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences to achieve gender equity in physical activity and sport and help the girls and young women in your community develop a foundation for active living.

In this Handbook you will find: 

•    An overview of initiative’s history, the OTM concept, and program objectives.  

•    Answers to common questions about sport and physical activity programming for girls and young women.  

•    Suggestions, Recommendations, Research Notes, and Notes From…which have been gathered from OTM experiences across the country and relevant research.

•     Appendices which include government policy initiatives, newspaper clippings, and guidelines for gender equitable practices. 

•    Evaluation tools which will assist in the critically important task of monitoring program results and adapting and improving the OTM concept to fit the needs of girls and young women in your community.

•     Lists of contacts, organizations, and resources, which will provide you with valuable information, and network you with those who have been involved in a variety of projects targeting girls and young women.  

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