Safe Sport

Having this graphic available on your rowing club’s website and in your rowing spaces means that everyone will better understand how to deal with maltreatment. Find the PDF HERE.

Lise MacLean of Wiser Workplaces

If you wish to connect with Lise, you may contact her by email at lise@wiserworkplaces.ca or by phone at 613 404-2000

• • Contact to make a complaint
  • Completely independent from the rowing community
  • Makes a determination about the admissibility of a complaint based on policies
  • Determines the appropriate policy pathway based on severity and environment of a complaint

The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner manages complaints that involve RCA directly, including the national team and national events. To make a complaint using this system:

https://sportintegritycommissioner.ca/report

• This determination is made by the ITP.
• ITP compares the issues in the complaint to what is in the Safe Sport policies. It is possible that someone could do something inappropriate that does not fit within the policies. The issue should then be addressed through HR or other avenues.
• The ITP will use Protection Policy, Code of Conduct and Ethics, and Discipline and Complaints Policy to make all determinations.

Once the complaint is sent to the appropriate level (club, province, national), the appropriate CRO or Case Manager will use the appropriate Safe Sport policies to handle the complaint.

At the end of the complaint process, all parties will be notified. This includes the complainant, the respondent, the club (if club level), Rowing BC, and Rowing Canada Aviron.

• Within each organization
• Main point of contact for Rowing Canada and Rowing BC
• Oversees implementation and adoption of Safe Sport Policy Manual
• Provides training and communication within organization
• DOES NOT have involvement in Complaint Management process
• Qualities: passionate about Safe Sport, good understanding of governance concepts, comfortable leading discussions
• Supported by Rowing BC to answer questions and implement policies

• One of a pool of CROs around the province
• Receives training from Rowing Canada in Complaint Management
• Manages decision making process for club-level complaints
• Qualities: impartial, able to understand and apply policies, maintains confidentiality, able to write clear and reasoned responses

• Assigned by Rowing BC or Rowing Canada Aviron
• Manages provincial or national Safe Sport complaints (as assigned by the ITP)
• Qualities: impartial, able to understand and apply policies, maintains confidentiality, able to write clear and reasoned responses

Lise MacLean of Wiser Workplaces

If you wish to connect with Lise, you may contact her by email at lise@wiserworkplaces.ca or by phone at 613 404-2000

• Contact to make a complaint
• Completely independent from the rowing community
• Makes a determination about the admissibility of a complaint based on policies
• Determines the appropriate policy pathway based on severity and environment of a complaint

National Safe Sport Helpline

Are you a victim or witness of harassment, abuse or discrimination in sport? Contact the Canadian Sport Helpline to share your concerns and be referred to the appropriate resources. Open from 8 am to 8 pm (ET) 7 days a week, it is anonymous, confidential, independent and bilingual.

KidsHelpPhone

The KidsHelpPhone service now includes text and web services as well as services for adults.

Other sport safety helplines are listed here.

As part of Safe Sport, all coaches across Canada are required by March 31, 2021 to abide by the RCA Every Coach Certified initiative.

More information is available HERE.

Note that as of March 2020 all coaches and Board members are required to complete a Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Screen. This requirement needs to be renewed every 3 years. Clubs will be required to ensure this has been completed for all active coaches. There are four ways to complete a Criminal Record Check/Vulnerable Sector Screen:

1. Complete it in-person at your local Police or RCMP detachment, then deliver the hardcopy to your rowing organization. This option is Free for volunteers, $ for paid staff.
2. Complete it online through justice.gov.bc.ca using a passcode set up by your rowing organization to enable the completed CRC to be sent directly to your rowing organization electronically. Note: If you are the main representative of a rowing organization and need to set up online access, contact memberservices@rowingbc.ca for support. Your organization can set up an account here. This option is Free for volunteers, $ for paid staff.
3. Utilize CRC services provided by Sterling BackCheck, as endorsed by their partnership with Rowing Canada Aviron. More information available here. This option is $25.

The goal of Safe Sport is to create a culture where everyone can thrive, and where sport is safe for everyone. To accomplish this, everyone involved in sport has associated responsibilities. The resources specific to parents, coaches and sport organizations are provided below.

Sport Safety for parents, click here. 

Sport Safety for coaches, click here.

Sport Safety for Sport Organizations, click here.

viaSport has made The Flag Tool available through their website. If you see something that makes you uncomfortable, you can use the tool to decide if the situation was appropriate or not. The tool also suggests ways to address the issue.

We all have responsibilities to ensure the safety of our environments, but sometimes it is hard to know what you can do to help. Check out these bystander resources from viaSport.