Field Hockey Canada is committed to being a leader in providing safe, healthy and inclusive environments for all participants, at all levels of the game.
As part of our True Sport Framework, we strive to create a culture shift towards a positive, inclusive, and healthy sports environment for all individuals in the sport of field hockey, and to prioritize the current and future well-being of participants above all else.
As part of this vision, please see the following list for informational and practical resources related to key topics within our True Sport Framework:
- Abuse Prevention and Response
- Equity Diversity and Inclusion
- Health and Wellness
- Anti-Doping and Substance Abuse
- Risk Management
We will continue to add to this page as resources become available. If you would like to recommend a resource, please send it to jbeagan@fieldhockey.ca
Abuse Prevention and Response
Below are a number of resources to help clubs and organizations with education and response resources about abuse, harassment and bully-free environments.
FIH Links
FIH SafeGuarding Policy and References
IOC
Free Athletes 365 course on Safeguarding
CAC Links
CAC Resources for Sport Safety
SafeSport Training (free eLearning)
Canadian Centre for Child Protection
3 Steps for Choosing a Child Safe Organization
Commit 2 Kids – Guidelines for Interacting with Children in Sport
Kids Help Phone
Get support right now! through text, phone, messenger, or live chat
Canadian Resources
- Red Cross
- PREVnet
- RCMP – The RCMP, as well as many local police services offer programs and resources officers to the community
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Field Hockey Canada is an inclusive organization and welcomes full participation of all individuals in our programs and activities, irrespective of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability. Field Hockey Canada will encourage participation in the sport of field hockey and will ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion are key considerations when developing, updating or delivering Field Hockey Canada policies and programs.
Helpful Links:
Canadian Olympic Committee – One Team: Diversity and Inclusion Education
LGBTQI2S+ Sport Inclusion Task Force
Skipping Stone – Trans Inclusivity 101
Canadian Centre for Gender + Sexual Diversity Sport Inclusion Program
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport – Guide for creating inclusive environments
Canadian Women in Sport
Leading the Way Trans education for coaches
Active Living Alliance
Tip Sheet for Inclusion in physical Activity, recreation and sport for persons with a disability
Athletes with Disabilities
Coaching Association of Canada: Coaching People with Disabilities
Coaching Association of Canada: Supporting Athletes who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Sport for Life – LTAD for Athletes with Disabilities
Rick Hansen Foundation – Become Accessible
Rick Hansen Foundation – Accessibility Checklist
Active for Life – Inclusive Physical Literacy
Cultural Diversity
Sport Information Resource Centre – Anti-Racism Resource
Sport for Life – Indigenous Inclusion Resources
Health and Wellness
Field Hockey Canada’s TrueSport Framework includes supporting the health and wellbeing of all participants, including the physical, psychological, emotional, and social well-being of all individuals in the field hockey community. Please see the following resources for more information.
Olympic.Org
Click here to visit the Athlete 365 Hub and sign-up for courses related to coaching, sport injuries, sport psychology, media, nutrition, career transition, and other areas of wellness.
Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport:
The CCMHS is a not-for-profit organization supporting the mental health and performance of competitive and high-performance athletes and coaches. It is the first Centre in Canada to offer collaborative sport-focused mental health care services designed to help athletes and coaches achieve their performance goals while preserving their mental health and well-being.
Services available: https://www.ccmhs-ccsms.ca/value-of-integrated-care
Phone: 613-454-1409
Email: info@ccmhs-ccsms.ca
Telus My Care – Mental Health Support
You are Not Alone. For video chat with a mental health professional, as well as additional resources on Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Stress, Substance Use or Eating Disorders visit the Telus My Care Website
Crisis Text Line: 641-641
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-833-456-4566
Emergencies: 911
Anti-Doping and Substance Abuse
Field Hockey Canada strongly opposes the use, possession, and the supply of banned substances and practices in competitive field hockey by Canadian, coaches, medical, paramedical, other team support personnel, administrators and officials. As such, Field Hockey Canada adopts and adheres to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) run by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES). The CADP is a set of rules with respect to the use of prohibited substances and methods in sport that serves to protect the integrity of sport and the rights to clean athletes.
Resources:
AthleteZone – a hub for additional resources and information for athletes and their support personnel.
Global DRO – An online reference to check if your prescription or over-the-counter medications or treatments are banned by the WADA Prohibited List.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – WADA works towards a vision of a world where all athletes compete in a doping-free sporting environment.
True Sport Movement – a movement that is based on the simple idea that good sport can make a great difference.
CCES Contact Information:
Email: info@cces.ca
Call toll-free: 1-800-672-7775
Conflict Resolution
Coaches Canada – 5 Approaches to Conflict Management
SDRCC – Main Causes of Disputes and Prevention Strategies: A Must for Sport Administrators
SIRC – Resolving Conflict Within a Youth Sports Team
Coaching Through Conflict: Effective Communication Strategies
Risk Management
Risk Management is the process of identifying and evaluating the chance of loss or harm and then taking steps to combat the potential risk. A number of organizations have put together resources to assist the sport community in developing their own Risk Management protocols.
The Risk Management Guide, created by 2010 Legacies Now, is intended to help volunteers and staff of local sport organizations make better decisions. Designed for leaders, administrators and volunteers within sport organizations and sport clubs, the Risk Management Guide explains current risk management processes and how they can be applied within your organization.
The Canadian Centre for Ethics (CCES) in Sport has developed The Risk Management Projectas an initiative designed to help enhance the effectiveness of decision-making among sport leaders using a consistent, sport-specific, and integrated risk management process.
In addition to the Risk Management Project, the CCES has also compiled the Canadian Sport Risk Registry. A registry which contains a number of common risks and solutions sports leaders are faced with.
EARLY PREVENTION
Early intervention is the process of identifying and responding early to signs of high risk and/or inappropriate behaviour. You may observe these signs through the direct behaviour of an individual or through the change in personality and/or behaviour of the victim. One of the goals of early intervention is to prevent the escalation of serious issues and behaviours that could lead to a person being harmed.
See Something? Say Something.
Recognizing and responding to high risk behaviours or signs of abuse is part of our roles as leaders. If you witness inappropriate behaviour or behaviour that makes you uncomfortable it is your responsibility to say something, whether it is directly to the individual, a colleague or superior.
SAFESPORT EDUCATION
In Canada, all coaches, managers, IST, and administrative staff that are attending Field Hockey Canada activities both domestically and internationally must meet the following risk management requirements:
- Current Criminal Record Check (2 year renewal) vulnerable sector for those coaches working with minor atheltes.
- NCCP Making Ethical Decisions, and associated online evaluation.
- NCCP Making Headway in Sport eLearning Module
- NCCP SafeSport eLearning Module
RESPONSIBLE COACHING MOVEMENT
The Responsible Coaching Movement (RCM) is a multi-phase system-wide movement, coordinated by the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport that has the potential to affect all sport organizations and coaches. The RCM is a call to action for organizations to implement realistic change based on their individual state of readiness. The RCM is the result of extensive ongoing consultation with the Canadian Sport Community. These consultations will guide the different phases of the RCM that will address the role coaches play with issues relating to the health and safety of athletes, both on and off the field of play.
SCREENING
As of May 2018, Field Hockey Canada and our provincial partners have formed a national working group to create a standardized screening protocol for coaches, officials and other related parties.
FHC will be working with our provincial partners and other members to create a multi-tiered committee representing all areas of our community. This committee will create the standardized screening protocols. Please also refer to your provincial section’s screening policy for additional requirements.
Human Resources
Incorporating safe sport into your human resource practices
FHC believes that motivated and competent human resources – whether paid staff or volunteers – are key enablers of Safe Sport across Canada. The below information has been compiled to is provide tools and best practices to use while selecting and screening your team.
Job Posting
The Canadian Centre for Childhood Protection recommends that a job posting states your organization’s commitment to creating a safe environment and indicates that all applicants will be required to complete a thorough screening and interview process.
Candidate Assessment and Interviews
It is recommended that you use a selection panel of two or more people, rather than a single person, to assess whether candidates are suitable for your role and your organization. In addition to an interview, consider asking candidates to demonstrate their practical skills, either as part of the interview or in a separate session. Be aware that there are certain questions that you can’t ask candidates, such as about their age, their health or their family situation.
Pre-Employment Screening
Pre-employment screening is the final stage before you take on your new volunteer or employee. It is a critical step for any employer, but all that much more important in a world of safe sport. It includes items such as candidate references and background/police checks.
Reference Checks
As part of pre-employment screening, it is strongly recommended that you contact at least two job-related references. Here are some tips on how to incorporate safe sport into your reference check process.
