Background
The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (“SDRCC”) is a not-for-profit service organization created by the Physical Activity and Sport Act (S.C. 2003, c.2) (the “Act”) with the mandate to provide to the sport community a) a national alternative dispute resolution service for sport disputes; and b) expertise and assistance regarding alternative dispute resolution. On July 6, 2021, the Government of Canada designated the SDRCC to deliver an independent safe sport mechanism at the national level. As a result, the Abuse-Free Sport program and the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (“OSIC”) were created and began operations on June 20, 2022. The OSIC is a functionally independent division of the SDRCC that administers the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (the “UCCMS”) under the Abuse-Free Sport program. More specifically, the Abuse-Free Sport Legal Aid Program provides eligible individuals with free and confidential access to a lawyer who can provide advice at each key stages of the Abuse-Free Sport Complaint Management process and the first stage of the Sport Environment Assessment process.
Call for Applications
Abuse-Free Sport is seeking to recruit more Canadian-based service providers, to provide legal services to eligible clients using relevant Abuse-Free Sport services. Specifically, this call is targeted toward lawyers specialized in matters of maltreatment, human rights, child protection, employment law, criminal and administration law. The mandate for these positions would begin in February or March 2024.
Candidates should be aware that Abuse-Free Sport proceedings are often urgent in nature, with little or no advance notice. The service providers will be remunerated for their services in accordance with the terms of the Abuse-Free Sport Legal Aid Program Legal Counsel Agreement. The fee is currently $350 for each one-hour consultation.
The selection process will be completed no later than March 2024. Successful candidates will be required to attend a mandatory orientation session and have reviewed all documentation provided.
Selection Criteria
Candidates shall be selected based on the following criteria:
1. Valid credentials as lawyers compliant with laws in their province/territory of practice;
2. Relevant expertise and experience;
3. Trauma-informed training, experience involving minors, human rights and/or in the context of sport;
4. Independence from Canadian sport organizations;
5. Experience in using technology to provide advice;
6. Canada’s regional, cultural and gender diversity; and
7. Bilingualism will be considered an asset.
Abuse-Free Sport will take into consideration the interest expressed by all candidates, but has full discretion to decide how many and whom from the pool of candidates will be invited for interviews and/or constitute the Abuse-Free Sport Legal Aid roster.
Required Information
Candidates must submit the following documents:
1. The Abuse-Free Sport Legal Aid Roster Application Form completed and signed;
2. A cover letter (1 page) expressing their interest in joining the OSIC Legal Aid roster and, explaining their relevant training, experience and expertise for such, with an emphasis on how your skills and experience will contribute to ensuring that the program is effective and that it is responsive to clients’ particular needs including: i) addressing trauma and ii) displaying healthy self-care skills given that the conversations may be emotionally-charged and triggering.
3. A resume setting out:
o their experience, as applicable;
o their knowledge of and involvement or experience in the Canadian amateur sport system;
4. Copies or proofs of:
o credentials to provide legal advice (licenses, accreditations, bar membership, etc.);
o relevant training completed (diplomas, certificates, etc.);
o current valid liability insurance specifically covering legal work
Application Process
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the following before applying:
The website of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner
The website of the Legal Aid Program
Abuse-Free Sport Policies & Procedures
Applications must be received no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on February 2, 2024 and include all the documents required. Incomplete applications will not be considered. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure that the application is received.
Interested candidates should send their complete application by email at support-soutien@osic-bcis.ca. All documents and information provided by the applicants will be handled in confidentiality and in compliance with the SDRCC Protection of Privacy Policy.
Upon initial review of an application, Abuse-Free Sport reserves the right to contact candidates to request additional information prior to finalizing the selection.
Incomplete applications will not be subject to further follow up
Unless the context otherwise requires, words importing a particular gender shall include all genders.