Skate Canada – OTTAWA, ON: Skate Canada is pleased to announce that it will now be offering the Respect in Sport Activity Leader Program to all coaches, officials and team leaders. The training is part of Skate Canada’s Safe Sport programing and the Responsible Coaching Movement. The launch of the training comes in conjunction with Pink Shirt Day, a national anti-bullying awareness day.

“We are very proud to be offering this training and to be one of the first national sporting organizations to do so in Canada. It confirms our dedication to safe sport and creating an inclusive environment for all of our members,” said Debra Armstrong, CEO, Skate Canada. “The Respect in Sport Activity Leader Program will give our skating community the opportunity to develop their skillsets and further build a culture of respect throughout our clubs and schools.”

Skate Canada has taken a leading role in the Safe Sport Movement. The organization will be one of the first in Canada to offer this training to all coaches, officials and team leaders and has been critical in the development of the Responsible Coaching Movement. Skate Canada will also be providing a 24/7 resource line that will provide advice on responding to inappropriate behavior. This confidential and anonymous call line is intended to assist in determining the most appropriate course of action to take.

“Respect Group is honoured to partner with Skate Canada on the implementation of our Respect in Sport programming. It’s all about prevention and a proactive approach to child protection. It may sound easy but that is not always the case. We applaud Skate Canada for their leadership,” said Sheldon Kennedy, Co-Founder, Respect Group and Lead Director at the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre.

Respect Group has created critical abuse prevention education with the Respect in Sport Activity Leader Program. This easy-to-use online training enables sport and community organizations to create a safer, more ethical environment by providing essential information to each organization’s critical stakeholders. The program is for all stages of development, from the grassroots to the elite level.

“Already a Champion of the Responsible Coaching Movement, Skate Canada has demonstrated great leadership within the sport community to ensure athlete safety both on and off the field of play. This agreement with Respect in Sport is another example of what a sport organization can do to assure parents they are enrolling their children in clubs that have the best standards of care for athletes,” Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO, Coaching Association of Canada.

The Respect in Sport Activity Leader Program is now available online for all Skate Canada coaches, officials and team leaders. This initiative is a step forward in Skate Canada’s goal and commitment to be the leading Safe Sport organization in Canada and the world.

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Respect Group
Respect Group was incorporated on April 5th, 2004 by co-founders, Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, to pursue their common passion; the prevention of abuse, bullying and harassment. Respect Group has enlisted internationally acclaimed curriculum partner, the Canadian Red Cross (Respect Education), and created a best-in-class e-learning platform, designed for mass consumption. Expert content and a professional on-line certification model round out Respect Group’s fully outsourced risk management/behavior change solutions for sport, schools and the workplace.

The Responsible Coaching Movement
The Responsible Coaching Movement 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.  Resulting from extensive ongoing consultation with the Canadian Sport Community, the RCM encourages the commitment and implementation of supportive policies to ensure the safety and protection of athletes and coaches, both on and off the field of play.  For more information, visit www.coach.ca/ResponsibleCoaching