Know Better. Do Better.

For two-time downhill skiing Olympian, safe sport expert and sexual abuse survivor Allison Forsyth, the power to know better is a critical success factor in creating safe spaces at all levels of sport.  A key message Allison drove home at the second Safe Sport Lunch and Learn Series held in Aurora, Ontario's Public Library and presented in partnership by the Markham Pan Am Centre, the City of Markham, the Town of Aurora, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, and SeeWhatSheCanDo's Women Coaches Circle group. 

 

"95% of what is seen regarding safe sport could be eliminated through effective education and training" ~ Allison Forsyth

 

As a partner at ITP Sport & Recreation, Allison spends much of her professional time travelling across Canada supporting and speaking to sport organizations at all levels of sport sharing her safe sport expertise through her own powerful first-hand experiences as an elite-level athlete and as a sexual abuse survivor at the hands of her Olympic downhill ski racing coach. 

Allison's belief in the power of education and awareness building runs deep and certainly emphasized its value when stating that 95% of what is seen regarding safe sport could be eliminated through effective education and training of sport leaders, coaches, participants, volunteers, administrators and parents.

 

Safe Sport for All: Lunch and Learn with Allison Forsyth - Markham Pan Am Centre

 

For Allison, successfully creating safe sport spaces means providing education that goes far beyond simply teaching an organization's particular policies and procedures and/or implementing a universal code of conduct. It also must mean doing more than ticking to-do boxes while actively recognizing how one's own personal sport experiences and biases can shape what is thought to be appropriate when coaching, leading or guiding athletes and unintentionally comprimise the safety of athletes. 

Ultimately, organizational efforts must involve more informed, holistic, strategic and professional efforts that make all stakeholders accountable in creating safe sport. Greater education, personal awareness and access to easy to use safe sport tools (eg. a Safe Sport Club Checklist) will go a long way to creating more safe sport spaces and, ideally, more successful athletes who want to stay in sport. 

 

 

Connect with Allison Forsyth

Interested in having Allison speak to your sport organization or community?  You can reach her in the following ways:

1. LinkedIn

2. Twitter

3. Instagram

4. Email: aforsyth@itpsport.ca

 

Additional Links to Safe Sport Resources

Safe Sport - Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

• Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada
• Canadian Sport Helpline
• Responsible Coaching Movement

Abuse Free Sport - Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC)

Safe Sport Training - Coaching Association of Canada

Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) Safe Sport Resources Hub

 

 

 

SeeWhatSheCanDo

Head to the SWSCD Athlete Advisor, your online athletic business directory. Find, rate and review programs, local community offerings and businesses that will help you do your thing.  

Start a group around a physical activity in your neighbourhood. Explore events. Check out our SWSCD Hub.

Look for advice, stories, news and more on our Women and Coaches Circle activity page.  

Have a sport, recreation or physical activity accomplishment you'd like to celebrate and shout out through SWSCD?  Become a SWSCD member and share your story directly on SeeWhatSheCanDo. Or, simply add the hashtag #seewhatshecando to your public social media posts and SWSCD can help you inspire others around you.