Advancing Sport Summit: Gender Equity in Sport

On March 11, viaSport welcomed almost 200 leaders from around the sector to engage in learning and discussion around advancing gender equity in sport in honour of International Women’s Day.

The event focused on how sport organizations can create and build upon their gender equity policies and implementation practices. Participants heard from inspiring expert panelists and engaged in strategic, collaborative discussions, which were supported by viaSport staff and the members of the newly-updated Girls and Women Advisory Group (GWAG). The diversity of representation in the room among genders, sports and organizations demonstrated a commitment to collective leadership and an appetite for change.

viaSport is grateful to the passionate speakers who took the stage to share their experiences, successes and challenges while working toward bringing greater equity to their organizations and communities:

• Rochelle Grayson, Board Member, Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS)
• Tina Strehlke, CEO, Minerva Foundation
• Jordan Abney, ED, BC School Sports
• Nicole Robb, ED, Ringette BC
• Rhian Wilkinson, Assistant Coach, Soccer Canada Women’s National Team and Head Coach, Whitecaps Elite Women

Participants utilized the viaSport worksheet, Embedding Gender Equity in Sport, as an aide to develop action plans for their organizations. This resulted in bold, promising practices and commitments and viaSport looks forward to revisiting the outcomes in the future.

Upcoming commitments to gender equity in B.C.

• Opening in April, the LeadForward Grant will fund up to $2,000 to local, multi or provincial sport organizations for training, educational or policy development activities that advance leadership opportunities for female leaders in sport
• Unconscious bias training for PSOs will be delivered by Assistant Deputy Minister of Gender Equity, Melanie Stewart, and hosted by viaSport in April