Safe Participation
Safety is the basis of success in sport. For everyone to play and work at their best they need to be safe. Safe participation ensures everyone can be present and fully engage with their sport. Only together, will we create more respectful and safer sport experiences for everyone.
Why is Safe Participation Important
People and organizations thrive when activities are safe, accessible, and inclusive — when activities are physically, psychologically, emotionally, and culturally safe. Everyone who takes part in organized physical activity, recreation, or sport deserves to have safe experiences. Safety is essential for new and existing participants and coaches to feel confident about their sport experiences. Providing a safe experience for all participants is the fundamental responsibility of sport organizations and helps them reduce their risk. Practicing safe participation is a shared commitment by all in the amateur sport system — participants, coaches, and organizations.
Understanding Safe Participation
Safe participation is all-encompassing, referring to four types of safety – physical, emotional, psychological, and cultural. The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation Council (I-SPARC) has developed a holistic approach to safe participation that supports this understanding. viaSport’s safe participation principles align with I-SPARC’s approach.
How viaSport Supports Safe Participation
viaSport is committed to leading a culture that prioritizes positive sport experiences that are safe for everyone in BC. We work with our Designated Sport Organizations to ensure they have mechanisms in place to make and promote safe and inclusive sport environments. viaSport provides tools that enable everyone to foster positive experiences in sport and recreation.
*Until the time the new entity is operational, each Designated Sport Organization has their own process to manage reports about concerns and complaints.
For more information, please contact safesport@viasport.ca
