Registration Deadline: April 20, 2023

InMotion Network, in collaboration with the Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (SPAR) Branch, are inviting provincial and regional organizations for a day of presentation and meaningful conversations on providing safe and welcoming environments.

Safe and welcoming environments and mental health are critical aspects of your organization's and participants' future in sport. Attendees can look forward to a day to learn, ask questions, and align with each other as leaders for our provincial sport system. You will walk away feeling more confident and clearer on where safe and welcoming environments are heading and how you can be an active champion in this space.

Registration: Provincial and regional organizations will be able to register a maximum of 2 individuals to attend this in person session. Lunch (soup, salad, sandwiches) will be provided.

Registration Deadline: April 20, 2023

Monday, April 24, 2023
Registration now closed
Rose Hall - Acadia Recreation Complex

Schedule

9:30 am – 4:00 pm

Get Set Up for Safe Sport Success 
Allison Forsyth/Ilan Yampolsky 

Lunch 

Mental Health & Wellbeing for AB Sport Leaders
Susan Cockle

Offered in partnership with InMotion Network and Sport Calgary

Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Registration now closed
ACT Aquatic & Recreation Centre - Social Room

Schedule

9:30 am – 4:00 PM pm

Get Set Up for Safe Sport Success 
Allison Forsyth/Ilan Yampolsky

Lunch 

Mental Health & Wellbeing for AB Sport Leaders
Susan Cockle

Offered in partnership with InMotion Network, City of Edmonton and Edmonton Sport Council

Session Descriptions:

Get Set Up for Safe Sport Success 
Speakers: Allison Forsyth and Ilan Yampolsky

Safe Sport is the commitment to creating and fostering a safe, healthy environment for all participants that by its cultural nature is free of maltreatment and abuse. Safe Sport is also a complex movement in sport, is new for many, and is evolving very quickly.

This session will provide participants with an overview of current developments within Safe Sport, providing tools and learnings that will set up organizations for success.  Creating focus on the "what else and what more" after having critical policies in place, the behaviour shifts needed by many, the governance and structure shifts needed, as well as the importance of independent complaint management.

The session will conclude with a foundational approach to creating a culture that your sport and organization can be proud of. Culture is more than just a list of values it is how each and every member shows up from the field of play to the boardroom.

Mental Health and Wellbeing for AB Sport Leaders
Speaker: Susan Cockle

Numerous stressors are currently showing up in our sport system which impact wellbeing and mental health. This 2-hour session will provide participants with information, strategies and tools to manage mental health and improve communication in the sport environment.

  • As sport leaders, we are managing numerous and complex stressors, including mental health concerns. This session will explore mental health in more detail. We will learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health concerns and develop strategies and tools to manage stress and enhance mental health.
  • Managing challenging conversations is stressful. Learn how to move from not knowing what to say or reacting ineffectively, to responding well. Learn how to have a courageous conversation; use empathy and work effectively toward resolution.
  • Prevention matters. Learn how to invest in a culture of wellbeing. Create a wellness plan to build resilience and optimize wellbeing for yourself, and to encourage and support those around you.

Speaker Bios:

Allison Forsyth

Allison is a partner in ITP Sport, a Safe Sport agency. ITP is Canada's only full service Safe Sport programming and consulting agency. They offer organizations services ranging from prevention programming to independent complaint management. Living through her own sexual abuse in the sport system, Allison became an advocate for change and has used her voice, skills, and passion to lead critical changes in the Canadian sport system. She is a proud board member of AthletesCAN, has supported the CCES in the development of the Universal Code of Conduct, and acted as an athlete advocate in the development of the CAC Safe Sport training and education. Allison aims to make sport a safe, positive place for athletes of all levels, driven by her experience and her commitment for a better future in sport for her three young children.

Ilan Yampolsky

Passionate. Protective. Persuasive. These three words describe the Founder of ITP Sport, Ilan Yampolsky, one of Canada’s leading voices in safe sport. In 2018, he saw the need for an independent organization that could come alongside national, provincial and grassroots sport and recreation organizations, to prevent maltreatment and protect organizations and their members. In establishing ITP Sport and Recreation, he has developed one of the foremost teams in the country, with extensive experience and expertise at all levels of safeguarding in sport and other youth organizations. It is more than his work. It is his passion.

Susan Cockle

Susan Cockle is a Mental Performance Consultant, professional member of the Canadian Sport Psychology Association and Registered Psychologist with over 2 decades of experience.  She works in private practice in Edmonton, AB. – Treaty 6 Territory,  and is the Mental Health Lead for the Canadian Paralympic Committee (Tokyo, Beijing, Santiago, Paris).  Susan also provided Mental Health support for the Canadian Olympic Committee in Beijing 2022.  Susan consults on mental performance and mental health for various National Sports Organizations. Susan is certified by Sport Scientist Canada, as a High Performance Practitioner at the Senior Level. And is a practitioner with the Canadian Centre for Mental Health and Sport.  She has prepared athletes and coaches for 5 Olympic and 2 Paralympic Games.  Susan is particularly interested in supporting both mental performance and mental health in High Performance sport, to aid in sport performance and quality of life.