What Men Can Do
As a man you have an important role to play in supporting
the participation and leadership of girls and women in sport
and physical activity. Be a champion for girls and women take
action through one or more of the practical ideas below.
- Speak Up! – Be vocal about equitable
access for girls and women with respect to programs, facilities,
equipment, quality coaching, leadership opportunities, media
coverage, etc. Question policies and practices that limit
girls’ and women’s participation and leadership
in sport and physical activity, and throughout Canadian
society.
- Celebrate Women Athletes – Make
attending or watching a women’s sport event an event
for the whole family. Attend or tune in to a professional
game or national, provincial or territorial championship;
or cheer on a local university, college or high school team.
- Train And Certify Women Coaches And Officials
– Provide women-only coaching and officiating courses,
and promote other training and certification opportunities
in your community and sport. Increase gender equity on the
field by supporting the hiring/selection of women as coaches
and officials. Connect women with the resources and opportunities
available through the Coaching Association of Canada’s
Women
and Coaching Program and National
Coaching Certification Program (NCCP).
- Recruit Women Leaders – Ensure
there are many female voices representing the interests
of both women and men on any Boards with which you are involved.
CAAWS’ Women
on Boards: A Guide to Getting Involved provides practical
information for women, and details the organizational benefits
of women’s involvement. Host a CAAWS Women
and Leadership Workshop to increase the skills, networks
and confidence of women colleagues.
- Pay-It-Forward and Mentor – Invite
women colleagues to attend meetings and events to build
their skills, expand their networks, and increase their
knowledge of your organization and the sport and physical
activity system. Share your experiences, discuss their challenges,
and address systemic barriers that may be limiting their
involvement. “A lot of people have gone further
than they thought they could, because someone else thought
they could” (unknown).
- Invite Women to share their expertise
and experiences at conferences and events as keynote speakers
and session presenters, and facilitate introductions of
women to members of your network to help them connect.
- Nominate Women Leaders for awards and
recognition programs such as the annual CAAWS Most
Influential Women in Sport and Physical Activity List
(it is a quick and easy process); the YWCA’s Women
of Distinction Awards; community service awards; or
community, provincial/territorial, national and international
sport and physical activity awards. Nominate women athletes,
coaches, officials and builders for Sport Halls of Fame.
- Communicate Opportunities – Share
information about upcoming training events, funding opportunities,
and new resources to ensure women are “in the loop”
on ways to advance their career, secure financial resources
for an important project, and are up to date with advancements
in the field. Tap into funds dedicated to supporting girls
and women as participants and leaders, such as the CAAWS
Stacey
Levitt Women and Sport Memorial Scholarship; the CAAWS
WISE
Fund; and ProMOTION Plus’ Girls
only Incentive Program (in BC). Utilize other available
funding to support efforts to engage girls and women, through
organizations such as True
Sport Foundation; Heart
& Stroke Foundation; and Canadian
Heritage.
- Educate Yourself And Others –
Know the facts about the barriers girls and women confront,
and their experiences as participants and leaders. Attend
a CAAWS workshop or download one of CAAWS’ practical
resources to find out more and take action.
- Promote The CAAWS
WOMEN AND LEADERSHIP NETWORK to women leaders
in your community. The Network is an online community where
women leaders can connect, build their skills, share ideas,
discuss issues, find solutions, and take action. Membership
provides access to information, resources and advice from
women leaders in sport and physical activity in Canada.
More Resources
Other CAAWS Programs and Initiatives
On
the Move
Mothers
in Motion
Physical
Activity for Women 55-70
Women
and Leadership Program
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