Creating a safe, respectful and inclusive sport environment is not the responsibility of one person. It takes athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, parents, administrators and everyone around the table working together.
At Table Tennis North, Safe Sport is part of how we deliver and grow our sport across the Northwest Territories. Our goal is simple, every participant should be able to enjoy Table Tennis in an environment where they feel safe, welcomed, respected and supported. This commitment reflects Table Tennis North’s broader values of participation, integrity, accessibility, teamwork and community partnership.
Putting Safeguards Into Practice
Safe Sport requires more than having policies written on a website. It means putting safeguards into practice throughout our programs, clubs, competitions, travel and other activities.
Our approach includes several important areas:
Screening and Background Checks
Screening requirements are based on an individual’s role, level of responsibility and access to vulnerable participants. Depending on the position, this can include Enhanced Police Information Checks, Vulnerable Sector Checks, references and disclosure forms, along with ongoing screening and renewal.
The Rule of Two
We follow the Rule of Two to the maximum extent possible. The principle is designed to ensure interactions with participants, particularly minors, are open, observable and justifiable. Athletes should not be placed in situations where they are alone one-on-one with an unrelated Person in Authority.
Code of Conduct and Ethics
Everyone involved with Table Tennis North is expected to contribute to a respectful environment. Our expectations address appropriate behaviour and prohibit maltreatment, bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Training and Education
Education helps prevent problems before they happen. Coaches, officials, volunteers and others in positions of responsibility may be expected to complete role-appropriate education, including Safe Sport training, Respect in Sport, concussion education and other relevant NCCP training.
Athlete Protection
Safe Sport also means thinking about the everyday situations surrounding sport. Communication with athletes, travel, changing areas, photography and video, physical contact and one-on-one interactions all require clear expectations and appropriate boundaries.
Reporting and Response
Participants need to know that they can speak up when something does not feel right. Concerns should be taken seriously, reviewed fairly and handled as confidentially as possible. Retaliation against someone for raising a concern is not acceptable.
Parents Should Feel Comfortable Asking Questions
Parents and guardians are important partners in Safe Sport.
We want families to ask questions such as: Who is responsible for my child? Have the adults working with athletes been appropriately screened? What is the Rule of Two? How do coaches communicate with athletes? What are the expectations during travel and overnight stays? What happens in locker rooms or changing areas? How do I report a concern? Who can my child speak with if something does not feel right?
Asking these questions is not a challenge to a coach or organization. It is part of creating a healthy sport environment.
Safe Sport Starts With All of Us
Policies, screening and training provide an important foundation, but ultimately the culture of our sport is created by the people participating in it.
We respect each other. We play fair. We speak up. We look out for one another.
Table Tennis has the ability to bring people of different ages, abilities and communities together. As we continue creating opportunities across the Northwest Territories, we also want to make sure the environments surrounding those opportunities are ones in which people feel they belong. Table Tennis North’s programming is built around creating accessible, welcoming and inclusive opportunities throughout the territory.
Safe Table Tennis. Stronger Together.
