Our Commitment to Safe Sport
Vancouver Whitecaps FC believes that every child has the right to enjoy soccer in a safe and inclusive environment at every level and in every program, free from any form of abuse, bullying, discrimination, or harassment.
Developing and maintaining such an environment and ensuring the safety and protection of the youth in our programs is our highest priority.
A holistic approach to the physical, mental/psychological and emotional well-being of our athletes, staff, coaches, and administrators is delivered through five key channels:
- _Policies & Procedures - Comprehensive safe sport policies and procedures that are clear and easy to understand. Reviewed annually with relevant stakeholder groups for effectiveness.
- Training & Education - Mandatory safe sport training for all coaches and staff as a condition of their qualification to work with our club. Athletes receive program specific and age appropriate safe sport education.
- *Prevention _- Coach and staff recruitment process that employs multiple screening tools that including but not limited to disclosure forms, reference checks, criminal record checks, vulnerable sector checks, interviews, orientation, and monitoring.
- Reporting & Response *- Clear, independent reporting mechanisms for complaints and a fair and transparent resolution process.
- Continuous Development - Proactive evolution of our safe sport practices through the involvement of our independent safe sport advisory board, affiliations with leading safe sport organizations, and frequent engagement with athletes, parents, coaches, and staff.
What is abuse, bullying, discrimination or harassment?
As a member of Canada Soccer, Whitecaps FC adheres to the Canada Soccer Guide to Safety.
As per the Canada Soccer Guide to Safety, bullying is the severe or repeated use of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another individual that to a reasonably objective person has the effect of:
- causing physical or emotional harm to the other person or damage to the other person’s property;
- placing the other person in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property;
- creating a hostile environment for the other person at any soccer activity;
- infringing on the rights of the other person at any soccer activity; or
- materially and substantially disrupting the orderly operation of any soccer activity.