For everyone

There we are! Your child absolutely wants to swim in his best friend’s swimming club. What should you consider before signing him up for the season? What questions should you ask the organization to ensure your child’s security and a positive practice of his sport? Policies and procedures Does the organization have a prevention policy for the protection of children, displayed and easily accessible? All sports organizations must provide a child protection policy. This policy must include a clear procedure to manage any situation involving misbehaviour or any risk of abuse (physical, psychological and/or sexual). If such measures do not exist, invite the organization to implement various preventive measures. To learn more, Sport’Aide invites you to go to Sportbienetre.ca. Does…

Picture: Marc-André Donato, photographer During a recent trip to Quebec City to meet college-level athletes, Patrice Bernier took the opportunity to stop at the Sport’Aide offices to share his journey with us, the obstacles he encountered and the message that he gives to young people as an Ambassador of Good Sportsmanship. Believe in your dreams without omitting reality Even though Patrice began practicing sports at age 4, it wasn’t until age 14 that he really began to believe in the potential he had to become an elite athlete and possibly live his passion one day. without however knowing in which sport his dream would come true. Patrice is a great example of an athlete who developed practicing multiple sports, since…

The grounds for reporting a situation to the Director of Youth Protection (DYP): In Québec, the Youth Protection Act (YPA) governs the various legal obligations related to the security and development of children. Even though it is the parents who have the primary responsibility for their children’s well-being, unfortunately certain situations require the intervention of the Director of Youth Protection (DYP). An important detail: here the term child includes any individual under 18 years of age, including adolescents. That said, the DYP’s role is to intervene when a child’s security or development is in danger. The grounds are factual situations that trigger the obligation to report the situation to the DYP. The YPA provides 6 main grounds: if the child…

During this 29th National Suicide Prevention Week, under the theme Talking About Suicide Saves Lives, the social networks and media will flood us with important statistics related to this sad reality. According to the most recent studies by the National Institute of Public Health, the suicide rate for men is 3 times higher than that of women. The rate is highest among 50-64-year-olds, with both sexes being affected equally. A troubling fact, from 2013 to 2015, of the deaths reported among men between age 15 and 34, one-third were by suicide. Even though we are aware of these facts, some of the people we know still say things like: “Yes, but what can I say or do if someone tells…

The "Bell Let’s Talk" day is a powerful lever to break the isolation and overcome certain taboos surrounding mental health and mental illness. Indeed, "87% of Canadians reported that they are more aware of mental health issues since Bell Let’s Talk began." (Bell Let’s Talk, 2019). It has made a significant contribution to promoting mental health in the country. On the occasion of this day, we are taking a brief moment to discuss the major contribution that practicing sports has on mental health. "Numerous studies suggest that the increased benefits for mental health and the reduction in the risk of mental illness are observed as the dose of physical activity increases." (Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, INSPQ, 2019).…

Causes and solutions Now that you know what distinguishes cyberbullying and its consequences, now let’s try to understand why people indulge in this practice and what to do about it. Even though the causes associated with traditional bullying can also be found in cyberbullying, research still shows distinct elements as to the factors that could explain why this problem continues to grow and why a person indulges in this practice. This research evokes the feeling of impunity associated with anonymity, since, unfortunately, there is little chance that the people behind these aggressions are ever penalized. There is also the question of spontaneity which incites aggressors to act on the basis of emotion, for lack of having taken the time to…

The loss by the Canadian team in the quarter finals of the most recent junior world hockey championship has once again demonstrated that social media can unfortunately be misused, reminding us that the problem of cyberbullying has grown exponentially in the last decade (Smith & Berkkun, 2017). After missing a penalty shot in overtime against Finland, Maxime Comtois was exposed to a full-blown cyberbullying session. A sad episode similar to what Quebec speedskater Kim Boutin experienced during the last Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. That said, what characterizes cyberbullying or cyberhate versus so-called traditional bullying? Are the causes the same? What are the consequences? And most of all, how do you prevent and address this issue? Etc. All these questions have…

As the Holiday Season approaches, the Sport'Aide team has prepared a list of books to feed the dreams of your inner athlete... Le manuel de l'entraîneur sportif Linda Morency & al. Whether you are starting out as a coach or not, or you revolve around the sports field, in Le manuel de l’entraîneur sportif you will find answers to a large number of questions on the development of the coach and the athlete, such as: “How do I improve my efficiency as a coach? What foods are recommended before a competition? How to manage relationships with the parents of athletes? What specific challenges does a coach face?” NB: In French only Agressé sexuellement : de victime à résilient Alain Fortier…

When you contact the Sport’Aide team, someone will be there to listen to you, support you and advise you according to your situation. That said, there are also complementary services to help you according to different situations. Do not hesitate to use them!   I am a victim of sexual violence … I have witnessed sexual violence… Sexual violence can take many forms and may or may not include physical contact. Sexual harassment is the subtlest type and can come in the form of words, acts or behaviours of a sexual nature. If you believe you are a victim or if you witness sexual violence, contact the CALACS in your region or the Ligne d’écoute, d’information et de référence pour les…

Today, Sport’Aide introduces Alain Fortier, who recently shared his story with us as a victim of sexual assault. Frank and direct, this father of two children who has had a career in financing for some twenty years, exposed us to the vision and path of a victim who has been able to give a whole other meaning to his assaults over the years. Resilience fulfilling a mission “Peppered with highs and lows, this was not an easy process by any means. At the same time, it allowed me to learn a great deal about myself and come out stronger,” states the founder of VASAM (victimes d’agressions sexuelles au masculin – TRADUCTION: male victims of sexual assault). Far from positioning himself as…