Volunteers can play an important role in creating safer sport settings

Volunteers are the lifeblood of sport.

This is especially true in youth athletics, where parents, siblings, and community members are also the coaches, officials, and league organizers. The U.S. Center for SafeSport offers an online training designed specifically for volunteers who generously give their time but might not have the knowledge or skills to spot, prevent, and respond to misconduct in sport. “SafeSport for Volunteers: Abuse Awareness and Prevention Essentials” is a free, 15-minute course that covers:

- How to recognize types of abuse and misconduct in sport environments

- Best practices for one-on-one interactions between adults and minors

- How to identify situations that should be reported

The training lays out definitions and scenarios for bullying, harassment, physical abuse, and child sexual abuse, among other misconduct. It also offers policy guidance on limiting one-on-one adult-minor interactions, including the idea that such interactions be “observable and interruptible.” The final piece of the puzzle is knowing how to respond when confronted with an instance of abuse or misconduct.

The Volunteer course is just one of more than a dozen interactive trainings offered by the Center. The SafeSport? Trained Core course, for example, is required within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is a must-see for anyone with a role in sport.

The Center has delivered millions of trainings since our inception in 2017, with a goal of surpassing 5 million by the end of 2023. Be part of the solution. Get SafeSport? Trained and join our mission to end abuse in sport. Interested in the Volunteer Course? Contact our team to discuss rate options for you or your organization. Check out our full catalog of SafeSport courses here.

SafeSport Courses for All | U.S. Center for SafeSport (uscenterforsafesport.org)

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