A Focus on Capacity Building
There are many excellent resources that exist promoting gender equity in sport, though fewer dedicated to the topic of facility use and design. Three of our commitments in developing this project are to:
- ensure that we are sourcing, promoting and disseminating existing tools that currently address, in part, or in their entirety, the topics of facility use and design;
- create a Toolkit as a support to training and education, and not as the final end product, where so many Toolkits already exist;
- ensure that we recognize and address the common challenges that many communities face regarding gender equity in recreational sport while, at the same time, honouring their unique circumstances.
With these commitments in mind, and in consideration of the findings of the data collection efforts, it was determined that this project would focus on capacity building for recreation professionals in four distinct areas:
- Organizational Culture
- Community Engagement
- Facility Design
- Evaluation
Further, we will address the role of leadership within each of these four areas of focus as a key ingredient to address gender equity.
In taking this approach, we are seeking to put the emphasis less on a prescriptive approach to implementing changes, and more on the importance of providing a strong foundation, built on the distinct and unique characteristics of neighbourhoods and communities, to tackle gender equity in recreational sport at the community level.
To start you off on this learning journey, learn more about how to evaluate your capacity using the “Gender Equity Temperature Check” tool. This tool will help you determine where your strengths lie on this issue and guide you to the tools and topics that will be most relevant to you. However, you are always welcome to view and use all the tools in any section of the toolkit.
