Coaching Association of Canada

Published purpose

Through this 33-month project, Coaching Association of Canada will scale its social learning initiative, Alberta Women in Sport Leadership Impact Program’s (AWiSL) Community of Practice (CoP), in order to affect sport system change and advance women’s equality, leadership development and diversity, and knowledge transfer. The project will scale its initiative at local and national levels across Canada, targeting key organizations and stakeholders to participate in the Community of Practice (CoP) and mentorship program in coaching for racialized women, women with disabilities, Indigenous women, and newcomer women. The CoP will provide sport organizations with a step-by-step approach to plan, train, design, implement, assess, and maintain a CoP, focused on supporting long-term change. The project will engage organizations in advancing women in coaching through raising awareness, education opportunities, access to expert presenters and practical experiences, training, evaluation, knowledge sharing and legacy documentation including policy changes, new programs, conference presentations and publications. With the Supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the Coaching Association of Canada will strengthen and scale the Advancing Women in Coaching Mentorship and Communities of Practice initiative by updating mentorship training and resources, equipping sport administrators with standardized tools and policies, and strengthening pathways for women coaches’ progression into paid leadership roles across the Canadian sport system. Building on the outcomes and partnerships established through the initial project, this extension will help address systemic barriers to women’s advancement in coaching and contribute to lasting progress toward gender equality.