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NEW AND REVISED SWIM BC POLICIES

June 22, 2022

The Swim BC Policy Committee has been working diligently this year reviewing and recommending new policies to the Swim BC Board.  At the recent Board of Directors meeting 4 new and/or revised policies were passed, meaning all members of Swim BC are now responsible to become familiar with these policies.  They are as follows:

Code of Conduct and Ethics
A revision of a current Code, this version aligns with current safe sport standards.  The section referring to “Coaches, Instructors, Trainers, and Athlete Support Personnel” is much more detailed than our previous “Code” – coaches are encouraged to become very familiar with this document.  We’ve also addressed better definitions to assist in clarity and interpreting the document.

Athlete Protection Policy
This a new Swim BC policy intended to “Persons in Authority” assist in maintaining a safe sport environment for all athletes.  All members are strongly advised to become familiar with this policy – we introduce new organizational behaviours and expectations such as the “Rule of Two”, rules around communications and physical contact.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Policy 
This is a revision of an existing policy, updated to replace the previous Dispute Resolution Policy.  Alternative Dispute Resolution is a key tool and the first step in addressing any complaint that may come to Swim BC

Discipline and Complaints Policy
This is also a revision to an existing Swim BC policy.  This version provides clearer procedural mechanisms and outlines the investigative procedure Swim BC may use to better understand a complaint.  This version of the policy is much better aligned to the current practice of safe sport.

Please remember, that policies are the rules that bind us as a member organization in a common approach to the conduct of our sport.  These “rules” state what behaviour is acceptable, and what is not, and they make provision for consistent and clear decision-making.  In the end, safe sport policies inform us all as to what is and is not acceptable and permit us when we see something not aligned with our rules, to say something.