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On the sidelines, a role that matters

A 90-minute training session for parents of young athletes, in every sport.

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Parents have a front-row seat to what happens on the sidelines, and they are the adults their children trust most. This 90-minute training session gives them the bearings, the words and the contacts to be an entourage that protects, in every sport.

Who it is for

For parents of children and teenagers who play a sport in a club, whatever the sport and whatever the level. The training is also aimed at grandparents, step-parents and anyone who regularly accompanies a young person to the sidelines.

It is organised at the request of a club, a federation or any other organisation that runs a sports activity, which invites its parents.

What parents take home with them

  • A clear understanding of what their child experiences on the field and of what they expect from them, at every age.
  • Concrete reactions for heated moments, worked out from real situations.
  • The basics of safeguarding: recognising the signs that set in, opening up the conversation, knowing who to turn to and how to react if a young person confides in them.
  • A memo sheet to keep, a mental health recognition tool, and a personal commitment chosen at the end of the session.

The programme in 90 minutes

1
What really happens on the sidelines. The figures (from Belgium), the downward spiral for referees and the final cost for the children.
2
Why parents lose control. The mechanisms that make a well-meaning adult lose their temper, and what children really perceive of their parents.
3
A role that changes with age. What helps a 7-year-old, a pre-teen, a teenager who is specialising.
4
Workshop: the heated moments. Four situations discussed in small groups.
5
The parent as a member of the entourage. Their role: recognising the signs, opening up the conversation, naming the five forms of abuse, reporting rather than investigating, and reacting if a young person confides in them.
6
What works, and your commitment. The actions by clubs and federations that produce results.

The long version, in two sessions

For clubs and federations that want to go further, the training also exists as two one-hour sessions. It covers the six steps above and adds four parts.

7
How parents and children perceive things. This part compares the way parents perceive their own gestures, words and attitudes on the sidelines with what their children take away from them.
8
The entourage according to research. What six studies teach us about the influence of parents, coaches, teammates and siblings on a young athlete's journey.
9
Protecting day to day. A young athlete's sources of stress, competition day and sleep, the risk factors to know, the limits an adult sets to protect themselves, and looking after yourself as a parent.
10
The integrity of competition. The four rules to know, the faces of competition manipulation, who may approach a young person and how, and what a parent does if they have a doubt.

The second session ends with a complete overview of what works in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (Belgium), in other sports and abroad.

What the training is based on

  • The IOC's Athlete365 courses for the athlete entourage (Mindful Mentors, Beyond Performance, safeguarding, integrity of competition) and its safeguarding and mental health frameworks.
  • Academic studies, as well as action plans and reports from federations and clubs.
  • International research on parents, coaches, teammates and siblings.
  • The actions that produce results, in Belgium and elsewhere.

Three formats

Online

The remote session

A 90-minute session by video call for the parents of your club or your federation. Small-group discussions take place in breakout rooms, and the teaching materials are sent by e-mail.

Ideal for federations that bring together parents from several clubs, and for clubs whose parents are spread out. Up to 60 participants.

In person

The session in your club

A 90-minute session on your premises. Parents work in small groups and leave with the teaching materials handed out on site. A discussion with the committee can take place before or after the session.

Ideal for a club that wants to bring its parents together at the start of the season, or for a local authority that invites several clubs. Up to 40 participants.

Train-the-trainer

The training becomes yours

For a club, a federation or any other organisation that runs a sports activity and wants to deliver this training itself, as many times as it wishes. Actitude 360 first runs a session for a group of your parents, with the person or people you have chosen to take over the facilitation in attendance. These people then run a second session with Actitude 360 at their side, giving them detailed feedback. The training is then yours: you receive the facilitator's guide and the teaching materials, in digital format, with the right to use them and adapt them to your sport and your context.

Ideal for a federation that wants to offer the training to all its clubs, or for a club that wants to deliver it every season to its new parents. Updates to the guide are provided for one year.

The price depends on the format chosen and on your organisation. We tell you from the first conversation.

Frequently asked questions

Is the training specific to football?

No. The examples, testimonies and actions come from every sport, and the workshop works just as well in hockey, gymnastics or judo as in football, in a club as well as in a federation.

Do parents need to prepare anything?

Nothing. They come with their experience of the sidelines, and that is the material for the workshop.

How far in advance should we book?

Three weeks are enough to organise the invitation to parents; an invitation template is provided.

Can the training be longer?

Yes. A complete version in two sessions develops the protection of young people, the integrity of competition and six research studies on the athlete entourage. Actitude 360 adapts to your request: the length, the content and the format are discussed with you.

What about coaches and club officials?

The training is aimed at parents. Clubs that want to go further can start with the free self-assessment "From intention to action" and discover the tools in the resource centre.

Want to bring your parents together this season?

Write to geraldine@actitude360.com or request a session in one click. Together, let's make sport a responsible and caring place.

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