Tapping into the evidence: The Sport Canada Research Initiative Conference
Wednesday, October 31, 2018 - 09:00
This year marks the 12th Sport Canada Research Initiative (SCRI) Conference, hosted by SIRC. First held in 2005, the SCRI Conference provides an opportunity for the Canadian sport sector to connect with sport-related resaerchers. The conference program is designed to engage key stakeholders, share research and evidence to inform decision-making, and ultimately enhance the impact and performance of the Canadian sport sector.
To check out this year’s program, click here.
Building the evidence
A core component of the SCRI conference is the profile of research funded through the Sport Participation Research Initiative (SPRI). SPRI is a collaboration between Sport Canada and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), designed to support the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy by funding research on matters related to enhancing participation in sport in Canada. Through presentations, facilitated discussions and poster boards, delegates have diverse opportunities to engage with the research.
Translating evidence into practice
SIRC has worked over the years to ensure conference content and discussion focuses on practical application. SIRC CEO Debra Gassewitz explains, “The ‘So what?’ question drives all of the work at SIRC. During SCRI panel presentations, senior leaders are recruited to respond to research presentations, discussing how the findings can be used to inform policy and practice. This provides an opportunity for delegates to consider how they can apply the research in their own context.”
Informing the research
The SCRI conference also provides an opportunity for researchers to hear from practitioners about their evidence needs. The Sport Practitioners’ Panel provide an opportunity for sport organizations to share emerging issues and key questions that could benefit from the expertise of researchers. Increasingly, sport organizations are establishing formalized relationships with researchers to lead research and evaluation activities to inform strategy and practice.
See you in Ottawa
This year’s conference is lining up to be one of the best!
- Dynamic panel presentations on a variety of topics, including bias in high performance sport; the sport and physical activity experiences of Indigenous youth; findings from the Monitoring Activities of Teenagers to Comprehend their Habits (MATCH) study; and the role of social capital in community sport organizations.
- Capacity building through a knowledge mobilization workshop and profile of a new initiative supporting the OCAP Principles (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession).
- Twenty poster presentations.
- And MORE!
