Canada Games aiming for ‘Good Vibes Only’ at St. John’s 2025 and past

When it involves the ambiance across the 2025 Canada Games in St. John’s, there’s solely room for one kind of perspective: Good Vibes Only.

That’s not only a catchphrase, it is the title of the group’s secure sport consciousness marketing campaign.

Canada Games president and CEO Kelly-Ann Paul stated ‘Good Vibes Only’ is a part of her workforce’s effort to vary how individuals view secure sport coverage, which is about making a taking part in area freed from harassment, abuse and discrimination.

“[With] safe sports, there’s a lot of negative connotation about where things have come from, right? You know, ‘don’t do this. You can’t say that. No more harassment, no more bullying, no more bad language. No more hazing.’,” Paul stated.

“There’s been a lot of, ‘don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t, don’t,’ and not a lot of explanation of what to do, how to treat people, how sports should feel.”

The Good Vibes Only marketing campaign consists of video messaging that encourages individuals to talk up for secure sport. The first video options distinguished Canada Games alumni Kylie Masse, Charles Hamelin, Allison Forsyth and Woody Belfort.

Paul stated the Canada Games Council has been working with Generation Safe — a secure sport schooling group began by Olympic alpine skier Forsyth, who turned an advocate after dwelling by way of her personal sexual abuse within the sport system.

“To have an impact, we have to call out maltreatment when we see it,” Forsyth stated in an announcement. “Canada Games participants are at a key stage in their development and athletic journeys, and this campaign will elevate their awareness about maltreatment in sport. As a community — athletes, parents, coaches, officials and administrators — we loudly need to expect better and rally together to keep sport safe for all.”

Stream dwell motion from the 2025 Canada Games on CBCSports.ca, CBC Gem and the CBC Sports YouTube channel. Check the broadcast schedule for full particulars.

Thanks to mission funding from the federal authorities and Canadian Olympic Committee, Paul stated they’re working to “flip the tone” about secure sport. That means utilizing optimistic messaging to achieve a brand new era of athletes on the Canada Games.

“The Good Vibes Only campaign is exactly meant to explain to these 5,000-plus [athletes and coaches] about how sports should feel, how it should look, how it should feel safe,” Paul stated.

The messaging will likely be unimaginable to overlook for anybody competing at, attending or following the 2025 Canada Games on-line. Paul stated marketing campaign movies have been posted to the Canada Games social media channels, and snippets will likely be performed in-venue throughout competitors and through each opening and shutting ceremonies.

There can also be a model that focuses on what position followers play in making a secure sport atmosphere. The video options Canada Games alumni Élodie Tessier and Shanice Marcelle, Canada Games Future Official Jake Wiseman, and the dad and mom of Canada Games alum Audrey Leduc.

“We’ve been fortunate to receive additional funding from the Canadian Olympic Committee and Government of Canada … to build a more tailored message directly to parents and spectators about ‘Good Vibes Only’ and what it means when you’re in the stands,” Paul stated.

Along with a coaching program for each volunteer on the Canada Games, efforts additionally included simplifying what had been a complicated and tough course of to submit a criticism.

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The occasions kick off Aug. 8-25 in St. John’s, N.L. and will likely be streamed on CBC Sports and CBC Gem.

“If there does end up being a safe sport complaint, where to go is very complicated, so we’ve built a website that helps direct the complainant to the right mechanism to launch a complaint,” Paul stated.

The step-by-step process presents complainants choices on who the criticism is about and can direct them on who particularly to contact to handle their considerations.

‘More than simply phrases’

The Canada Games Host Society CEO, Karen Sherriffs, stated that St. John’s 2025 was dedicated to creating the fitting atmosphere for athletes to flourish, and that ‘Good Vibes Only’ is all about security, respect and inclusion.

“This campaign is about more than just words, it’s a call to action. We want every participant, from athletes to volunteers, to feel supported, valued, and empowered to speak up,” Sherriffs stated in an announcement. “Together, we’re building an environment where only good vibes thrive at the Games and long after.”

Paul stated the hope is that this marketing campaign will attain greater than these on the 2025 Games, and that the ‘good vibes’ will keep on for years to come back.

“I have to commend the leadership with 2025 for really having committed to the cause, which is using our platform and our potential to build the right type of programming for the ’25 Games and also for beyond,” Paul stated. “Our hope is what we’ve built is evergreen and will be carried through 2027 in Quebec, in 2029 in New Brunswick, and so on.”

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