Sheldon Kennedy, co-founder of Respect Group, delivered an impactful keynote at the recent Beyond the Boards Summit, hosted by Hockey Canada. During his speech, Sheldon shared his personal journey, highlighted the ongoing efforts to assist child abuse survivors nationwide, and emphasized the need for significant culture change in the sport.

Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre Names Centre of Excellence After Sheldon Kennedy

Sept 15, 2023, 3:30 ET

RED DEER, ALBERTA – SEPTEMBER 15, 2023 – On September 15th, Sheldon Kennedy, former NHL player and CEO of Respect Group, joined with the board and staff of the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre (CACAC) and other dignitaries to announce the new Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence in Red Deer, Alberta.

In addition to being the cornerstone of our work at Respect Group, co-founder Sheldon Kennedy has forever been a strong and passionate advocate for youth. His vision has always been to support ALL youth Child Advocacy Centres locally, nationally and beyond. With strong data, teaching and integrated learning opportunities, this one-of-a-kind Child Advocacy Centre will continue to teach and lead the way in building capacity in our communities.

“This honor bestowed to me strongly supports my vision to help ALL youth Child Advocacy Centres not only in Alberta, but throughout Canada and beyond. I am so proud to be part of this journey with the Centre of Excellence and feel incredibly honored that this one-of-a-kind facility will bear my name”, says Kennedy.

“Among those who were instrumental in creating the Centre of Excellence, none stand out more than Sheldon Kennedy,” said Mark Jones, CEO of the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre. “His vision for what Central Alberta – and indeed all of Canada – needs is exactly what we have built the Centre of Excellence on. Without Sheldon’s bravery and vision, the Centre of Excellence would not be what it is.”

The new Sheldon Kennedy Centre of Excellence sits on the main campus of Red Deer Polytechnic in Red Deer, Alberta, and is slated to open in late October. The strategic placement of the structure allows for all the partners within the building to work in a fully integrated way to serve their respective clients. It also allows for research and integrated learning opportunities for students and faculty at Red Deer Polytechnic. Other Partners in the Centre include the CACAC, the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Support Centre, RCMP Child Forensic Interviewers, and Alberta Health Services: Red Deer Child and Youth Addiction and Mental Health Outpatient Clinic; Move your Mood Studio; and the Step Up Step Down live-in youth mental health program.

About Respect Group:

Respect Group, a headversity company, was incorporated in 2004 by co-founders, Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, to pursue their common passion: the prevention of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination (BAHD). As Canada’s leading online provider of prevention education related to BAHD, Respect Group has certified over 2.2 Million people involved in sport, schools and the workplace. Respect Group is a Certified B Corporation (bcorporation.net).

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League today announced a series of enhancements to the WHL Respect in Hockey and the Security Network programs during the 2022 WHL Leadership Conference, which was held virtually today in preparation for WHL Club Training Camps which open beginning September 1.

The WHL introduced mandatory Respect Education seminars for all players as part of the overarching WHL Players First programming initiatives in the late 1990s. From 1998 to 2019, the Canadian Red Cross in partnership with the WHL administered mandatory Respect Education seminars to all WHL players. In 2011, the WHL also mandated Respect in Sport certification, which is administered by the Respect Group. The WHL Respect in Hockey program was created in 2019 through collaboration with Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil, co-founders of the Respect Group and leading experts from the Canadian Red Cross. The WHL Respect in Hockey program, which was fully implemented during the 2020-21 season, is a mandatory program for all WHL personnel and includes on-line seminars, Respect Champion workshops and Respect in Sport certifications.

Here is a clip from Global News on this initiative: https://globalnews.ca/video/9093552/whl-respect-in-hockey-program/

Sheldon Kennedy and Bruno Gervais from Respect Group met with the Montreal Canadiens at Brossard’s Bell Sports Complex on Monday.

They were invited by the Montreal Canadiens to speak with the prospects during the training on respect and consent and during the breakout sessions. 

“What I see from the Montreal Canadiens is a commitment to lead in this space and to me that’s how we’re going to have significant change. I don’t think this is just a hockey issue. This is a societal issue. But if I look at the culture of hockey I think we’ve got some catching up to do.” – SHELDON KENNEDY

“I’m here because I see leadership and I see an organization that wants to be the best it can be in this space,” he added.

Having honest conversations is an important step towards culture change. The Canadiens are among teams in Canada who need to complete the Respect in the Workplace training mandated by the NHL to prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

Sheldon Kennedy, Canadiens of Montreal

Bruno Gervais, Canadiens of Montreal

More articles on the subject:

https://www.tsn.ca/video/sheldon-kennedy-meets-with-habs-prospects-as-part-of-the-respect-and-consent-program~2480984

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/sheldon-kennedy-speaks-with-logan-mailloux-and-canadiens-prospects

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/canadiens-dev-camp-notebook-slafkovsky-feels-he-can-be-better-than-he-showed-on-day-1/

Former forward founded Respect Group, an organization that fights bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination

by Nicholas J. Cotsonika @cotsonika / NHL.com Columnist / March 28, 2022

MANALAPAN, Fla. — The NHL general managers spent an hour of their meeting Monday listening to a panel discussion and participating in a Q&A session about the League’s efforts to make positive cultural changes in hockey.

Kim Davis, the NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, moderated the discussion. It included Sheldon Kennedy, the former NHL player who founded Respect Group, an organization that fights bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination.

“One thing that I know is that there’s not a lack of wanting to be the best that they can be,” Kennedy said. “I think it’s going to be up to us to make sure that we can give them all the support and tools that they need to get there.”

Davis announced a four-phase plan at the NHL Board of Governors meeting here Dec. 9.

The first phase was prevention training. The NHL and Respect Group set out to create a 90-minute online training program.

“For me, the most important thing that has come out of this since December is everyone is eager to get it done,” Davis said.

“What’s important to us in this process is that this becomes embedded,” Davis said. “That’s the term we’ve been using — embedded in everything we do — which means that we want to get it right. If it means extending 30 days, we want to get this right. There’s excitement. The clubs are all on board.”

Davis said the first phase is important so that everyone understands the basic definitions of abuse, bullying, harassment and discrimination before starting deeper training.

Kennedy said the Respect Group does a survey before and after training, and one of the questions is whether the subjects have participated in or witnessed any of these behaviors. He said the numbers always double afterward.

“That tells me that a lot of people don’t know where the line is drawn,” Kennedy said. “And we’re not just talking here about the egregious, blatant abuses. We’re talking about a lot of the subtle issues that were present in any workplace. I want to make one thing clear: This isn’t just a hockey issue. It’s a societal issue.”

Kennedy said the Jets put more than 320 people through the program, and the feedback was phenomenal.

“The conversations that stemmed from that are important, and that’s what we want to accomplish,” Kennedy said. “We are not living in a fantasy to think that the digital program is a one-stop shop that’s going to save world hunger here. There’s more to it.

“This is the start, and to us, as we discussed in that room, this has to be embedded in everything that we do. And if we want to advance the culture with the game and teams and individuals, this is about practice, not perfection, but we’ve got to build a strategy within our organization to keep practicing to get better in this space.”

Davis compared the training to conditioning.

“Now you have a new way to activate these muscles, and it can’t be one and done,” Davis said. “It has to be something that you’re constantly working on. And that resonated. We had a lot of [nodding] in the room. It was a rich conversation, and I think that’s huge.”

Kennedy said there is a lot of fear when it comes to speaking about these issues, but the GMs were engaged.

“They were listening to their peers, and people were being honest,” Kennedy said. “And to me, that’s what needs to happen, and that’s how we’re going to get through this, and that’s how we’re going to get better, is being able to learn from one another, have the conversations, even though they’re difficult, and understand that this is critical for good business. This is about good business. And I think that that resonated.

“It was lively with questions. One of the things we said was, ‘You know, people usually leave something like that, they go, ‘Oh well, what can we do?’ Well, we’re doing it. Basically, we’re doing it, right? That’s what we’re doing.

“It was really good. I’ve got to tell you, I probably had a preconceived idea of what it might have [gone] like, but it was nothing like that at all. I was actually quite impressed with how open and honest conversations were actually happening in there.”

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More on this topic:

Kennedy pleased with panel discussions covering abuse and bullying

LeBrun: The Kyles clear the air, a discussion about playoff officiating and more from the NHL GMs meeting

Sheldon Kennedy addresses NHL general managers on safety, respect

25 Years: A Walk Down Memory Lane

Realizing it was 25 years ago that Graham James pleaded guilty to sexual assault, it gave us pause to reflect. From that ugly reality, so much has been done for the better. To our many partners and supporters, thank you for your leadership. Culture change is not easy. To our amazing Team at Respect Group, thank you for making the important work we do look easy.

Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil – Co-founders of Respect Group

1997	Graham James, Sheldon Kennedy’s former Junior Hockey coach, pleads guilty to Sexual Assault
1998	May to November – Sheldon Kennedy in-line skates across Canada to raise awareness of abuse
2004	Sheldon Kennedy and Wayne McNeil found Respect Group
2006	First partners to mandate Respect in Sport for all coaches – Sport Manitoba and Gymnastics Canada
2007	Respect in Sport featured on CBC Hockey Day in Canada with Peter Mansbridge
2007	Sheldon Kennedy appointed to IOC Medical Committee creates Consensus Statement on Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Sport
2010	First Respect in the Workplace partner, FT Services
2010	First Respect in Sport Parent Program partner Hockey Calgary
2012	First Respect in School partner, Manitoba Ministry of Education
2012	Sheldon Kennedy testifies at US Senate after Penn State sexual abuse scandal
2016	“Swift Current” the documentary is released
2018	Respect Group certifies 1 Million people
2018	KGIS launches in partnership with Jumpstart Charities and Canadian Women & Sport
2018	Respect Group becomes an accredited B CORP
2018	Government of Saskatchewan first province to launch Respect in the Workplace
2020	Stay in the Game program is launched
2021	Respect in Sport program for Officials is launched
2021	Respect Group launches The Sheldon Kennedy Show
2022	NHL partners with Respect Group to deliver Respect in the Workplace across the league
	The Journey Continues From the 1998 cross-Canada skate

The latest episode of The Sheldon Kennedy show has been released! For episode 6, Sheldon interviews Bryant McBride, Co-Chair of the Carnegie initiative, an organization that works to make hockey more accessible, accepting and inclusive. In this episode, Bryant shares his experience and give tools on how to make your sport more inclusive. You can listen to the episode via your favorite podcast app or by clicking here.

Bryant McBride builds businesses at the intersection of sports, technology and media. Bryant’s entrepreneurial track record over 20 years is 5-1-1 netting investors 8X cumulatively on invested capital, with one more investment, Burst, where he is CEO, still in play.

Bryant served as Vice President, New Business Development at the NHL – the first black executive in NHL history, where he oversaw the creation of international events and broadcasting, the initial NHL Diversity Task Force, rink development, and early digital initiatives.

In 2019, he produced the critically acclaimed film “Willie”, about the NHL’s first black player and now works with the US State Department and Global Affairs Canada to promote the social and emotional learning messages in the film to schools across North America and around the world.

He has served on the Boards of the New York Roadrunners, The Armory Track and Field Center in New York City, The Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Boston, and is Co-Chair of the Carnegie Initiative, an organization that works to make the sport of hockey more accessible, accepting and inclusive.

He enjoys mentoring smart, relentless business builders and social entrepreneurs, has been a leader on social justice initiatives for decades, is an avid youth hockey administrator, and has started 26 Marathons – and completed them all.

Statement On The Partnership Between Respect Group And The NHL

Kyle Beach has taught us the importance of coming forward, and that bravery can influence actionable change.

We have certainly experienced this over the past 18 years at Respect Group and we are now grateful to be partnering with the NHL to further that change. Giving people the tools to be better and the confidence to step up and step in when things aren’t right will be our small role in a system-wide commitment to improving culture at the NHL.

Thank you, Kyle, for your courage and for being a catalyst for change.

More information on the partnership here: https://media.nhl.com/public/news/15505

PRESS:

• NHL takes first meaningful steps towards necessary culture shift
• LeBrun: NHL vows to bolster inclusion efforts, approves Penguins sale, more on Day 1 of Board of Governors meetings
• Insider Trading: NHL EVP Davis introduces ‘Respect Hockey’ summit

A special invite from Class of 2020-21 Inductee, Sheldon Kennedy, inviting you to help celebrate with him as he receives the Order of Sport Award on Sunday October 3rd!

Former NHL player, Sheldon Kennedy, took his personal experience, and used it to advocate for youth and profoundly changed the culture of sport across Canada, ensuring child safety remains a shared priority for future generations of parents, coaches, and administrators.

Make sure to tune in to the Order of Sport Awards presented by @everestcurling Sunday October 3rd to watch Sheldon Kennedy receive the Order of Sport, Canada’s highest sporting honour! #OrderofSport65

Get your FREE ticket here  : https://orderofsport.ca/tickets/

Our co-founder, Sheldon Kennedy, was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada. The 17th annual Hockey Canada Foundation Gala was held on June 14, 2021 where they recognized the Order honourees from both 2020 and 2021.

” Sheldon Kennedy – A long-time advocate for the prevention of bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination, Kennedy’s impact on the game reaches far beyond his playing career. On the ice, he played in 310 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings (1989-94), Calgary Flames (1994-96) and Boston Bruins (1996-97). Prior to his professional career, he spent three seasons with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (1986-89), captaining the team to a WHL championship and Memorial Cup title in 1989. As a member of Team Canada, Kennedy recorded 13 points in 14 games at the IIHF World Junior Championship (1988, 1989), winning a gold medal in 1988. His off-ice efforts include co-founding the Respect Group, which has trained more than one million Canadians to recognize and prevent bullying, abuse, harassment and discrimination in sports, schools and the workplace. Kennedy also raised $1.2 million in support of sexual abuse victims by rollerblading across Canada in 1998, and has been honoured with the Hockey Canada Order of Merit (2018), Alberta Order of Excellence (2016) and Order of Canada (2014). “

Source: https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2020-oohic-class-of-2020-named-to-order

Order of Hockey in Canada: Sheldon Kennedy Acceptance video

Statement from Sheldon Kennedy:

“Upon reflection of receiving the Order of Hockey in Canada, I sincerely feel that this award represents far more than just “Sheldon” accomplishments. This recognition, is clearly for an amazing Team Effort.

First off, my good friend of 23 years and business partner, Wayne McNeil, deserves as much credit as I do for sharing, and delivering on, our common vision. For the 10’s of thousands of disclosure letters I have received since 1997, after my story broke, my gratitude to each of you for baring your souls and for your courage. Your words reminded me that this is not an isolated issue and kept me going!

Thank you to Hockey Canada for your leadership in making Speak Out mandatory in 1997 for all coaches. In my mind, a bold step and the REAL beginning of the Safe Sport Movement in Canada, and, perhaps the world! And to all of the proactive sport leaders who have taken their own bold steps to make RESPECT education a requirement. You have created a sport environment that values child protection as priority one. Not a button or a poster, but the real deal. Of course, there is more to be done and there always will be.

But let’s pause for a moment, accept this award together, and commit to continuing this unique collaboration to keep Canadian kids safe and respected while they enjoy the wonderment of sport!”

SHELDON KENNEDY