#ISUDevelopment 

The International Skating Union (ISU) is pleased to announce the launch of a new online eLearning course “Safeguarding Essentials”.

The most important element in sport is the people involved and the ISU is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all those in the ice skating family. Following the publication of the ISU Athlete Safeguarding Policy in May 2022, the ISU has taken a series of concrete steps to implement and promote safeguarding measures, including appointing a Safeguarding Officer, Ms. Cristina Ibarra, and contributing to several projects aimed at developing content in the field of Athlete Safeguarding.

“Safeguarding Essentials” is an introduction to safeguarding. It was designed for everyone involved in sport and aims to increase understanding of safeguarding, why it is important, and how everyone can develop safeguarding in sport, whatever their role. Each and every person has a role to play in actively protecting athletes from abuse, harassment and exploitation.

"Safeguarding Essentials" course launched in collaboration with the UNICEF and Open University (GBR), 2023. @ UNICEF / Open University

This course is free and open to anyone interested in knowing more about safeguarding. The ISU highly encourages ISU Members to ask their staff to complete the 90-minute module and to share it further with their clubs, coaches, and other key local stakeholders.

French and Spanish versions of the “Safeguarding Essentials” course will be made available as from September 1, 2023.

How to access the “Safeguarding Essentials” course? 

To access “Safeguarding Essentials”,  click here, or log in to your ISU eRink account. You will then simply need to create an Open University - Open Learn account, in order to follow the course.

Two additional courses addressing different aspects of safeguarding will be released in 2024:  

• “Safeguarding Practice”:  In-depth overview on how to turn safeguarding rules into practice.
• “Effective Safeguarding”: Insights into safeguarding responsibilities and tools to increase effective use.

The content for these courses was originally developed by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and has been revised with the help of the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Open University (GBR) to suit a larger sport audience with support from the ISU, the International Ice Hockey Federation, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, the International Tennis Federation, World Athletics, World Rugby, World Netball, the International Platform on Sport and Development, the Australian Government (Team Up), and the Commonwealth Games Federation.