2024 Team NS EDIA Coach Apprenticeship Program

Volleyball Nova Scotia is excited to pilot an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Coach Apprenticeship Program (EDIA-CAP) for the 2024 Provincial Team (Beach or Indoor) season. VNS strongly believes that apprenticeship programs can be an essential part of the development of a coach. Furthermore, apprenticeship programs can support building coaching capacity in equity-deserving groups.

The 2024 EDIA-CAP program will provide the opportunity for up to four coaches to participate in and experience all parts of a Team Nova Scotia summer indoor or beach volleyball program.

This pilot program is available to coaches from racially visible backgrounds and other equity-deserving groups. In 2024, preference will be given to applicants from Black/African Nova Scotian and Indigenous communities.


Interested in taking part? Know a community sport leader who would be amazing?
Interested coaches are encouraged to complete this EXPRESSION OF INTEREST for the 2024 EDIA-CAP program. The EOI will be open until the end of Sunday June 2, and VNS will begin contacting coaches starting on Tuesday June 4.


Questions about the EDIA - CAP Program? Need support to apply? Please connect with Jon Elliott (VNS Development Director) at vnsjon@sportnovascotia.ca. 


The objectives of the VNS EDIA - Coach Apprenticeship Program are:

• Support the building of coaching capacity within equity deserving groups;
• Provide apprentice coaches with:
  • Provincial team program exposure;
  • Enhanced professional development and learning opportunities to support their coaching development;
  • Opportunities to increase their level of sport specific certification (apprentice coaches complete their next certification level within 1 year of their summer involvement);
  • Exposure to VNS Development Pathway coaches’ experiences.

Desired Outcomes of the VNS EDIA - Coach Apprenticeship Program are:

• As a long-term objective, all apprentice coaches will begin to/continue to actively coach athletes at the community or provincial levels, applying the experience gained from the 2024 Team Nova Scotia season;
• All apprentice coaches will have the opportunity to provide culturally relevant feedback that VNS can use to ensure that Development Pathway Program training environments are more inclusive for all participants moving forward.
• All apprentice coaches will be supported by VNS to become NCCP certified in the relevant context within one year following the 2024 Team Nova Scotia season;
• All apprentice coaches in this program will complete a feedback survey, evaluating the program and providing constructive feedback for the future of this program.

DESIRED QUALITIES OF APPLYING COACHES:

• Currently coaching a sport in Nova Scotia (coaching volleyball preferred) at the recreational, school or club level
• Intends to coach in their community for the next 3+ years (coaching volleyball preferred)
• Ability to attend and be an active participant in the majority of the following Team Nova Scotia events (detailed program information can be found on the PDF document linked HERE):
  • Training Weekends
  • Competition
• Currently meets, or agrees to meet Volleyball Nova Scotia's and Team Nova Scotia's Person In Authority Requirements:
  • Registered VNS member in good-standing (do not need to be a member to apply for EDI-CAP, membership cost will be reimbursed)
  • Have completed the Screening Disclosure Form as part of becoming a VNS member
  • Have a valid BackGround Screen (Criminal Records Check/Vulnerable Sector Screen)
  • Completed NCCP Safesport Training e-learning module (Coaching Association of Canada)
  • Completed NCCP Making Headway in Sport
  • Completed NCCP Anti-Racism in Coaching e-learning module

The application steps are:

• Step 1 - Complete the Expression of Interest (EOI) linked above. EOI's will be viewed by a three person committee made up of:
  • Member of the VNS IDEA Task Force;
  • Member of the non-volleyball sport community;
  •  a VNS staff member
• Step 2 - VNS and a member of the IDEA Task Force will connect with selected coaches in-person or virtually to get to better know them and their coaching goals.

Selected apprentice coaches will be considered an Assistant Coach with the program they are paired with, and will receive the following supports:

• Will have involvement with seasonal planning
• Will have involvement in all training activities - court training, team activities
• Will participate in all competition events as a team staff (travel, scouting, planning, in game responsibilities)
• Will receive an Assistant Coach honorarium (maximum of $1500 if full training and competition attendance, pro-rated if less than 100% attendance)
• For coaches from outside the Halifax Regional Municipality, costs to attend Team Nova Scotia activities will be covered in the following ways:
  • Travel - mileage reimbursed by km traveled (minus the first 50 km), carpooling will be encouraged where possible
  • Accommodations - coach accommodations will be booked and paid by VNS, possible sharing of a hotel room with other traveling Team NS coaches.
  • Meals - reimbursed using a per diem of $10/breakfast, $15/lunch, $20/dinner (unless meals are provided to program participants)
• Be supported by an identified mentor coach throughout the program
• Have access to professional development opportunities, including:
  • Two $150 National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) credits (suggested uses include a Development Coach or Advanced Development Coach course and evaluation).
  • Team NS summer program coach development sessions (virtual or in-person sessions with VNS identified speakers)
  • Informal mentorship with VNS professional staff (or VNS identified mentors) during training and competition
  • Fully discounted entrance to the 2025 Atlantic Coaching Conference, hosted by the Canadian Sport Institute - Atlantic.
  • Access to the Support4Sport VIP Coaching Program

We thank all applicants in advance for their interest.