This page is currently under review by Special Olympics Ontario
COMMUNITY ATHLETE REPRESENTATIVE
Purpose
To provide a voice for athletes on community councils and to help ensure athletes in the community are participating in community initiatives.
Qualifications
- Desire to be a leader amongst Special Olympics athletes
- Basic understanding of Special Olympics
- Good attitude
- Respected by other Special Olympics athletes and coaches
- Comfortable in group situations
- Committed and responsible
- Good language skills
- Good communication skills
- Ability to get to events without Community Council or Special Olympics Ontario support
- Access to computer and e-mail strongly recommended.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Attend Community Council meetings
- Work with Provincial Athlete Advisory Committee
- Communicate with local athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
- Make sport club visits to local clubs
- Work with Community Public Relations Coordinator to set up speaking events around your community and to help athletes in your community become involved in these events
- Work with Community Fundraising Coordinator to make sure athletes participate in local fundraisers
- Work with Community Registrar and Volunteer Coordinator on recruitment campaigns
- Make sure that Athlete Empowerment is happening in your community
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Work with Community Council to find the next Athlete Representative and train them when your term is finished
· Review and be familiar with sections 1,6,7,8, and 18 of the information portal.
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Maintain Special Olympics e-mail address that is provided to you if applicable.
Time Requirement
- Up to 10 hours per month, e-mails, phone conferences, meetings, events and workshops
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13 month term
Accountability
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Reports to Community Council and Provincial Athlete Advisory Committee and is accountable to all local athletes
* Please note that Athlete Representative position on a Community Council can not be related to any Community Council member.
Community Athlete Representative 13 Month Check List
MONTH 1
Things you will do:
□ Create introduction letter for community council/ clubs
□ Introduce yourself to your District Developer
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Introduce yourself to your Provincial Athlete Advisory District Representative
Things you may do:
□ Start introducing yourself to volunteers and athletes in your community
MONTH 2
□ Create your biography, what are your interests/ sports…
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Create a list of clubs in your community that you will visit over your term
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ Create a list of schools/external clubs that you may visit over your term
MONTH 3
□ Start visiting sports clubs in your area, take along your biography and speak to the athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Connect with P.R. coordinator in your community and talk about helping get media coverage, circulate your biography
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ Start doing school or external organization visits
MONTH 4
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Work with PR coordinator on Public Speaking Events
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 5
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Connect with your Fundraising coordinator about how you or other athletes can get involved in fundraising in your community
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 6
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Report back to your District Developer on how things are going and what you have done
□ Work with your Fundraising Coordinator and participate in a fundraising event
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 7
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Connect with your athlete/volunteer coordinator to see how you and other athletes can help find new athletes and volunteers
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 8
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Work with your athlete/volunteer coordinator on recruitment events (athlete or volunteer information session)
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 9
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Work with your athlete/volunteer coordinator on recruitment events (athlete or volunteer information session)
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 10
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Start thinking about finding an athlete to replace you as the Athlete Ambassador for your community. Visit local clubs and present on what it means to be an AA.
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Prepare an application form for athletes interested in being the AA
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 11
□ Visit sports clubs in your area, speak to athletes and volunteers
□ Get feedback from athletes about their interests, concerns and wishes for Special Olympics
□ Report your feedback to your P.A.A.C. representative & Community Council
□ Send out AA application forms to local clubs. All forms must be returned to the community council by month end
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Read all applications and talk with the community coordinator about who would be a good AA
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 12
□ Review AA applications with community council and select a new Athlete Ambassador for your community
□ Inform the new AA that they have been chosen and introduce them to the council
□ Send a Thank you note to your community council and say Thank you to the P.A.A.C. and your DD for working with you
□ Attend a Community Council Meeting
□ Public Speaking or Media Events
□ School or external organization visits
MONTH 13
□ Shadow the new Athlete Representative, introduce them to the sports clubs and help them when they need it
□ Contact your District Developer and submit your completed checklist to them
□ Receive your Thank you gift in the mail