Project Branch Out

Published: May 31 2022 12:20

In the Summer of 2021 Fawn Logan-Young, a Youth Ambassador with Parks Canada, delivered an initiative called ‘Project Branch Out’. The program was designed to offer unique experiences for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour) youth in camping, hiking, and paddle sports. Project Branch Out offered these guided sessions for free, partnering with various leaders and organizations to deliver the activities. Read the full story. 

We'd love to hear from you: As part of NS Outdoor Network’s work to connect the outdoor sector in Nova Scotia, we are collecting stories and data to both highlight and celebrate the work helping people connect with nature. Our aim with communicating these stories is to share the impact of the outdoor projects and initiatives, to help amplify the good work taking place, and to allow these stories to educate and inform other practitioners. If you have a story to share please email:

Press Release: RNS Announces the Anti-Racism Charter in Recreation Initiative

Published: March 30 2022 09:39

Download the Press Release HERE. Contact Graham Mounsey via . 

Online Training to become a Certified Leader with Girls on Boards

Published: March 25 2022 14:02

GIrls on Boards is a non-profit organization, started in Wolfville, Nova Scotia but now expanding across Canada. We offer body positive, recreation empowerment programs for youth in stand up paddle boarding, skateboarding and snowboarding.

We've created an immersive online training program that we would love to offer to leaders on your team so they can bring these programs to your community.

We've proven this concept is simple yet effective in engaging the community, inspiring youth with activity and body positive movement and also aligns with many municipal recreation programs plus most of our programs fill very quickly so we know they are popular!

Here are the main links for your reference:

• Girls on Boards website (registered nonprofit since 2017)
• Information about our Online Certified Leader's Training Program (~12hrs, $199.00)

If you have a group of summer employees that would like to take this training together, we have group discounts, please ask! Mia Lockhart, Director: 

Anti-Racism Charter in Recreation

Published: March 24 2022 13:00

We are in the process of developing an Anti-Racism Charter to address and combat systemic racism within the sector, with funding from Canadian Heritage, and support from Wisdom2Action. We invite you to fill out and share our survey to help us understand how racism and discrimination exist and are experienced across the sector.

You can find the survey here: https://www.recreationns.ns.ca/survey.html

We also have opportunities for further input via focus groups, in-person and virtual: https://www.recreationns.ns.ca/focus-groups.html 

Media Release: Subsidization of professional development opportunities through the AFRC

Published: March 10 2022 12:59

In partnership, Recreation Nova Scotia (RNS) and the Recreation Facility Association of Nova Scotia (RFANS) are pleased to announce that funding has been received from the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, for the purpose of professional development of recreational practitioners from across the province. 

View the full media release.

Learn-to Camp in Halifax - Parks Canada Student Job Opportunity

Published: February 22 2022 13:50

The Parks Canada Learn-to Camp program offers workshops, activities, and overnight experiences, where participants will learn basic camping skills while connecting to nature in a safe and fun environment. We work with organizations like ISANS, the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, to name a few, and are committed to offering these outdoor experiences to as diverse an audience as possible. You can find out more about the program here: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/promotion/nouvelle-ecosse-nova-scotia/iac-ltc

Additionally, we will be holding free public workshops on February 23 and March 3 at 7:00pm, where applicants can ask questions and/or receive support when filling out their applications - more information about this session, eligibility, and more about the position itself can be found here: https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/applicant/page1800?poster=1738819