News
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Webinar
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Join Nikita Lakhanpal, the Project Coordinator for the Town of Bridgewater’s Hemlock Conservation Project, for an insightful presentation on the pressing issue of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) infestation and the urgent need for municipal action.
Nikita will delve into the comprehensive measures undertaken by the Bridgewater Hemlock Conservation Project to address this environmental crisis and discuss how other municipalities can take proactive steps.
As we face the growing challenge of invasive species and their impact on our natural landscapes, the work being done in Bridgewater is a powerful reminder of the importance of local action and community participation.
September 26, 2024
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Virtual
FREE
EDIA Highlight Story: Yarmouth Recreation's "She Got Game" Program
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By eliminating financial barriers, we ensure that all girls, regardless of socio-economic background, can participate.
Matthew Smith, She Got Game Organizer
November's EDIA Highlight features Yarmouth Recreation's free "She Got Game" program. This youth, female-only program is tailored specifically for girls ages 11- 14. It empowers young girls by introducing them to various sports in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
Organizer Matthew Smith says offering the program free of charge has helped to encourage a wide variety of participants, "[The] cost can sometimes play a role in leaving girls out of programs such as this. By eliminating financial barriers, we ensure that all girls, regardless of socio-economic background, can participate." Smith says organizers have chosen to include some non-traditional sports in the program, such as cheerleading, disc golf and ringette, and traditional sports such as soccer and volleyball. He says this was intentional, "This variety allows every participant to find a sport that resonates with her interests and abilities."
University-aged, part-time recreation staff lead the sessions. These leaders are peers rather than expert coaches, guiding participants in a stress-free and supportive manner to ensure everyone feels valued and included regardless of skill level. Smith says this was a change made after the program began, "Our original plan involved bringing in coaches to lead the sports. However, we quickly realized that this approach might inadvertently create a competitive atmosphere, which could be intimidating for some participants." The change to university-aged staff fostered a more relaxed, inclusive environment where no one was an expert, and everyone was free to learn and participate without pressure.
Staff completed two training programs through Recreation Nova Scotia's REC Room platform, including the Social and Emotional Learning for Sport and Recreation and the Anti-Racism Training Module. Smith says that these courses helped to ensure that the program environment is not only physically accessible but also emotionally and psychologically safe for all participants.
Accessibility was a key focus of this program, with all necessary sports equipment provided, and the only requirement for participants was comfortable attire and a water bottle. Throughout the program, organizers experienced many girls wanting to continue with a particular sport that the "She Got Game" program introduced to them. Smith says organizers were thrilled to support this interest and connected with local sports clubs and organizations to share registration information with participants. He says they also made local partnerships to help reduce the cost of continuing if this was a barrier, "We collaborated with local organizations such as J-Strong and JumpStart to provide information on funding opportunities for participants interested in continuing their sports journey outside of the program."
Smith has valuable advice for any organizations looking to offer a similar program: focus on recreation, inclusivity is key and leverage community partnerships. Planning for the future is already underway. Smith says organizers are excited about the program's future. "We are hopeful that it will continue to grow. As participants age out of the program, we plan to offer opportunities to become volunteer recreation leaders, furthering their engagement in sports and fostering a sense of leadership and responsibility," Smith says. They are also exploring the possibility of creating a similar program for adult women, recognizing the importance of providing opportunities for women of all ages to engage in physical activity in a supportive and inclusive environment.
Join the NS Guard
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The Nova Scotia Guard invites you to attend one of six online information sessions to welcome community groups to join the Guard.
The Nova Scotia Guard is a group of volunteers who’ve raised their hands to help whenever our province faces an emergency. Community Groups play important roles during emergencies. To work effectively together, we hope to have as many community groups as possible signed up to the Guard in the next couple of months.
At each information session, we will provide an overview of the Guard, how the Guard and community groups can work together, and how your group can sign up. We also hope you can inform us about your roles during emergencies and the types of volunteers you need.
Registration is required to attend an online session. Please click one of the registration links below for the day and time that works best for you. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email. (Note: all meetings will be held over Microsoft Teams.) The session on Wednesday, August 28, will be in French.
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Meeting 1 |
Wednesday August 14 |
6:30 – 8:00 pm |
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Meeting 2 |
Friday August 23 |
12:00 – 1:30 pm |
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Meeting 3 (French) |
Wednesday August 28 |
3:00 – 4:30 pm |
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Meeting 4 |
Thursday September 12 |
6:00 – 7:30 pm |
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Meeting 5 |
Thursday September 19 |
10:00 – 11:30 am |
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Meeting 6 |
Thursday September 26 |
1:00 – 2:30 pm |
EDIA Highlight Story: NSORRA - Women in Moto Event
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Nova Scotia Off Road Riders Association (NSORRA), which is making progress toward increasing gender equity in dirt biking, is preparing to host an event for women by women. The Women in Moto event will provide a safe, relaxed environment for women to try the sport while supporting each other, celebrating their shared passion, and understanding their challenges.
Highlighting: Nova Scotia Off Road Riders Association’s Women in Moto Event
This event is not just about riding—it's about community, empowerment, and a whole lot of fun.
-Claudine Laforce, Executive Director of NSORRA
August’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EDIA success story comes from the Nova Scotia Off Road Riders Association (NSORRA), which is making tracks when it comes to increasing gender equity in the sport of dirt biking, traditionally a male-dominated sport. The Women in Motto event will occur at Mill Hill ORM Park from 10 am-4 pm on August 18, 2024. It will be a jampacked day for individuals who identify as female and want to either try dirt biking for the first time, increase their current skill level, or share their passion for riding with other women. The event is being sponsored by Pro Cycle and Honda Canada.
Nova Scotia Off Road Riders Association Executive Director Claudine Laforce says that women rarely put themselves first, which has been a problem when organizing events in the past, “Women often have to work around the schedules of others such as their kids, partners or events [volunteering]. They have a hard time dedicating a day to themselves to have fun.” Claudine says that providing a safe, relaxed environment for women to try the sport is NSORRA’s ultimate goal, “Women are often intimidated to get on a dirt bike. They don't want to do it in front of men in case they have challenges. This event is for women, by women, which makes a big difference!”
The event will include two 90-minute introductions to dirt bike sessions for beginners who want to learn the riding basics. Equipment will be provided. Women can dip their toes into the world of off-road biking in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment. Trail riding will be open, and trail guides will be offered as needed. There will also be an opportunity for women to increase their skill level in a skills course. There will be both a beginner and intermediate MX skill course led by three-time champion rider Lexi Helgason. Lexi started riding when she was seven years old and has competed since she was ten.
Claudine has some advice for organizations looking to plan programs to promote gender equity, “Form a committee, promote the event as early as possible, and spread the news by word of mouth. Invite people to participate.” She says that drawing from other female riders has been successful. “When women have an opportunity to get together, there is always fun to be had. We understand each other and share our knowledge and experience with each other.”
In addition to the skills workshop and trail riding opportunities, the Women in Moto event will feature a BBQ lunch, games and prizes, an exclusive event t-shirt, and, most importantly, an opportunity for female riders to connect, support each other, and celebrate their shared passion.
For more information and to register, visit Pro Cycle-NSORRA Women in Moto at Mill Hill ORM Park.
Want to contribute your own EDIA success story? Fill our Stories From Our Sector form.
Missed The Measuring Impact Webinar? Watch it Here!
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On June 26, 2024, CPRA hosted a webinar on the Measuring Impact project. This unique research project, conducted by the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute (CFLRI) and CPRA, quantifies the social, health, environmental, and economic benefits of Sport, Physical Activity, and Recreation (SPAR) in Canada. This research is invaluable for decision-makers and policy professionals concerned with Canadians' mental and physical health, environmental sustainability, climate change, and community infrastructure needs. The webinar also discussed the upcoming calculator tool (coming Fall 2024).
Or learn more about the research here.
Working in and outside of the box: Fostering meaningful relationships with equity deserving communities
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For National Indigenous Peoples Day, I had the pleasure of volunteering at the third annual Freedom Day in March in Sipekne'katik (Shubenacadie). This event was created to honour the legacy of Indian Residential School (IRS)* victims, commemorate the 215+ children discovered in unmarked graves, and advocate for further investigations across IRS sites.
This event was organized and led by Tara Helen Lewis – whose father inspired her leadership – Joey Brooks, and partners of Mawikuti'k - Growing Together. This event was self-governed as a way to promote indigenization and community healing. They brought survivors from PEI, recruited volunteers, fed 100+ participants and used the networks of elders and councillors to build capacity around the event. When approached, they accepted support from the Municipality of East Hants and Lighthouse Ministries, who knew of this event and saw its importance.
On a personal level, this event showed me the power of leadership that stems from within a community because of local knowledge and self-determination. For example, the exact location and path of the Freedom Day Walk were symbolic. The route started at the Residential School's original location and finished at the train station many victims used when they arrived or departed. This route made this walk meaningful; it made one reflect on the journey and emotions victims may have felt as they became immersed in the collective experience.
Throughout the day's events, I fostered relationships by taking leadership from others and offering support where needed. The hours of meeting individuals, problem-solving together and listening to the experiences of IRS survivors were invaluable. There is only so much you can read about and much more you can learn from experiencing and feeling. The ability to be present, listen and learn was a privilege.
But how does this experience apply to the recreation sector? Recreation Nova Scotia gets asked how best to reach equity-deserving groups for programming and collaboration. There are toolkits and research to help answer this question, but sometimes the best way to start is simply by being present, showing up as yourself, and being humble enough to know if your help is wanted or needed in the first place. Being present in a community with its members and leaders is the best way to ignite a spark for collaboration because it is about making genuine connections. There is no quick fix for creating relationships with any community. It takes time and work, just like any relationship we encounter in life.
Find opportunities to volunteer, celebrate or commemorate in the communities you're trying to reach. Attend, support and learn from their self-influenced events. Take time to reflect on the event's objectives, who is involved and if you see a way you could support a similar initiative in the future. But remember that not all spaces are meant for you or your organization, so communication and insight are key. If you are invited or find open opportunities, however, showing up is just one piece of the puzzle; show up as yourself and be humble.
There are times within the recreation sector when projects get created without considering their true impacts on the community because of variables like timelines and meeting grant objectives. This becomes problematic. Without regional and cultural knowledge of a community, we, as recreation professionals, sometimes dictate the wants and needs of these communities. For those of us who work within institutions, albeit non-profit, government, or business – sometimes our best attempts can do more harm than good. As individuals and professionals, we need to understand where the community is coming from and why those we invite to our spaces may not appear. For example, unless the networks are built, we cannot simply post an event catering to X online and hope X folks show up. To have the proper insight, we must show up as ourselves in these communities to learn from them, see their needs, and challenge our complacencies in how our work hinders or helps a community's objectives.
By actively engaging with those we want to serve, we can learn how to enhance our programming, foster inclusivity, and create meaningful experiences that resonate with the diverse populations of Mi'kma'ki. Showing up also helps establish trust, credibility, and rapport. These connections are crucial for successful collaboration, as they facilitate a deeper understanding of the community's needs, preferences, and aspirations. If we foster these meaningful relationships, recreation becomes a catalyst for positive change and social connections and contributes to the overall well-being of all communities. In short, show up, be present, make genuine connections and reflect on where you can support. Most importantly, be humble enough to know if your services are needed or not.
* IRS stands for Indian Residential Schools. Please refer to the history of the terminology for more insight: visit Historical Background: The Indian Act and the Indian Residential Schools *