SPORT SKILLS FOR LIFE: Opportunities for Vulnerable Children

1. SPORT SKILLS FOR LIFE: Opportunities for Vulnerable Children Presenters: Amanda McIntosh Taunya Geelhoed

2. ABOUT US… Taunya Geelhoed Amanda McIntosh Community-Schools Partnership Facilitator –Surrey School District Former Director of Children & Family Programs –YMCA Bachelor of Arts, Education & Human Kinetics –Trinity Western University • Run, Jump, Throw Program Coordinator –BC Athletics & • First Contact Coordinator –Athletics Canada Bachelor of Arts, Public Relations & Marketing –University of Louisiana

3. BACKGROUND SURREY, BC • Surrey, British Columbia • 2nd largest city in British Columbia • 40 minutes East of Vancouver • Over one third of total population are immigrants • Population: over 462,000

4. BACKGROUND SURREY SCHOOLS Mission Statement: Through quality teaching and learning, we commit to engaging our students in their growth as individuals and in their development of the knowledge, skills and attributes necessary to contribute to a healthy, democratic and diverse society. Educational Facilities • 100 Elementary schools • 19 Secondary schools History of the Organization • Surrey School District was formed in 1906 • British Columbia’s largest school district • As of Sept 30, 2011: 70,018 students enrolled

5. BACKGROUND SURREY SCHOOLS Students • Disproportionately large number of low-income, immigrant and Aboriginal students currently enrolled in the Surrey School District. • According to Statistics Canada (2006) • In Canada, 16% of families lived under the Low Income Cut-Off rate. • In Surrey’s inner city neighbourhoods: Whalleyand Guildford • percentage of families living below the Low Income Cut Off increased to more than 22%. • Surrey had the second highest Aboriginal population in Metro Vancouver with over 2,700 Aboriginal students enrolled.

6. BACKGROUND COMMUNITY-SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP • The Community-Schools Partnership (C-SP) is a department of the Surrey School District that collaborates with municipal, funding and community partners to work alongside schools in: • Identifying specific needs of children and families • Enhancing existing school and community responses • Collaborating with community organizations to develop strategic and sustainable programming • Bringing community resources to the families and the schools in order to increase the abilities of vulnerable children to flourish. • Began in 2007 as a partnership between the City of Surrey, United Way of the Lower Mainland and the Surrey School District • C-SP directly supports more than 50 schools and is emerging in its ability to support and be an asset to additional schools across the district • Some of the specific programs and services that may be found include: • Out of School time extended learning and enrichment opportunities • Recreation and cultural programs • Parent engagement activities • Youth transition programs • English language learner support • School/community staff support • Early learning • Community outreach

7. BACKGROUNDYMCA • YMCA is a charitable organization dedicated to the development of people in spirit, mind and body. • 150 years of experience in providing programs for children. • Ahub for people from diverse backgrounds to connect, organize and form communities. • The YMCA works in partnership with families, respecting the diverse cultural backgrounds that enrich their programs, and recognize that all families have different needs, interests and expectations.

8. BACKGROUND BC ATHLETICS / ATHLETICS CANADA Athletics Canada • As the national sport governing body for track and field, including cross-country running and road running, Athletics Canada supports high performance athletics excellence at the world level and provides leadership in developmental athletics. BC Athletics • The provincial non-profit amateur sport organization. A branch member of Athletics Canada (AC). • The purpose of the Association is to promote, encourage and develop the widest participation and the highest proficiency in the sport of Athletics.

9. FUNDING SUPPORT Ongoing • Canadian Tire – Jumpstart Foundation • Ministry of Sport Cultural Development – Afterschool Sport Initiative (ASI) • Weston Bread, Healthy Active Kids (Wonder Bread) Short-Term • True Sport • Coast Capital Savings • Please Mum

10. JUMPSTART ACADEMY • An inter-city elementary school identified a need for programming for primary students. • The C-SP team worked with the school district’s business development department and started to research models and came across BC Athletics & the Run, Jump, Throw program. Development of Idea • To provide children with the skills needed to connect them to community sport and recreation activities. • Jumpstart Academy directly removes participation barriers for disadvantaged inner-city kids: • giving them diverse experiences • high quality, organized programming • instruction and physical activity opportunities • no cost • in their schools

11. JUMPSTART ACADEMY Why Sport “Sport is a universal language that can bring people together, no matter what their origin, background, religious beliefs, or economic status. Sports can play a role in improving the lives of whole communities.” - Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary General • Only 9% of boys and 4% of girls meet the guidelines for physical activity (Canadian Health Measures Survey). • Lack of physical activity is a significant contributor to the health problems that children and families in low-income communities face.

12. “Sport skills are life skills” • KidSport Videos

13. MOVEMENT SKILLS

15. www.statcan.gc.ca

16. JUMPSTART ACADEMY • Primary Objectives • To increase opportunities for the vulnerable population to participate in sport and recreation • To remediate the effects of non-participation due to challenging life circumstances • Financial, children who have lived in refugee camps, children who don’t come from active families, etc. • To foster social inclusion and strengthen a child’s competence, physically and socially. • To connect vulnerable children to sustainable community sport and recreation opportunities

17. JUMPSTART ACADEMY Identifying Participants • Targeted opportunity (not open registration) • Ensuring that referrals come from a wide variety of school-based staff: • Principals/Vice Principals • Teachers • Counsellors • Support workers • Community organizations • Targeting students who would not otherwise get the opportunity to participate in sports activities due to socio-economic constraints, lack of transportation, or who have undergone significant or challenging experiences

18. LOGISTICS Program Basics • 2 days/week in schools (this year) in the gymnasium • Immediately after school until 4:30pm • C-SP creates the registration forms which go to the schools for distribution (from school staff) • The program runs in 3 seasons/school year with up to 30 children • (grades 1-7)/season • 2 YMCA staff/school Who is Involved • YMCA leaders • C-SP staff • School Administration & staff • Sportball • Provincial Sport Organizations (PSO’s) & For-profit sport organizations

19. PROVINCIAL SPORT ORGANIZATIONS (PSO’S) & FOR-PROFIT SPORT ORGANIZATIONS • Allowing sport specialist to instruct portions of the program is beneficial for the children. • How do we approach PSO’s for involvement? • What are the challenges with this process? • Why do the PSO’s want to be involved? • Which organizations have been involved? • Softball BC, Golf BC, Rugby BC, Basketball BC, Tennis BC, Cycling BC, multiple Community Martial Arts organizations, Kwantlen University basketball, Floor Hockey organizations

20. INSTRUCTOR TRAINING Run Jump Throw (RJT) • Developed by Athletics Canada, RJT is delivered in each province by the Provincial member branches • Fundamentals skill development program, designed for children ages 6 to 12 • RJT is: • Integrated for development at all levels • Broad based and progressive • FUNdamental to all land based sports • Inclusive for all abilities and maturational stages • Adaptive to special needs and athletes with disabilities • Gender equitable

21. This ‘FUNdamentals’ program teaches the grassroots skills of Track & Field: running, jumping and throwing - which form the basis of all land based sport

22. INSTRUCTOR TRAINING • RJT is a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) accredited program, and is delivered in the introduction to competition stream • Community members, sport leaders; can all become certified to deliver RJT after attending a 2 day course (15 hr) • Teachers can become certified to deliver RJT after attending a 1 day in-service (8 hr) • In 2010, BC Athletics partnered with the Surrey Schools C-SP team to train the YMCA staff and volunteers who would be delivering RJT in the Jumpstart Academy • Oct 16-17, 2010 – NCCP certified training – 18 participants • Oct 17, 2010 – training – 40 participants • Jan 18, 2011 – training – 15 participants • Sept 18, 2011 – training – 15 participants • Sept 24-25, 2011 – NCCP certified Training – 28 identified participants  

23. INSTRUCTOR TRAINING 15 HR RJT NCCP Training - Certification Training • Practical Teaching with children • Analysis of a Run, Jump and Throw – with technical progressions and game applications • General Athletic Development • Risk Management & Emergency Action Plan (EAP) • Ethics • Planning RJT Lessons • Participants receive RJT NCCP Kit, includes: Teacher Resource Manual, Technical Progressions Manual & DVD, Instructor Workbook, and Reference Guide

24. INSTRUCTOR TRAININGRJT LESSON PLANS

25. EQUIPMENT • RJT offers “Fun-in-A-Bag” Equipment bags which contain everything necessary to offer the program! • Two options – Bag A and Bag B • Each Jumpstart Academy school has their own RJT BAG A

26. Fun-In-A-Bag Equipment Bag Equipment List -- Large RJT Bag on Wheels 18”x 18”x 36” Stacking cones (6 of 4 colours) Agility blocks – 2oz poly foam board (6x4 colours) Hurdle cross sticks - 32” white Bean bags- 5” (4 colours) Hoops 15” diameter (~50cm) (4 colours) Skipping ropes ~ 8’ (2.50m) in length (4 colours) Throw-on-a-rope (4 colours) Relay batons (4 colours) Soft discus (4 colours) High jump elastic cord – 15’ x ¾” Soccer balls - 6'” diameter (4 colours) Small balls - 3” low bounce (4 colours) Agility ladder (non adjustable webbing) Duct tape Deluxe Agility ladder (adjustable) *Optional Everything you need to run a successful Run Jump Throw program can be found in one convenient bag on wheels! Two versions of the RJT bag are sold – A and B.

27. ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTOR TRAINING Classroom / Behaviour Management • Glenn Young (District Helping Teacher – Physical Education Specialist) Kids CanMove– Gymnastics BC Sportball Policy & Procedure Training

28. IMMEDIATE SUCCESS September-December 2010 • 10 Elementary Schools • 20 YMCA staff instructors • 300 children/session (900 children/school-year) January 2011-June 2012 • 23 Elementary Schools • 46 YMCA staff instructors • 690 children/session (2070 children/school-year) • Why it was so well received • Demand for the program in all Elementary schools • YMCA had to hire more staff to accommodate • Engagement of more PSO’s to deliver more Sport Basics

29. LEARNINGS2010/2011 SCHOOL-YEAR REFLECTIONS • Need for more training for instructors – RJT / classroom management • Logistical challenges: • School gym-space • Behaviours of students • Actually linking the children to community sports • Measuring that connection • Curriculum is the same for all schools • Scheduling with schools on days/week • Scheduling of YMCA staff for available days/week • Staff turn-over

30. NEXT STEPSMOVING TO THE 2011/2012 SCHOOL YEAR • Hired RJT Learning Facilitators to write a curriculum / lesson plan manual for instructors • Lessons follow a progression through the skills – designed to be delivered in order, with 2 lessons (1 hour each) per week • 24 lessons in total = 12 week program to follow • Manual includes instructional strategies, tips for formations, introducing an activity, giving feedback, and class management strategies • Identified highly skilled YMCA staff to take full RJT NCCP Training (15 hours) • 28 participants • Taught by the Learning Facilitators who wrote the Manual • High 5 Training • Hired a skill teacher from the Vancouver School Board to run classroom management training

31. NEXT STEPSMOVING TO THE 2012/2013 SCHOOL YEAR • Training staff in sport basics – to teach the kids without the use of PSO’s • A second manual/curriculum created with additional lesson plans • Staff assigned to facilitate and monitor the connection to community sport • Creation of opportunities for more hours/day to increase staff retention • Increase family connection

32. A day at JUMPSTART ACADEMY! • School ends at 2:30pm • Attendance is taken on arrival (not a drop-in program) • Snack is distributed between instruction periods • Sign-out/parent pick-up at 4:30pm

33. Questions?

34. Want to talk more? Amanda McIntosh Community-Schools Partnership Facilitator – Surrey Schools Tel: 604.576.1381 ext 2003 Email: mcintosh_a@sd36.bc.ca Taunya Geelhoed RJT Coordinator – BC Athletics / Athletics Canada Tel: 604.333.3554 Email: taunya.geelhoed@bcathletics.org