As important role models, they are inspiring courage for program participants – sharing language, and invaluable knowledge and skills along the way. At the forefront of program delivery in some BC communities, new instructors built leadership skills that empowered them to uplift themselves and their communities. Over the last year, six community members became qualified bike instructors with the support of Spirit North.This past year Spirit North worked with 10 Indigenous communities in Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan to develop trail networks for recreation activities such as mountain biking, running and walking: a legacy that supports and inspires community recreation for generations to come.Our strong community relationships and commitment to building community capacity enabled us to work collaboratively with communities to navigate health guidelines and lockdowns, and deliver over 950 innovative program sessions, events, and activities to 40 communities throughout Canada.įrom the introduction of new sports such as skateboarding and rock-climbing to rolling out brand-new initiatives such as summer day-camps and a youth leadership module we navigated health guidelines, collaborated with others, reached remote communities, and launched exciting new programs that created a sense of normalcy and hope throughout such a challenging and difficult time. Determined to support the health and wellness of the kids in our programs, we began adapting and innovating to create opportunities for sport, play and a sense of normalcy. Incredibly, while many organizations saw demand for services contract and discontinue, we began to hear from communities and schools that our programs were more necessary than ever.
Coupled with existing mental health challenges, the disruption, isolation, anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic meant that the mental health effects on the children and youth Spirit North serves would potentially be devastating. Social determinants of health such as overcrowded housing, lack of access to health care, poor infrastructure and chronic diseases magnified the disproportionate burden borne by Canada’s Indigenous communities.
As the world around us changed dramatically in response to a global pandemic, our thoughts and our attention went immediately to the communities we serve. The past 18 months have been a period like no other we have experienced. As one of the fastest growing, and yet most underserved populations in Canada, Indigenous youth face untold barriers when it comes to participation in sport and accessing the swath of benefits that come with it: something that Spirit North has been working to change – one child at a time. It is, at its heart, the story of Spirit North.Įstablished in 2017, Spirit North was founded on the simple premise that taking part in sport presents a myriad of opportunities for youth to access health, wellness, learning and life-skills and that this is an opportunity that should be made available to all. Held up against the backdrop of the stark realities of life for Indigenous youth however, it is a very different kind of narrative and a vividly powerful story. Taken at face value, the photo and accompanying narrative tell a story a sweet and simple commentary on preteen social awkwardness, sport, and friendship. The photographer is a student, and his home is the Paul Band First Nation, a First Nations reserve located about 65 kilometres east of Edmonton.
#SPIRIT OF THE NORTH WELLNESS HOW TO#
I learned how to talk to people more, and how to make friends without being shy or nervous. The photo is of a young boy holding a camera to his face the words below it read, “Spirit North got me out of being too shy to talk to people.
0 kommentar(er)
