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Pathway to Participation

Pathway to Participation for Indigenous Families is funded by the Physical Activity and Recreation Division of the Government of Alberta.

Pathway to participation 1

Lethbridge Sport Council and our community partners value sport for its impact physically, socially, emotionally, and mentally. No other domain of community life has demonstrated sport’s capacity to connect so many young people to positive adult role models and mentors, opportunities for positive development, and help to acquire critical life skills.

In the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Final Report (2015), sport and recreation are identified as tools for social development to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

The goals of this project:

  1. Facilitate workshops and help create and promote welcoming inclusive environments for Indigenous youth and their families’ active participation
  2. Engage urban Indigenous community champions to provide knowledge and oversee the project through a Lethbridge Indigenous Physical Activity Advisory Committee
  3. Deliver welcoming and culturally appropriate sport activities and events for urban Indigenous children, youth and their families
  4. Foster participation of Indigenous children and youth in active living, active recreation and sport
  5. Foster participation of Indigenous parents/caregivers with Indigenous and mainstream sport and recreation organizations
  6. Identify barriers to Indigenous populations’ participation in active living, active recreation and sport
  7. Enhance Indigenous cultural awareness among community active recreation and sport organizations
  8. Provide opportunities for interactions between Indigenous and non-indigenous children, youth and families
  9. Increase awareness of the pathways to participation in sport, active recreation, and active living
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#ChangingLives Through Sport Reconciliation Campaign

The Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action number 87 states "We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fames, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history."

Through our Pathway to Participation (P2P) for Lethbridge Indigenous Families program, Lethbridge Sport Council would like to see this action takes place in Lethbridge. The P2P program is funded by the Physical Activity and Recreation Division of the Province of Alberta.

Who is #changinglives through sport? Tell us about Indigenous sport volunteers, leaders, and mentors in your life for a chance to win one of three monthly prizes of $100 to go towards registration for a sport, physical activity or active recreation program. Winners can transfer their prize to a family member or loved one upon request.

#ChangingLives Through Sport campaign kicks off Monday, September 21 as part of Lethbridge Reconciliation Week through to November 30.

Follow these three simple steps to be entered to win.

1. Think about the people you know who are involved in sport. They could be an athlete, a coach, an official, or a volunteer for a club or league. Think about people you know who used to play sports and now they cheer on and encourage others to get involved.

2. Post on social media (Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram) or submit to [email protected] their name, their sport(s), and a sentence(s) describing why you want to recognize them. How have they impacted your life? How have they impacted your community?

3. When posting on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram you must use the hashtag #LethbridgeSport AND one of the following hashtags to be entered into the draw: #changinglives #MoreThanACoach #NoRefNoGame

Example of a submission: Thanks to my coach Trudie for making hard work so much fun, teaching me how to spike, and believing in me. #changinglives #MoreThanACoach #LethbridgeSport

This campaign is open to residents of Lethbridge and the surrounding areas who use Lethbridge sport and recreation facilities or participate in Lethbridge sport and recreation programs.

Winners will be notified by the method used to make their submission. If you posted your submission on Facebook, you would get notified via a Facebook message.

Although you can make submissions in any category at any time, Lethbridge Sport Council will focus the campaign on different roles each month.

  • September - coaches, trainers, and managers
  • October - parents in sport. This may involve being your taxi, banker, cook, volunteer, cheerleader, or shoulder to lean on.
  • November - technical officials, referee, judge, and umpires.

Lethbridge Sport Council may engage with your post/submission with a Like, repost, or comment. By using the hashtags of the campaign, you give Lethbridge Sport Council permission to use your submission to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Indigenous sport volunteers, leaders, and mentors to our community.

We may contact you for more information about the individual you recognized for a featured story or to submit a nomination to the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.

If you have any questions please contact Shawn by phone (403-320-9371) or email [email protected]

Indigenous History Month

In recognition of Indigenous History Month (June 2020), the Lethbridge Sport Council featured 4 local, indigenous sport leaders.