The Southeast Connection Sport, Culture & Recreation District is pleased to embark on a new initiative, the Active After School Project, which focuses on promoting and supporting increased access and opportunities for children and youth, ages 6 to12 years, to engage in physical activity in the critical after school time period, 3:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Research suggests that children and youth are not spending their after school time in active play like previous generations. Rather, children and youth have adopted a modern lifestyle that includes spending a great deal of their after school time sitting idle indoors and participating in sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing computer games. The after school period has been identified as a target for physical activity by the Public Health Agency of Canada and all the provincial and territorial governments. Southeast Connection's Active After School Project helps to ensure that resources and training for physical activity opportunities in the after school period are available to south east communities.
The aim of this initiative is to build leadership capacity for quality after school program delivery and equip after school providers with access to after school programming resources and tools. Another goal is to increase the school-to-community partnerships and joint use agreements. The ultimate purpose is to increase the physical activity opportunities for children ages 6 to 12 years, during the critical after school hours for at least three days per week.
The Southeast Connection Sport, Culture & Recreation District recently announced the following pilot sites for the 2012 Active After School Project: Lampman School, Kipling Parks and Recreation, Sun Country Kids Club Inc in Weyburn, Tommy Douglas Centre Inc in Weyburn and the Town of Moosomin Parks and Recreation.
Anyone seeking more information should contact Tyler Jones, Southeast Connection Coordinator, at (306) 435-4066.