In May 2018, a Pilot of the Community Recreation Leadership Program concluded. Deian Cassie, a participant in the Pilot, lives in Norman Wells, NT. After completing the learning events required for her Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership, Deian shared a bit about herself.
For more than 17 years, I have been involved in sport and worked to promote healthy and active living in Manitoba, Ontario and now in the Northwest Territories. I have a passion for assisting families to make wise, healthy choices and believe that a role in recreation is one of the best ways to do this.
Just over two years ago, I moved to Norman Wells with my spouse, Harry Cassie, and our children, Harish and Haley (17 and 13 years old). As a family, we have always volunteered our time, wherever we live, to bring sports like track and field into the community, to help kids make healthy choices, and to provide a safe environment for the kids in the community. In Norman Wells, I am fortunate to assist the community in bringing track and field and healthy living options to the kids of the community in hopes that this opportunity will have an impact have on them, while teaching them a life skill.
This training program provided me with many opportunities to challenge myself in thinking about more effective and efficient ways to be a community recreation leader. Aspects of the program pushed me to think outside the box and make me more aware of ways to work and build better programs for target groups in the community. What really helped was to hear and read other ideas from the different communities and recreation leaders who were participating in the program. I’ve learnt a lot and believe I am a better recreation leader because of this program and the way it was delivered.
The remote delivery of this program was very flexible and worked well for me. I did find a few challenges where I wished some of the learning events were available via classroom learning, but I was able to work through this with help. I would like to thank Amanda Grobbecker for all her support in giving me the extra boost I needed to complete this program and Caroline Sparks for her understanding and patience when things were tough. I am happy to have been part of the Pilot program.