Author: Caroline Sparks

A Pilot of the Community Recreation Leadership Program ran from October 2017 to May 2018. Stephanie Cardinal-Clark, from Tsiigehtchic, NT, was one of the participants who completed the pilot and received her certificate in May. Stephanie has held various staff and volunteer roles in recreation in her home community. After earning her Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership, Stephanie shared a bit about herself.

I am Gwichya Gwich’in, born and raised in Tsiigehtchic, NT. I have also lived in other communities, but have always found my way back to Tsiigehtchic – home is where the heart is! This is my home and I enjoy contributing to my community. I am very active with volunteer projects and work that builds a happy and healthy community. I am always willing to lend a hand when I know it is something that benefits our wonderful community!  Continue reading “Training helps me contribute to my community”

Pravina Bartlett was one of the participants, in a Pilot of the Community Recreation Leadership Program that concluded in May 2018. Pravina, the Executive Director for Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities, earned a Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership. Recently, Pravina shared a bit about herself.

My name is Pravina Bartlett and, as the Executive Director at the Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities, my role is mainly as a volunteer. I develop recreation programs for persons with disabilities (youth, adults and seniors) as part of our organization’s programs. I also coach 5-pin bowling to youth and adults in our local league and at national-level tournaments throughout Canada. I try to be an advocate and assist those that can’t access recreational activities due to various accessibility issues.

I wanted to take the Recreation Leadership Training Program to learn more about how I could improve access to recreation within my community and to provide effective programs that would help improve an individual’s well-being.

I enjoyed all of the learning events and was able to use the information immediately in my job. All of the content was relevant to what I wanted to learn and the instructors were amazing teachers. They were all thoroughly knowledgeable and very supportive. The online structure was very beneficial to my work schedule and easy to manoeuvre through.

I started applying what I learned immediately to ensure we could improve our client services and grow our programming in the future. I was very impressed by the volume of information we had access to that was directly relevant to this field and to my work.

Thank you Recreation North for this opportunity.

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. Continue reading “Training helps to become an effective and efficient recreation leader”

This week, Recreation North announced that the Community Recreation Leadership Pilot is moving from a pilot into a program. Launching across the territories in the fall of 2018 and winter of 2019, the Program will offer training delivered remotely and in-person to recreation leaders, including paid staff, volunteers, or individuals interested in entering the field of recreation. Participants can choose training that satisfies their professional development interests and strengthens their competencies for working and volunteering in the field of recreation.

Continue reading “New recreation training program completes pilot and moves into a program this fall”

A Pilot of the Community Recreation Leadership Program began in October 2017. Since that time, individuals from communities across the NWT, Yukon, and Nunavut participated in a variety of learning events delivered by Northern trainers. Laurel Irving from Behchoko, NT is one of those northerners to earn her Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership through the Community Recreation Leadership Program. Recently, Laurel shared a bit about her experience.

Continue reading “Useful learning included program planning, marketing, and risk management”

A Pilot of the Community Recreation Leadership Program began in October 2017. Since that time, individuals from communities across the NWT, Yukon, and Nunavut participated in a variety of learning events delivered by Northern trainers. Adonika Clark, one of ten individuals to earn her Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership, shared a bit about herself and her experience during the Pilot.

My name is Adonika Clark. I work in kids and youth programming, and volunteer in recreation. I consider myself an artist, a traveler, and an adventure seeker; I love living in Dawson City, Yukon. Continue reading “Recreation training helps make connections for work…”

Last month, NWTRPA Executive Director Geoff Ray, and Recreation North Project Lead Caroline Sparks attended the Framework for Recreation in Canada Forum- Gathering Strength in Regina, Saskatchewan. The two were there to represent Recreation North and to deliver a presentation on the Community Recreation Leadership Program (CRLP), which just completed its pilot year at the end of April.  More than 50 recreation practitioners from across Canada were keen to learn how Recreation North had successfully utilized public, non-profit and private sector collaboration to provide high‐quality, relevant recreation training delivered in under‐resourced, rural, and remote regions.

Continue reading “Recreation North’s Model for Training in Northern and Rural Communities”

Kelsey Hassard from the Village of Teslin, Yukon is a participant in the Community Recreation Leadership Program Pilot that began in October 2017. After completing the learning required to earn a Certificate in Northern Recreation Leadership, Kelsey shared some of her thoughts about the training experience.

I’m Kelsey Hassard, the recreation programmer for the Village of Teslin. I have held the position for just over a year now but I was born and raised in Teslin. It is good to be back in my home community helping out and making a real difference.

Continue reading “Doing the recreation training online was enjoyable…”