Sport is a powerful tool for engaging children and youth. Sport For Development (S4D) clinics are designed to build a sense of confidence, leadership and teamwork through the creation of a fun and safe sport environment. Children and youth can have conversations about healthy living, develop social, educational and leadership skills, support youth social advocacy, and have fun!

In 2019-20, S4D clinics will focus on:

• Removing barriers to sport for youth and provide positive exposure to different types of games and physical activities.
• Providing Community Mentors with training, resources and strategies that focus on making sport activities inclusive for everybody.
• Leading clinics with PLAY partner communities across Canada. These 3-5 day clinics involve professional athletes and certified coaches, and allow communities to focus on the sport that most interests them. The goal is to (re)inspire children, youth and local coaches to make sport and physical activity part of their daily lives.
• Supporting locally-driven initiatives. Examples of these opportunities can include community-led clinics, access to coach certification training, and provide suitable equipment to ensure safe sports programming.

This fall, the Sport For Development Team travelled to Dauphin, Manitoba, to work with William “Mal” Ballantyne, the new Community Mentor at the Dauphin Friendship Centre. With the support of the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour, Mal’s coaching background, and a trunk full of Hockey equipment, this clinic was set up for success. The S4D team spent 4 days in town playing hockey-based games and activities with the youth in the community, helped to ensure broad local commitment to recreation programming and reduce barriers for young people to access sports.