What's New?

Reviewing Programs Together

Reviewing Programs Together is a resource designed to enable parents/guardians to provide valuable feedback to program leaders about the quality of their child’s sport and recreation programs, by using the following:
1. Program Checklist, and
2. Ask your Child questionnaire

ParticipACTION Toolkit

The ParticipACTION Tool Kit offers easy, free access to communications materials created by ParticipACTION and partner organizations to those who support and promote active living. These materials can be used in any  organization's communications, such as newsletters, events, presentations and websites.

A Planning Guide for the Development of Rural and Remote Fitness Facilities

This planning guide will assist rural and remote communities considering the establishment of a fitness centre by providing lists and tips for organizing committees to consider as they move towards determining whether or not they can support a facility.

The checklist which is included can can assist in making an intelligent and systematic look assessment of opportunities for success in developing a community fitness centre. In addition, the information source section offers information which can be used to further evaluate the proposed fitness centre development.

Prevention of Injury: Guidance Document

This is one of a series of Guidance Documents meant to assist boards of health to identify local issues and implement standards for public health programs.

It provides background information relevant to injury prevention, including the significance and burden related to these behaviours, a brief overview of provincial policy direction and strategies, as well as supporting evidence and rationale. It also addresses the value of mental well-being and social determinants of health considerations in the public health approach to injury prevention.

There is a statement of each Requirement pertaining to injury prevention; a further explanation of the Requirement based on evidence, innovations and suggested priorities; suggested actions (organized into various categories of situational assessment, policy, program/social marketing and evaluation and monitoring); and some examples of how this has been done in Ontario or other jurisdictions.

The document  identifies and examines areas of integration with other program standard requirements. This section acknowledges elements and opportunities for multi-level partnerships, including suggested roles at each level (i.e., provincial, municipal/boards of health, community agencies and others) of public health governance. In addition, areas of integration with other strategies and programs.

Finally, it lists the key tools and resources that may assist efforts to plan, implement and evaluate interventions directed at injury prevention.

Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Healthy Weights Guidance Document

This is one of a series of Guidance Documents meant to assist boards of health to identify local issues and implement standards for public health programs.

It provides background information relevant to healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weights, including the significance and burden related to these behaviours, a brief overview of provincial policy direction and strategies, as well as supporting evidence and rationale. It also addresses the value of mental well-being and social determinants of health considerations in the public health approach to healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weights.

There is a statement of each Requirement pertaining to healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weights; a further explanation of the Requirement based on evidence, innovations and suggested priorities; suggested actions (organized into various categories of situational assessment, policy, program/social marketing and evaluation and monitoring); and some examples of how this has been done in Ontario or other jurisdictions with enough detail and guidance to adopt or adapt these examples and incorporate them into local health promotion plans. 

The document  identifies and examines areas of integration with other program standard requirements. This section acknowledges elements and opportunities for multi-level partnerships, including suggested roles at each level (i.e., provincial, municipal/boards of health, community agencies and others) of public health governance. In addition, areas of integration with other strategies and programs such as the Smoke-Free Ontario Strategy and Healthy Babies Healthy Children are identified.

Finally, it lists the key tools and resources that may assist efforts to plan, implement and evaluate interventions directed at healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weights.

Toronto Charter for Physical Activity: A Global Call to Action

This charter was launched at the 3rd International congress for Physical Activity and Health in Toronto during the closing plenary session on May, 2010. It outlines four actions based upon nine guiding principles and is a call for all countries, regions and communities to strive for greater political and social commitment to support health enhancing physical activity for all.

Northern Supplement for Everybody Gets to Play

Explains the adaptation of Everbody Gets to Play, an initiative aimed at low income families, to meet the infrastructure, social, inter/intrapersonal and environmental constraints of northern and remote communities. Presentation from the Parks and Recreation Ontario 2010 Educational Forum and National Showcase.

WHAT WORKS FOR OLDER YOUTH DURING THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD: Lessons from Experimental Evaluations of Programs and Interventions

This synthesis examines the role that programs designed to serve older youth can play in promoting positive development and subsequent self-sufficiency in adulthood. Findings from 31 studies that implemented random assignment intent-to-treat experimental evaluations to examine the impacts of various intervention strategies on youth well-being outcomes during the transition to adulthood (ages 18 to 25) are discussed. Although the report focusses on socio-economic issues such as career development, sexual risk taking and substance abuse, the underlying principals could be useful when considering recreation programming.

Vancouver 2010 Sustainaility Report - 2008- 09

This is the fourth of five planned public Sustainability Reports. The report is a management and accountability tool that sets out  sustainability objectives, describes plans for achieving them, and performance to date. For the VANOC team, the report provides a benchmark from which to measure progress and make adjustments as necessary. For the public, it offers a window on our activities and sustainability performance and serves as a basis for constructive discussion and feedback.

Sections included:

Yoga: The Body, Breath, Mind Connection

This issue of Wellspring addresses the benefits of yoga, understanding the linking of mind, breath and body, and adapting movements to individual needs.

Practices to Avoid in Out-of-School Time Programs

This research brief highlights lessons from an expanding body of knowledge about specific program practices that should be avoided or minimized in out-of-school time programs to improve their chances of success.

Practices to Foster in Out-of-School Time Programs

This research brief outlines 10 practices that can foster positive outcomes for participants in out-of-school time programs.

Reframing Physical Activity Programs for Aboriginal Communities

This issue of Wellspring offers insights about the importance of cultural awareness and presents several recommendations to help active living practitioners successfully promote physical activity programs to Aboriginal groups or communities.

Recreational Tool Kit for Rural, Northern & Remote Aboriginal Communities

This toolkit contains information and resources to help guide you through creating, planning, implementing and evaluating your Recreational Programs. It is designed in a way to educate and remind individuals of the four aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Within each section you will find information pertaining to personal, emotional, spiritual and physical growth.

Take Action: A guide for those working towards getting children and youth more physically active.

This guide is intended to help you take the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity recommendations further and turn the research into action. This is for all of us who are working towards getting children and youth more physically active—from NGOs to public health to sport organizations and municipal recreation departments. It covers:

• PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SPORT PARTICIPATION
• SCHOOL
• FAMILY AND PEERS
• BUILT ENVIRONMENT