When we take care of our bodies, we take care of our minds. This intersection highlights why it’s so important to create equitable opportunities in sport and recreation spaces: because physical activity enhances physical, mental, and emotional health.
As the days get longer and warmer, and COVID-19 restrictions continue to ease, there are more chances for us to get out and get moving. There are also more chances for sport and recreation leaders to encourage people to participate in physical activity programs.
This Mental Health Week, the Physical Activity for Health Collaborative invites sport leaders, coaches, educators, and recreation leaders to utilize the EverybodyMoves Resource Hub. The Hub offers a collection of resources to help leaders and decision-makers create equitable, safe, and accessible sport facilities and spaces for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. When physical activity is accessible and inclusive, mental well-being becomes more balanced for everyone.
Physical health and mental health are very closely related, with research showing that physical activity helps relieve stress. Moving and exercising helps the body release endorphins and other chemicals that help reduce the feeling of pain and boosts mood.
When we encourage movement, we encourage mental wellness. When we encourage mental wellness, we encourage healthy living on a holistic level for everyone.
Featured Resources
We Belong: A How-To Guide aims to provide recreational leaders, coaches, educators and facilitators practical tools to help newcomer youth feel welcomed and included in physical activity settings. Developed by PHE Canada.
Good Practices for Creating Gender-Equitable Boards in Sport
Canadian Women & Sport (formerly The Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity -CAAWS), supports and champions Sport Canada’s objective of achieving gender equity in sport at all levels by 2035. CAAWS believes it begins at the top: ensuring gender-equitable boards of directors. This resource provides sport leaders with information including a checklist and tips on how to create gender-equitable boards.
PlanH provides a guide to support local governments as they build healthy communities throughout the province. Social connectedness makes people feel included and like they belong, which in turn encourages them to keep participating in recreation, sports, as well as other community activities that make them active and healthy.
Inclusive Physical Literacy Webinar
This webinar delivered by Andrea Carey of OneAbility introduced the concept of inclusive Physical Literacy, including how to offer inclusive programming and how to plan intentionally for inclusive programming and how to provide a supportive and welcoming environment for a person with a disability.