Aboriginal Programs
The Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts'
Sport and Recreation Branch recognizes that
active lifestyles play an important role in the
health of individuals and their communities.
That's why the Sport and Recreation Branch is
working to increase recreation and sport
opportunities to Aboriginal people in British Columbia by providing support to Aboriginal
organizations in three areas:
- sport performance;
- sport participation; and,
- capacity/sustainability
Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Association
of BC
The Sport and Recreation Branch provides
financial support and guidance to the
Aboriginal
Sports and Recreation Association (ASRA). ASRA’s
scope of programming supports all three pillars of
sport performance, sport participation and
capacity/sustainability in the communities.
Vision:
Through sport, physical activity and recreation,
ASRA strengthens the emotional, mental, physical and
spiritual aspects of community and individual life
for the Aboriginal youth and people of British Columbia.
Mission:
ASRA is a provincial multi-sport organization
which is responsible for sport and recreation
programs and services for the Aboriginal people of
British Columbia. Through partnerships with other
Aboriginal organizations, government and sport and
recreation organizations, ASRA supports and guides
the delivery of sport opportunities for Aboriginal
athletes, ensuring access to and participation in
the sport of their choice.
Purpose:
To provide a voice and advocate for equity,
access and equal opportunity in sport, physical
activity and recreation for the Aboriginal youth and
people of British Columbia.
To support, encourage and recognize the pursuit
of excellence that encourages a healthy and
addition-free lifestyle from grassroots to high
performance sport, physical activity and recreation
for Aboriginal youth and the people of British Columbia.
To promote and deliver personal and professional
leadership development and training opportunities to
Aboriginal people of British Columbia for the delivery of sport,
physical activity and recreation programs.
For more information, please visit the
Aboriginal
Sports and Recreation Association website.
Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T
Initiative
The Sport and Recreation Branch developed and
implements the Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T. (Futures
in Recreation and Sport Training) Initiative which
is comprised of five programs:
- Aboriginal Youth
F.I.R.S.T. Sport Excellence Program
- Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T.
Urban - Vancouver Program
- Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T.
Junior Eagle Program
- Aboriginal Youth
F.I.R.S.T. Provincial Outdoor Leadership Program
- Aboriginal Youth
F.I.R.S.T. Municipal Aquatics Program
Canoeist Tyrone Sylvester from the Cowichan Territory
shows off his medals from the 2006 North American
Indigenous Games in Denver.
Aboriginal Youth
F.I.R.S.T. Sport Excellence Program - Sport
Performance
The Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T Sport Excellence
Pilot Program is a joint initiative of the Province
of British Columbia, the Aboriginal Sports and
Recreation Association of BC (ASRA), and Sport
Canada. The Aboriginal Excellence Program is
designed to:
- Increase the number of aboriginal youth
participating in sport;
- Immerse athletes in a specialized,
competitive training environment at regional and
provincial levels;
- Through talent ID camps, highlight and
develop regional and community economic
benefits;
- Provide a complete training environment for
Aboriginal youth through expert guidance from
provincial coaches combined with support from
sport science professionals;
- Offer athletes and coaches the experience to
advance to higher competitive opportunities,
including the BC Games, the Western Canada
Summer Games, the Canada Games and beyond.
Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T.
Urban - Vancouver Program - Sport Participation
The Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T. Urban - Vancouver
Pilot Program is an initiative of the Government of
Canada, Province of British Columbia, Urban Native
Youth Association and community partners. The
Program is geographically restricted to Aboriginal
youth living in downtown and east Vancouver.
Participants in this program develop leadership and
employment skills through sport, recreation and life
skills training designed to meet the needs of youth
living in urban settings.
Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T.
Junior Eagle Program - Capacity/Sustainability
The Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T Junior Eagle
Program is a joint initiative of the Sport and
Recreation Branch and ActNow BC. The program
promotes a sense of self worth and confidence in
Aboriginal youth through education, training and
experiences; mastery of specialized skills in
aquatics, back country guiding and scuba diving;
exposure to outstanding First Nations role models
(junior leaders and instructors); and the
development of leadership skills. The program
cultivates values and behaviours that lead to
positive lifestyles through instruction in fitness,
nutrition and healthy choices.
Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T.
Provincial Outdoor Leadership Program -
Capacity/Sustainability
The Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T Provincial Outdoor
Leadership Program is joint initiative of the Sport
and Recreation Branch and ActNow BC. The Program
provides life skills and leadership training to
Aboriginal youth in aquatics and backcountry
guiding. Youth receive advanced training to become
Lifeguards, Swim and Lifesaving Instructors, Scuba
Diving instructors, outdoor leaders and backcountry
guides. Since its inception in 1993, the Aboriginal
Provincial Outdoor Leadership Program has benefited
over 600 youth and 50 Aboriginal communities
throughout British Columbia. The camp is held at Lester B. Pearson
College and includes a residential and day-camper
program.
Aboriginal Youth
F.I.R.S.T. Municipal Aquatics Program -
Capacity/Sustainability
The Aboriginal Youth F.I.R.S.T Municipal Aquatics
Program is a joint initiative of the Sport and
Recreation Branch and ActNow BC. The program is
designed to support a partnership between the
provincial and municipal governments to train,
certify and employ Aboriginal youth as Swim
Instructors and Lifeguards. The program is organized
on a provincial scale with regional training
programs coordinated between Municipal recreation
departments and Aboriginal communities. Recreation
Departments that are prepared to put resources into
training and employing Aboriginal youth can apply
for a matching grant to partially-offset the
municipality's costs of offering advanced lifesaving
and aquatic job training programs to identified
Aboriginal youth. This program will be launched in
the fall of 2006.
Aboriginal Program Contact
Information
For more information about the Sport and
Recreation Branch
Aboriginal Programs, please contact:
Judy Joseph-Black
Consultant, Sport and Recreation Branch
(250) 356-9602
Judy.Joseph-Black@gov.bc.ca
For further information about the Aboriginal
Sports and Recreation Association of BC, please
contact:
Alex Nelson
President, Aboriginal Sports and Recreation
Association of BC
(250) 544–8172
Website:
http://www.asra.ca/
For further information about the Aboriginal
Youth F.I.R.S.T. Sport Excellence Program,
please contact:
Patrick Chenier
Associate Director, Aboriginal Sports and
Recreation Association of BC
(250) 544–8172
patrick.chenier@asra.ca
For further information about the Aboriginal
Youth F.I.R.S.T. Urban - Vancouver Program,
please contact:
Karen Lepine
Program Co-ordinator, Urban Native Youth
Association
(604) 254–7732
youthrec@unya.bc.ca
For further information about the Aboriginal
Youth F.I.R.S.T. Junior Eagle and Provincial Outdoor
Leadership Program, please contact:
Wayne Smith
Outdoor Leadership Program Coordinator
(250) 361–1513
waynewsmith@shaw.ca
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