Posts Tagged "Canada"
Interview with Brendon Smithson, Recreation Coordinator Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s, Nova Scotia
What prompted you to be an advocate and champion of children’s health? Working with children is the most rewarding part of my job, and nothing can brighten a day like having a child smile while doing something they enjoy. Healthier children seem to have more happy moments and enjoy life more, so advocating for children’s health was a natural fit in my life and my job. When did you adopt the CATCH Program and what prompted you to do so? There are many programs out on the market that claim to improve physical activity levels in children, but with CATCH there was also the nutrition component which is something that is rare to find. Being healthy is about more than...
Read MoreInterview with Jodi Eberle Bissonette, Programs Manager
YMCA of Greater Toronto Canada What prompted you to be an advocate and champion of children’s health? The YMCA of Greater Toronto is committed to providing a safe environment where children can participate in physical activities and learn about proper nutrition. By providing outlets for children to get active, we’re helping to fight childhood obesity. When did you adopt the CATCH Program and what prompted you to do so? The YMCA of Greater Toronto implemented CATCH in May 2008 in eight partner schools that were running YMCA after-school programs. In September 2008, the program was introduced to another 153 sites. The non-elimination games allow children to play...
Read MoreInterview with April Wilson Supervisor, Child and Family Development
YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka Ontario, Canada What prompted you to be an advocate and champion of children’s health? My career objective has always been to work with children. I obtained my Early Childhood Education Diploma and started working at the YMCA. There is a great deal of focus on early literacy, numeracy and social skills with today’s children. A very important piece of childhood development is that of physical health. Children need to be in a good place – mind, body and spirit. Physical activity and healthy eating look after both the mind and body. If we can start healthy living habits with young children, the chances of living a healthy lifestyle into...
Read MoreCATCH is a Success Story at The Reserve of Six Nations in Canada
By Dr. Nancy Francis, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Education and Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario Canada The Reserve of Six Nations is the largest in Canada, situated along the shores of the Grand River in Ontario. With a population of about 75,000 people, Six Nations supports five elementary schools, one junior high (grades 7and 8), a high school; as well as a post secondary technical school. Three Brock University physical education professors, Drs. Francis, Lodewyk and Mandigo, received a provincial grant designed to facilitate increased physical activity of children through the CATCH program. The initiative was launched with a 3...
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