News
Statement Regarding HIGH FIVE® Changes in Nova Scotia
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Recreation Nova Scotia (RNS) has been a committed partner in delivering the HIGH FIVE® quality assurance program for over twenty years, working as an authorized provider to support the program in the province of Nova Scotia. This has involved marketing HIGH FIVE®, managing trainers, and administering the program in the province.
RNS's role as an authorized provider will end on December 31, 2024.
As HIGH FIVE®, Recreation Nova Scotia, and the sector have adjusted to economic and technological changes over the last few years, service adjustments have been made to the education program across the country. This, in part, led to HIGH FIVE® undertaking a business review over the last couple of years, which RNS had the opportunity to feed into.
The business review concluded in Spring 2024, and the consultant’s recommendations were endorsed in early Summer 2024. These recommendations included a significant shift in the delivery of HIGH FIVE® in Nova Scotia and eight other provinces and territories that operated similarly to RNS. This decision was communicated to RNS on September 10, 2024, without any immediate opportunity for discussion or questions.
The main change we foresee is that HIGH FIVE® will shift to a direct delivery model, delivered by HIGH FIVE® National (managed by Parks & Recreation Ontario). Course and trainer logistics will shift away from RNS to HIGH FIVE® National. We will engage with HIGH FIVE® National in the coming months to further understand this change.
RNS remains committed to supporting the recreation sector with high-quality training and education that meets the needs of the province's residents with a sustainable and accessible delivery model.
In the coming weeks and months, we will seek to hear more from those affected by this change and better understand the sector's education needs in Nova Scotia.
For any questions, queries or concerns, please contact
Michelle Richards hired as new Regional Physical Activity Consultant for Cape Breton Region
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We’re delighted to announce that Michelle Richards will take on the Regional Physical Activity Consultant (RPAC) role for the Cape Breton region. Michelle will be responsible for supporting and leading projects related to the Let’s Get Moving strategy in the region, contributing to a culture of movement and improving population levels of physical activity.
Michelle comes to RNS/CCTH with extensive experience in recreation at the community, municipal, provincial, and national levels. She has a passion for getting people of all ages active for life in all four seasons and a deep understanding of building collaborative relationships and networks.
Michelle’s vast and varied experience in the field includes working with Cross Country Ski Nova Scotia as the Cape Breton Ski Ambassador, running summer surf programs with the Municipality of the County of Richmond, and serving on the boards of Hike Nova Scotia and the Surfing Association of Nova Scotia.
We look forward to welcoming Michelle to the team. She will start on Thursday, October 3rd, and can be reached at
Welcome Michelle!
Highlighting: Municipality of Clare Pride Month Event
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I've never been able to be so myself; this is the best day ever!
Event Participant
This month, Recreation Nova Scotia is recognizing the efforts of the Municipality of Clare as a part of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Highlights series. In June, the Municipality's Recreation Department planned and hosted Pride events in the community. The event was a new addition to the Municipality's Pride Month activities. The Municipality flies the Pride flag and has hosted activities in the past, but this was the first full-day event for Pride. Though attendance at the event was low, this is an excellent example of how organizations commit to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, even when experiencing challenges and hardships.
The Municipality's Pride Event included a "Frenchy's Fashion Show," a "Pride Float & Paddle," and a community event which included music, face painting, a temporary tattoo station, and lawn games. The Frenchy's Fashion Show was a private youth event with members of the community's Gender Sexuality Alliance to find outfits from local thrift stores and gather at the Lion's Club to get dressed up, receive a drag makeup tutorial from a local drag performer and sing karaoke. The event was kept private to create a safe space for youth to participate, which was much appreciated by those in attendance. One participant told an event leader, "I've never been able to be so myself; this is the best day ever!"
Organizer Jessica Martin leaned on community partnership in planning the event and tried to include as many community members and organizations in the planning as possible. She also took advantage of another event in the community, "Pride was the first day of our local Burger Week. So, we had two burger week competitors come to the venue for a Burger Cookoff." She said that the Burger Week event had the highest attendance, which created an opportunity, "Where most attended to try the burger and not participate in Pride, they still had exposure to Pride festivities and the community. It may be a small win, but it's a win nonetheless."
After the event, Martin performed a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis with the help of staff. During this exercise, staff shared why they felt the turnout was lower than hoped, "Summer staff voiced that it wouldn't matter how awesome the event is, as soon as people in Clare hear "pride" they're not going." She said staff were disappointed with the turnout after working hard to plan and host the event.
Martin says the event was necessary for the community and went beyond the one-day event, "As a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, I wanted to make sure people knew people like them were out there and gathering." Martin will continue to move forward and plans to host Pride events in Clare again next year, "While participation was low, I'm proud to be in a community that encourages these activities on a municipal level. We will continue to expand our pride activities next year!" Martin feels that consistency will help in the future, "I think having more exposure to Pride and inclusive activities will help switch the dialogue slowly."
EDIA Highlight Story: Richmond County's Point Michaud Accessibility Project
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Richmond County is working with its recreation department to make Point Michaud an accessible beach for anyone with mobility issues by purchasing two Mobi-Chairs and Mobi-Mats. A project like this doesn't come without its challenges, and Sharla Sampson, Richmond County Active Living/Community Engagement Coordinator, offers some advice.
"Our project will provide more accessible access to the Point Michaud Beach for all persons with mobility issues."
- Sharla Sampson, Richmond County Active Living/Community Engagement Coordinator
September's Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility Highlight comes from the Island of Cape Breton, where one municipality works to improve beach access for people with disabilities. Richmond County's Recreation Department has purchased two Mobi-Chairs and two Mobi-Mats to make Point Michaud an accessible beach.
Mobi-Chairs are chairs that float and roll on the beach, designed to assist people with mobility challenges in accessing natural waterfronts. Mobi-Mats are installed over the sand to facilitate more accessible travel for the chairs towards the water or to make walking across the sand easier for everyone. Equipment is available at no cost to users, benefiting the County residents and tourists. Each Mobi-Mat is 100 feet long with hardware to secure them in the sand. The mats are portable and made from 100% recycled materials. The Mobi-Chairs are designed with everyone in mind, including wheelchair users, people with special needs and even children, to be convenient, portable, and comfortable.
Richmond County is home to various age groups that can benefit from this equipment, from families with young children who need assistance accessing the beach to older adults or anyone with accessibility barriers. This project has allowed more people to enjoy a supervised beach and the outdoors.
The project has its challenges. Active Living/Community Engagement Coordinator Sharla Sampson says the surf at Point Michaud is rough, which created an issue with securing the mats, "Our mats are installed to the water line and, as such, need to be checked frequently for wrinkles, rocks and debris given the impact of the surf." Another challenge has been finding resources for summer staff to educate users on using the mats and chairs.
If you are considering undertaking a similar project, Sampson has some advice. "Reach out to community groups who have executed similar projects to obtain first-hand knowledge of their successes and challenges." She says it is essential to prepare for the installation and removal of the mats and have proper storage for them. The mats take up much space when stored for the off-season. For this reason, Richmond County purchased rollers, which made setup and removal much more manageable.
The Point Michaud Beach accessibility project was supported by funding through the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. The municipality secured 50% of the project's cost through the Community ACCESS-Ability Program.
For more information on the ACCESS-Ability Program and how it can help your community projects, visit the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Webinar
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Join Nikita Lakhanpal, the Project Coordinator for the Town of Bridgewater’s Hemlock Conservation Project, for an insightful presentation on the pressing issue of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) infestation and the urgent need for municipal action.
Nikita will delve into the comprehensive measures undertaken by the Bridgewater Hemlock Conservation Project to address this environmental crisis and discuss how other municipalities can take proactive steps.
As we face the growing challenge of invasive species and their impact on our natural landscapes, the work being done in Bridgewater is a powerful reminder of the importance of local action and community participation.
September 26, 2024
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Virtual
FREE
EDIA Highlight Story: Yarmouth Recreation's "She Got Game" Program
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By eliminating financial barriers, we ensure that all girls, regardless of socio-economic background, can participate.
Matthew Smith, She Got Game Organizer
November's EDIA Highlight features Yarmouth Recreation's free "She Got Game" program. This youth, female-only program is tailored specifically for girls ages 11- 14. It empowers young girls by introducing them to various sports in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment.
Organizer Matthew Smith says offering the program free of charge has helped to encourage a wide variety of participants, "[The] cost can sometimes play a role in leaving girls out of programs such as this. By eliminating financial barriers, we ensure that all girls, regardless of socio-economic background, can participate." Smith says organizers have chosen to include some non-traditional sports in the program, such as cheerleading, disc golf and ringette, and traditional sports such as soccer and volleyball. He says this was intentional, "This variety allows every participant to find a sport that resonates with her interests and abilities."
University-aged, part-time recreation staff lead the sessions. These leaders are peers rather than expert coaches, guiding participants in a stress-free and supportive manner to ensure everyone feels valued and included regardless of skill level. Smith says this was a change made after the program began, "Our original plan involved bringing in coaches to lead the sports. However, we quickly realized that this approach might inadvertently create a competitive atmosphere, which could be intimidating for some participants." The change to university-aged staff fostered a more relaxed, inclusive environment where no one was an expert, and everyone was free to learn and participate without pressure.
Staff completed two training programs through Recreation Nova Scotia's REC Room platform, including the Social and Emotional Learning for Sport and Recreation and the Anti-Racism Training Module. Smith says that these courses helped to ensure that the program environment is not only physically accessible but also emotionally and psychologically safe for all participants.
Accessibility was a key focus of this program, with all necessary sports equipment provided, and the only requirement for participants was comfortable attire and a water bottle. Throughout the program, organizers experienced many girls wanting to continue with a particular sport that the "She Got Game" program introduced to them. Smith says organizers were thrilled to support this interest and connected with local sports clubs and organizations to share registration information with participants. He says they also made local partnerships to help reduce the cost of continuing if this was a barrier, "We collaborated with local organizations such as J-Strong and JumpStart to provide information on funding opportunities for participants interested in continuing their sports journey outside of the program."
Smith has valuable advice for any organizations looking to offer a similar program: focus on recreation, inclusivity is key and leverage community partnerships. Planning for the future is already underway. Smith says organizers are excited about the program's future. "We are hopeful that it will continue to grow. As participants age out of the program, we plan to offer opportunities to become volunteer recreation leaders, furthering their engagement in sports and fostering a sense of leadership and responsibility," Smith says. They are also exploring the possibility of creating a similar program for adult women, recognizing the importance of providing opportunities for women of all ages to engage in physical activity in a supportive and inclusive environment.