GIRLS FOR SPORTS & RECREATION:Late Start Program

For

L. DhaliwalREC1090

February 24, 2015

Courtney Mitchell7098049

Table of Contents

Program Plan Page1. Executive Summary 3-4

1.1 Description & Target Group 31.2 Needs & Benefits 31.3 Expected Outcomes 4

2. Rationale 4-52.1. Purpose 42.2. Characteristics /Recreation Agency 5

3. Program Plan 6-103.1. Goals and Objectives 63.2. Program Description 73.3. Season Length & Duration 73.4. Participant to Staff/Volunteer Ratio 83.5. Program Policies, Procedures 83.6. Participation Plan, Monitoring Plan 93.7. Program Schedule/Lesson Plan 93.8. Facility/Equipment/Supplies 10

4. Risk Management Plan 10-124.1. Program Rules 104.2. Staffing Requirement & Qualification 114.3. Program Promotion Methods 114.4. Program Budget 124.5. Registration Process 12

5. Evaluation Process 125.1. Formative Evaluation 125.2. Summative Evaluation 12

6. References 13

7. Appendix 14-27

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7.1. PART I1. Executive Summary

1.1 Description & Target Group

“Girls for Sports & Recreation” is a late start program for girls who are interest in getting into

any sport field or recreation. The programs main focus is to get more girls active by introducing

sports or recreation in order to build self-esteem. This program falls under the category of

wellness and personal development. “Girls for Sports & Recreation” is targeted for girls in

grade nine to twelve (13 – 18 years old). This program is an after school drop-in which runs

three times a week for the full school year. Each week starts a new activity where the girls learn

the basics of how they work. At the end of the week, they will be given different resources on

where and how to advance in the skill set. According to the CAAWS (Canadian Association for

the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity), girls with lower self- esteem

may feel inadequate or unfit to even try sports which prevents them from being active. The

general population of high school students spends 9.3 hours inactive (Edwards, 2003). “Girls

for Sports and Recreation” will give girls a chance to find an activity that interest them and help

them to build confidence within themselves to continue becoming better at the sport. Given that

this program is a drop in program, students are not forced to engage if they don’t feel interested

in it.

1.2 Needs & Benefits

This program is best fit and needed for teen girls because adolescence is a very critical period

for young women to develop and preserve positive self-esteem. Young women are looking for

communicated approval, liking and respect, not just from peers but also from teachers and

coaches. Through this, young women will develop feelings of self-worth and self-confidence

(Edwards, 2003) which is what this program is promoting. Sports have also been an area within

society that has traditionally oppressed Women by limiting their participation opportunities.

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Those athletic women in the spotlight are not usually focused on because of their athletic

achievement but are commonly focused on their sexual appeal or “feminine” qualities (Carty,

2005). This means that, in sports alone, there are not many athlete role models for young

women.

1.3 Expected Outcomes

The young women should come out of this with program with:

1. At least one sport or recreation interest they would like to pursue

2. Feelings of self-worth and self-confidence

3. Relationships with other young women pursuing the same goal

4. A chance to have fun in a program fit for them

2. Rationale

2.1 Purpose

As stated before, teenagers as a whole are a lot less active then they ever use to be before.

According to the Dove Self-Esteem Project about 6 out of 10 girls drop out of physical

activities because of how they look. In the world today, only 4% of women consider themselves

beautiful (Devonish, 2015). There is a self-esteem crisis amongst our women. Majority of self-

esteem for young women is lost in high school. There are many factors for low self-esteem such

as discrimination, sexism, harassment, abuse family dysfunction, lacking of good role models

and poor portrayal of women in the media (Edwards, 2003). In sports, women are very poorly

portrayed. In an analysis done on three major sports magazines: Gear, Sports Illustrated and The

National Sports Review; each magazine depicts female athletes as sex objects in some capacity

(Carty, 2005). What kind of message does this send to the young women? National Task Forces

on Young Females and Physical Activity released their definition of the physical activity and

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self-esteem problem. “Females, beginning at an early age, under-value and underestimate their

capacity (and potential) for competency in physical activity. This view is shared by others in

society, including male peers.” The statement goes on to explain that, as a result, she will fall

behinds in her physical activity competency. In the end she will either go on to do something

more traditionally feminine or be turned off physical activity all together (Edwards, 2003).

2.2 Characteristics & Recreation Agency

This program meets the characteristics of youth on different levels but mainly focuses on the

social, emotional and physical characteristics. Learning something new is one of the best ways

to build self-esteem and self-confidence, with this program the girls will be introduced to

various sports and activities, learn the basics and find something they are interested in.

Emotionally, sport and recreation offers the opportunity for young women to build self-

confidence and self-worth through activities and encouragement from the coaches. As

mentioned before, young women and girls are underestimated for their competency in physical

activity and this can sometimes turn girls away from sports. This program encourages

participation in spite of that. “Girls in Sports & Recreation” should be a public sector program

that is offered by the Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District

School Board. Majority of young women in high school have low self-esteem and high school

is usually where this self-esteem is lost (Edwards, 2003). Public sector would give every young

woman the opportunity to build back that self-esteem.

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3. Program Plan

3.1 Goals and Objectives

1. At least one sport or recreation interest they would like to pursue

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” offers girls the opportunity to learn a new sport that they may

or may not have heard about. Through this, girls can find an interest in an activity or maybe a

skill that they didn’t know they had and can further pursue that skill or activity. Either they can

pursue this activity through the schools competitive or intermural games or through the other

resources provided by the program for other late start programs in the region.

2. Feelings of self-worth and self-confidence

A lot of self-confidence and self-worth can be built through physical activity. In “Girls for

Sports and Recreation,” girls spend a week learning new skills that they can take with them into

that sport or recreational activity. Through this, girls build a sense of self-worth and self-

confidence through their new found physical competence.

3. Relationships with other young women pursuing the same goal

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” offer girls the opportunity to learn new skills for various

sports or recreational activities that may not be included in the schools physical education

curriculum. This program is a drop-in program, so if the young women do not wish to pursue

this activity, they do not have to. This means, the girls and young women who do stay for that

week can potential form relationships with in the program that continue outside of the program;

similarly to a motivational partner.

4. A chance to have fun in a program fit for them

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a program full of all young women and girls who may not

have had the exposure to sports and recreational activities as young children. For whatever 6

reason, these young women would like to start pursuing some sort of physical activity so they

drop in to “Girls for Sports and Recreation”. The beauty in this program is that all the

participants are females who have little to no experience within sports or recreation. All of them

can pursue some sort of physical activity without the competition or the cuts or the fear of being

bullied due to incompetency.

3.2 Program Description

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a female-only, after school drop-in program that allows

girls to learn about and participate in sports and recreation. The beauty of this program is that it

is offered to young women who may not have had much exposure to sports or any form of

recreation when they were young. This program allows girls find a sport or a recreational

activity that they may not have known about or tried. It will get them active and on their feet as

well as away from the screen and maybe come out of the program with a new found interest and

a physical competence.

Each week will offer a new sport or recreational activity for the young women to try out. The

program will run after school for the full year and will be offered to young females between

grades nine and twelve. This means that the girls will be introduced to approximately 40

activities between the time the program starts at the beginning of September and ends at the end

of June.

3.3 Season Length & Duration

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a yearlong after school drop in program run by the various

high schools within Waterloo Region District School Board. As long as they are registered for

the program, they can drop in whenever they please. They pay a fee at the beginning of each

semester that covers possible equipment and trip expenses but if the girls do not show up, they

will not be reimbursed.

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3.4 Participant to Staff/Volunteer Ratio

Since “Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a program run by the Waterloo Region District

School Board, they don’t need as many staff and volunteers but they are still essential to the

program. First off, we need a Recreation Manager who will manage the staff that runs the

programs in the school. A Recreation Director is also needed to plan the programs as well as the

outings. Next, each school will have at least one staff member for every ten students in the

program. This program is also opened to special needs students so there will be one staff

member for every two special needs students within the program to insure inclusion.

This program is an option for colleges and universities to place recreation students. Each school

program can accommodate at least two placement students who would like to work with

teenagers in the recreation field. These students would work alongside the Recreation Director

for the planning of programs and possible outings as well as work with school staff with the

implementation of these programs.

3.5 Program Policies, Procedures

No Bullying Policy

Participants are warned that there is a zero tolerance for bullying in the program. If they are

caught bullying any students in the program, they will be permanently dismissed.

Procedure:

1. Participants are warned at the beginning of the program that there is a zero tolerance for

bullying

2. If caught bullying, the staff member will dismiss participant from the rest of the day’s

program

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3. If caught bullying again, the staff member will dismiss participant permanently from

program.

Holiday/PA Policy

In the case of a Holiday or PD day, if they happen to fall on a participation day then that

participation day will be moved.

Procedure:

1. PD day or a Holiday is coming up on a participation day

2. Participation day will be moved to a day that is not a holiday or PD day for the week.

3. Participants will be notified of this change.

3.6 Participation Plan and Monitoring Plan

Part of “Girls for Sports and Recreation” is getting girls out and partaking in sports or

recreational activities that are safe and get them away from the screens. The plan in place for

keeping students coming to the program is to foster a confidence in the girls. This confidence

keeps them coming to the program so they can learn more. Another way to keep them coming

to program is to foster friendships with in the program. Once that sort of “family like”

atmosphere is created, the students will come back.

To monitor participation throughout the year, there will be an attendance sheet. Once students

have registered for the semesters they will be put on a list. Each day the students come in to

program they check off their name. This also helps with knowing who is interested in the

activity and who is there for the outings or purely socializing with friends.

3.7 Program Schedule/Lesson Plans

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a yearlong drop in program offering the opportunity for its

participants to take part in a variety of different sports and recreational activities each week.

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Parents as well as program participants can get a sense of what to look forward to in the

program with the program schedule that will be given out with the registration form.

The schedule for the program for the year will be listed as Appendix A. The six lesson plans

will be listed as Appendix B.

3.8 Facility/Equipment/Supplies

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a yearlong drop in program for girls offered at the various

high schools with the Waterloo Region District School Board. The Waterloo Region District

School Board has allowed us access to their high schools various facilities as well as gym

equipment that is need for the program. This includes access to each school’s gymnasium,

football fields and soccer field. The program also has access to all the gym equipment need to

run the program. “The House: Outdoor Gear” has generously donated 16 Windsurfing boards

and masts. Also, Revolution Gymnastics Club in Waterloo has offered the program a week of

free use of its gymnastic facilities.

4. Risk Management Plan

4.1 Program Rules

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” always puts their participants before anything else. That is

why we have implemented four rules to follow while attending the program:

1. Participants should be dressed appropriately for the activity of the week. For safety reasons,

if students are not dressed appropriately they may not be permitted to participate.

2. All participants will be asked to perform a swim test before the start of all water related

activities.

3. Please do not bring items of value. We cannot be responsible for items that are lost, stolen or

broken.

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4. Everybody must be respectful to one another. Any form of bullying may result in dismissal

from the program with no refund.

4.2 Staffing Requirements and Qualifications

“Girls for Sports and Recreation” is a yearlong drop in program for female students between

grade nine and grade 12. The school board would like one in school staff member running the

program for every ten students who are registered. In case of participants with disabilities, there

will be another staff member on hand. This low ratio of staff to student is so that the students in

the program get the attention they need to thrive. We will also have post-secondary placement

students coming in to work with our program director in making the programs as well as

working with our staff member to implement programs. This is better for the placement

students because this allows them to have experience working in a school setting with teens.

This also helps staff with an extra hand on outings and activities that need a bit more attention.

Job descriptions for In School Staff Members as well as Post-secondary Placement students can

be found in Appendix E.

4.3 Program Promotion Methods

Program promotion can be very difficult, especially when promotion is for a new program for

students who attend specific school boards. However, in order for the program to be successful,

this must be done. One way of promoting the program is informational promotional flyers.

These flyers can be posted around the school to inform students of the new program. At this age

group, participants are old enough to have say in whether or not they would like to partake.

Some even have part time jobs so program promotion to the possible participants is important.

Another way to promote the program is to, at the beginning of the school year, send home

brochures for the new program with all the female students. This way, possible participants as

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well as parents or guardians can have an in-depth look at what the program is all about and

whether or not there is any interest in the program.

Examples of the Promotional Flyer can be found in Appendix F. Examples of the Promotional

Brochure can be found in Appendix G.

4.4 Program Budget

Program Budget can be found in Appendix H.

5. Evaluation Process

5.1 Formative Evaluation

A formative evaluation will be conducted during the implementation of the program, and the

program manager will be the one who conducts the formative evaluation. They are the ones

with more experience in the field of recreation and sports leaving them the best ones to do it.

The participants and staff members will complete the evaluation to better the programing for the

next year. Considering this program is a newer program, the more feedback, the better it is in

the long run for newer participants.

5.2 Summative Evaluation

A summative evaluation is going to be conducted once the program is done till next year. The

program manager, and program director as well as all the school staff involved will conduct and

complete this evaluation. All staff will conduct a large meeting to discuss the strengths and

weakness of this program. They will discuss whether or not the program achieved its goals.

They will also discuss how those goals will be reached if they were not reached the first time

around. This evaluation is important for “Girls for Sports and Recreation”, not just for the

programs benefit but also the benefit for the girls who participate within the program.

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References

Carty, V. (2005). Textual Portrayals of Female Athletes. Project Muse, 26(2), 132-153.

Devonish, S. (2015). Dove. Retrieved from The Dove Movement for Self-Esteem:

http://www.dove.us/Our-Mission/Girls-Self-Esteem/Vision/default.aspx

Edwards, P. (2003). Esteem, Sport & Physical Activity. Canadian Association For the Advancement of

Women and Sport and Physical Activity, 1-4.

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