Apply Now! Ontario Pilot Schools Needed for Student Leadership Workshops this Fall

Friday, September 23, 2011

Physical & Health Education Canada is seeking 15 senior elementary and 15 secondary schools to pilot test a half-day student leadership workshop led by a PHE Canada facilitator!

PHE Canada, with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport, is set to pilot test the Leading the Way Student Leadership Workshops within senior elementary and secondary schools in Ontario. This program evolved from the Leading the Way Youth Leadership Guide. The English pilot test workshops will occur during the months of October to December, 2011.

The Leading the Way Student Leadership Workshops will encourage young people to learn how to successfully plan, organize and implement their own physical activity initiatives. By providing the appropriate training and tools, youth can develop the skills to become independent, positive leaders who are able to lead programs with minimal assistance from adult facilitators.

Goals of the Leading the Way Student Leadership Workshops:

  • To promote positive attitudes toward youth leadership, cooperation, and participation in intramural, health promoting school and recreation activities.
  • To help youth learn to plan, organize and implement their own programs with increasing autonomy and pride.
  • To develop youths' individual and cooperative leadership skills through participation in organized leadership groups.
  • To provide resources for youth and facilitators to use as they plan and implement intramural, health promoting school and recreation activities.
  • To reinforce leadership skills such as cooperation, trust building, commitment, responsibility, decision making, and problem solving.
  • To develop lifelong skills through leadership training that will benefit youth in all areas of their lives.

Importantly, the Leading the Way Student Leadership Workshop will increase youth empowerment and leadership while providing a vehicle for enhancing physical activity and healthy living in youth.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

  • 15 senior elementary and 15 secondary schools in Ontario, with two teachers at each school who are willing to pilot test a half-day workshop in collaboration with a PHE Canada facilitator.
  • Each school will host a half-day workshop with a select group of 20 students who show leadership potential. The group should be a mix of male and female students from across the following grade ranges: 
  • Students must be ambitious and willing to implement physical activity initiatives within their schools subsequent to the workshop.
  • Teachers must access their email regularly, as email will be the main vehicle of communication for the pilot workshop coordination.

REQUIREMENTS OF SELECTED SCHOOLS/TEACHERS:

  • Host a half-day pilot workshop between October 17th and December 23rd, 2011.
  • On the selected date, schools must be able to provide:
    • a large space (e.g., classroom) with A/V equipment (computer with PowerPoint, projector, screen, speakers)
    • paper, pencils and markers 
  • Complete the teacher and student evaluation and feedback at the end of the workshop that will capture personal opinions about the workshop and ideas on how we can enhance or improve it for students and teachers in the final version of the workshop.
  • With the support of the participating teachers, students will implement the physical activities and events within their schools after the workshop.

 WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS?

  • Participating schools and teachers will have access to fun, easy-to-follow activities and documents to use for implementing physical activity initiatives and other activity breaks (i.e., recess).
  • Participating schools will receive free resources that will aid in leadership development and physical activity initiative planning.
  • The workshops will give students practical experience in planning physical activity events:
    • At the conclusion of the senior elementary workshop, students will have planned 5 days worth of physical activities to run during recess and at lunch. These activities can by run for an entire week or spread out throughout a month.
    • At the conclusion of the secondary workshop, students will have planned a short intramural program to run at your school. The intramural program can be run every day for a week or can be spread out throughout a month.
    • If you would like to be involved in a pilot workshop, please complete the online application form by Friday, October 7th, 2011. Please select a date and time for the pilot workshop where you will have access to a large space to host the event. After October 7th, we will quickly notify all applicants as to whether their school was selected, and for the selected pilot schools, connect them with a PHE Canada workshop facilitator.

 

Click here to apply to pilot this program!