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adapting & growing during covid-19In the past, the program focused on making hockey accessible to all youth regardless of access to equipment or previous hockey experience by providing youth with FREE hockey equipment, practices, and tournaments to youth of ALL skill levels. We encouraged positive behaviour, high attendance, and leadership through participation in community events, fundraising, program requirements, and team-building exercises. Youth involved in our program attended leadership, cultural, and mental health workshops hosted by Inuit community members and elders, We employed alumni members of our program as trainers and assistant coaches. We also participated in annual or biannual tournaments and cultural exchanges in different areas of Ontario and Quebec where youth in our program learn about different Indigenous cultures and take pride in sharing their own culture.
More recently, COVID-19 has limited or restricted many aspects of our program. These restrictions have had an impact on team sports, social interactions, and mental health which has propelled us to pivot and rethink how we can continue to promote physical, mental, and cultural wellness in the ever-changing “new normal” that we find ourselves navigating. We have consulted with youth involved in the program and have co-developed a Virtual Wellness Initiative that involves various activities, challenges, virtual workshops, and competitions that promote physical, mental, and cultural wellness in the community of Salluit. click below to check out the program!
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