Motivate Canada is a Canadian non-profit organization that empowers youth through sports and recreation. The organization is based in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
, with offices in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
and
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
. Motivate Canada's approach is based on youth-driven development. This theory assumes that not only is there a bias against youth initiative throughout the world, but removing this bias can have powerful effects on
community development
The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems." It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists ...
. Motivate Canada works with both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadian youth to develop their desire and capacity to follow their dreams. Some of the tools used include role-models, leadership and confidence-building, and medium to long-term community support.
Esteem Team
The earliest Motivate Canada program was the Esteem Tea
created in 1994 by Olympic wrestler Chris Wilson. Wilson wanted to inspire young Canadians to follow their dreams and gave motivational presentations in elementary and high-schools throughout British Columbia. In 2001, he was joined by Field Hockey Olympian
Ian Bird (field hockey) and World Soke Cup Karate Champion Lisa Ling. Today, the ESTEEM Team counts dozens o
Athletes Role Modelsengaging youth throughout Canada including:
Alisha Tatham Brampton, Ontario - Team Canada Basketball,
Amber Konikow - Sudbury, Ontario - National Boxing Champion, Kent Brown Winnipeg Manitoba, National Team Boxer, Corey Robinson - Halifax Nova Scotia, National Team Wrestler, Mark Hatfield - Ottawa, Ontario CIS, CFL & NFL Football, Darin Kyle - Ottawa, Ontario World Dance Champion,
Benoit St-Amand - Montreal Quebec, Paralympic Gold Medalist, Sledge Hockey, Brian Nugent,
Isabelle Turcotte Baird
Isabelle Turcotte Baird (born September 24, 1970 in Quebec City, Quebec) is an athlete from Canada. She competes in the triathlon.
Baird competed at the first Olympic triathlon at the 2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, official ...
,
Claire Carver-Dias
Claire Rhiannon Carver-Dias (born May 19, 1977 in Burlington, Ontario) is a Canadian competitor in synchronized swimming and Olympic medallist.
Career
She grew up in Montreal, Quebec, but moved to Toronto in her late teens to pursue ...
, Olympic Bronze Medalist,
Graeme Murray
Graeme Murray (born 14 December 1984, in Bracebridge) is a Canadian ice sledge hockey player. He contracted a virus when he was three, which spread to his spinal cord, causing paralysis.
He made his debut for Canada's national team aged 15, a ...
, Rob Cox, Chelsea Lariviere, Josh Vander Vies, Jennifer Joyce - Kamloops British Columbiam, National Team, Athletics (Hammer Throw),
Kieran Block - Edmonton, Alberta, Team Canada Sledge Hockey, Keely Brown - Edmonton, Alberta, Team Canada Ringette,
Cheryl Bernard
Cheryl Bernard (born June 30, 1966) is a Canadian curler from Calgary, Alberta. She represented Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics as the team's skip, winning the silver medal in women's curling after falling to Sweden in the final. Her ...
- Calgary, Alerbta, Olympic Silver Medalist Curling, Kia Byers - Saskatoon, Saskatchewan National Team Canoe/Kayak, Mike Jones - Squamish, British Columbia, National Team Mountain Bike Adam Kreek - Victoria, British Columbia Olympic Gold Medalist - Rowing, Cheryl Pounder - Mississauga, Ontario, Olympic Gold Medalist - Ice Hockey, Dave Durepos - Fredericton, New Brunswick - Paralympic Gold Medalist, Wheel Chair Basketball
GEN7
The GEN
program follows a similar role-model philosophy. It was created in 2002 in order to enable Aboriginal youth having achieved academic or athletic success to encourage other Aboriginal youth. The Aboriginal role-models, also called Messengers, make a total of 6 visits to an Aboriginal community. During these visits, they lead sports and self-esteem building workshops and share their stories. There are 16 active GEN7 Messengers working in communities across Canada. Current GEN7 Messengers are of First Nations, Inuit and Métis heritage and include Josh Sacobie, former University of Ottawa Gee Gees quarterback, World Championship female boxer Mary Spencer, Canadian National Championship boxer Kent Brown, Estonion National Hockey Team hopeful Michael Auksi.
ACTIVATE
The ACTIVAT
program was created in order to empower youth to drive their own physical activity projects in their communities through Youth Driven Development (YDD). The ACTIVATE Program consists of leadership training opportunities including the ACTIVATE National Youth Leadership Conference and ACTIVATE Regional Forums. After participating, ACTIVATORS plan and implement their projects, which usually focus on community sports, with the support of Motivate Canada staff members.
Active Circle
The Active Circl
is the newest Motivate Canada program. It was launched in 2008 in partnership with the Aboriginal Sports Circl
and supports Aboriginal youth and communities to become vibrant, active and healthy through sport and recreation. The program supports community-driven physical activity initiatives and launched a website to serve as a hub for Aboriginal sports and recreation in Canada.
References
External links
Motivate CanadaJosh Sacobie's Gen7 visit in the Kingston Whig StandardActivate participant Braeden Jones in the Stonewall Argus and Teulon TimesMotivate Canada's Blog{{Commons
Non-profit organizations based in Ottawa
Youth organizations based in Canada
Organizations established in 1994