CAAWS’ Newcomer On the Move project is designed
to address disparities in the availability and utilization
of physical activity and sport opportunities for newcomer
girls and young women. In 2009-2011, with funding from
the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport’s
Healthy Communities Fund, CAAWS collaborated with organizations
in Ottawa, Brampton, Hamilton and North Bay to develop
and deliver healthy living programs for this target
group. With funding from Citizenship and Immigration
Canada in 2011-2014, CAAWS is building on the 2009-2011
project by sustaining existing programs in Ontario,
and adding a total of eight new community program hosts
across the country.
Why Newcomer Girls?
Evaluation results and feedback through CAAWS’
national On the Move initiative identified newcomer
girls and young women as an underserved population,
and many practitioners report a lack of education
and awareness about the unique needs, interests and
experiences of this target group.
In their 2006 “Inclusive Model for Sport
and Recreation Programming for Immigrant and Refugee
Youth”, the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving
Immigrants (OCASI) reported that many sport and physical
activity programs are not gender appropriate, and
fail to address parental and cultural concerns with
respect to girls’ and young women’s participation.
OCASI recommended that more girl-focused programs
be created (Women’s Sport Foundation, 2009).
According to Sport Canada’s 2005 “Sport
Participation in Canada” report, minority girls
and women are the most underrepresented population
in the Canadian sport and recreation system. Systemic
barriers, racism and a lack of sense of belonging
contribute to their limited participation (McNamee
& Flemming, 2007; Walseth, 2008; Spracklen, et
al., 2006).
Females from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and
females of colour engage less in physical activity
and have less access to sport and physical activity
programs (Women’s Sport Foundation, 2009).
Groups having higher than average rates of obesity
in Canada include many immigrant communities, those
living in rural areas, and those with a lower socio-economic
status (CIHR, 2003).
Click
here for more information about CAAWS’ 2011-2014
National project. Click
here for more information about CAAWS’ 2009-2011
Ontario project.
Sydney Millar
National Program Director Canadian Association for the Advancement of
Women and Sport and Physical Activity
N202-801 King Edward Avenue
Ottawa ON K1N 6N5
Tel: 613 - 562 - 5667
Fax: 613 - 562 - 5668
