Immigration, integration, and intersectoral partnership: A critical examination of introductory winter sport programmes for newcomers to Canada

View the summary of this research here. Project summary The objectives of this project were threefold: This project was based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I co-designed the WNP with intersectoral community partners from WinSport (a community-based sport facility) and Center for Newcomers and Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (two Calgary-based settlement services organizations). Our aim was…

Creating welcoming, equitable spaces for new Canadians in sport

Highlights: Sport can help to promote physical and mental health, build social connections and support integration into Canadian communities among newcomers to Canada Research shows that newcomers face unique barriers to sport participation, including cost, transportation, language, access to information, racism and religious or cultural considerations In this article, newcomers in participant, parent, and coaching…

Integration of refugees in sport

Sport can provide refugees opportunities to make social connections. To successfully integrate refugees into sport, sport organizations need an active approach needs by managers, coaches and volunteers. A positive and welcoming environment, an inclusive narrative, and making the club feel safe and fun are other factors that can contribute to success.

Newcomers and sport participation

Newcomers to Canada often struggle with feeling like they belong. Sport and physical activity can help foster feelings of belongingness, bringing Canadians of all backgrounds together. Providing newcomers with resources on how to become involved in sport and physical activity at all levels is essential to ensure all sport is inclusive. Sport for Life has…

World Humanitarian Day

People across the world live in areas affected by natural disasters, conflict and persecution. Sport can be used as a positive tool in these areas to promote positive change and give individuals the opportunity to be included in something meaningful. Through their Sport for Protection approach, the UN Refugee Agency uses sport for children and…

Welcoming newcomers to Canadian sport

Research shows that new immigrants to Canada who participate in sport and physical activity increase their social networks, improve their health, and better integrate themselves into Canadian society. These findings highlight the importance of critically evaluating ‘Intro to Sport’ programs and their effectiveness in welcoming newcomers to Canadian sport.

Supporting refugees in sport

Canadian soccer superstar Alphonso Davies, who plays for FC Bayern Munich and Team Canada, arrived in Canada as a refugee when he was 5 years old. “Refugees need our support to survive, but also access to education and sports, so they can fulfil their potential and truly thrive,” says Davies, who was appointed as a…

Sport for newcomers

Sport participation can help welcome newcomers to their new country. Sport administrators can create more inclusive and welcoming programs by involving newcomers in program planning and implementation. Partnering with community organizations that have experience supporting newcomers can also be helpful.

Insight to inform program delivery

“Senior decision-makers in community sport organizations need to create opportunities for program leaders to share their experiences and knowledge. Staff know the barriers and challenges experienced by participants, but those barriers and challenges can persist if insights aren’t filtered up the organizational hierarchy.” – Amina Haggar, a University of Ottawa graduate student, shares insights from…

Soccer and Christianity in greater Vancouver: Bodies, relations, and formations in Canadian settler-colonialism

Introduction and context The focus of the research is the relationship between sport and Christianity (evangelical and Pentecostal) in Greater Vancouver. In a world of increasingly individualism, and disintegrating mass institutions (mass political parties, civil services organisations, mainline Protestant churches) the intention of the research was to understand how increasingly global social mass movements, soccer…