Government of Canada announces injury prevention funding - Increasing awareness to prevent injury among children and youth

WINNIPEG, Oct. 11, 2012 /CNW/ -  The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada today announced on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, investments in two projects to reduce the number of sports and recreation-related injuries among Canadian children and youth.

"In Canada, forty percent of all children and youth injuries are sports and recreation-related," said Minister Nicholson. "Our Government is committed to creating safe sports and recreational environments so that our children and youth can participate in activities that are safe and healthy."

Active and Safe Kids Manitoba, led by Recreation Connections Manitoba, will decrease sports and recreation-related injuries in children and youth 19 and under through community level action and partnerships by developing two tool-kits for use by community organizations and families.

"Families, communities, and children and youth need to know how to be safe while being active," said Cory Jackson, Executive Director of Recreation Connections Manitoba. "Because of this initiative, Manitobans will now have the information and tools they need to prevent injuries."

Safety Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sport, led by Alberta Schools' Athletic Association, will decrease sports-related injuries by creating an online training tool for teachers and coaches.

"We are developing a unique online course that will make it easier for coaches, teachers and volunteers, both in our Alberta communities, and across Canada, to promote physical education, sport and recreation safety," said John Paton, Executive Director of the Alberta Schools' Athletic Association. "Sharing knowledge is key to lowering the rate of injuries."

Through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Active and Safe initiative, the federal government invests in a number of projects that focus on preventing injuries among children and youth by reaching Canadians in the communities where they live and play. Active and Safe encourages community level action to increase sport and recreation safety awareness.

Également disponible en français

FACT SHEET	October 2012
Investing in Active and Safe Children and Youth
Unintentional Injuries among Children and Youth in Canada
Sports and recreation-related injuries make up a significant proportion of unintentional injuries for children and youth up to age 19. In fact, 40% of child and youth injuries treated in Canadian emergency departments are sports and recreation-related. While the Government of Canada encourages Canada's children and youth to become more active and live healthy lifestyles, it is also important to ensure their safety while being active.
Through the Public Health Agency of Canada's Active and Safe injury prevention initiative, the Government of Canada is investing $5 million over two years to support a number of community-based projects that empower Canadians to make safe choices when they get involved in sports and recreational activities. Today's announcement of $195,000 will support the Active and Safe Kids Manitoba project to decrease sports and recreation-related injuries in children and youth 19 and under through community level action and partnerships; and the Safety Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sport project to decrease the incidence of school-based, extracurricular and community sport-related injury among children and youth by improving the injury prevention expertise of teachers, coaches and volunteers.
Active and Safe Participation in Sports and Recreation
Active and Safe Kids Manitoba is led by Recreation Connections Manitoba in partnership with the Sport Medicine and Science Council of Manitoba, Directorat de l'activité sportive du Manitoba, the injury prevention program of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority - IMPACT, the Province of Manitoba, Winnipeg in motion, the Lifesaving Society, and the Canadian Red Cross.
The project will:
Develop an awareness campaign with injury prevention strategies, using two toolkits - one for community organizations and another for families. The toolkits will promote practical and innovative activities designed to both raise awareness and provide guidance on how to implement injury prevention strategies.
Safety Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sport is led by Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA) in partnership with Alberta Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research, Physical and Health Education Canada (commonly known as PHE Canada), School Sport Canada, and several provincial and territorial school sport associations including Manitoba High Schools' Athletic Association.  Cenovus Energy, an Alberta-based oil company, has committed funds to support the development of this and other online courses the ASAA is creating.
The project will:
Develop an online training course based on the existing Safety Guidelines for Secondary Interschool Athletics, and the Safety Guidelines for Physical Activity in Alberta Schools. This web-based, interactive course will encourage sport safety for a wide variety of different sports, designed for teachers and coaches of children ages five to 19.

  

 

Image with caption: "Minister Rob Nicholson with children from the North Y Youth Centre demonstrating proper use of safety equipment on the climbing tower at the "Active and Safe" Injury Prevention Initiative announcement in Winnipeg today. (CNW Group/PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20121011_C5746_PHOTO_EN_19142.jpg

SOURCE: PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA

Health Canada
Cailin Rodgers
Office of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq
Federal Minister of Health
[phone]

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
[phone]