Our Vision
Our goal in this project is to create a new physical activity coaching approach, KidsAction Coaching, for children with neurodevelopmental challenges and their families. Key components of the approach include:
- Personalized child-centred coaching
- Home-based activities using an app
- Online networking for parents and coaches, with social activities for parents
This approach has been tested previously with families in urban settings. Our aim is to assess how it can be carried out for those living in rural and Indigenous communities in BC. Few physical recreation programs exist for children with neurodevelopmental challenges, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities. Our project will help to determine the optimal ways that such a program can provided in these communities.
Our Mission
KidsAction will foster the development of new and existing physical activity programs as they become better equipped and trained as well as offer a new, wider range of benefits for families, children, and coaches involved at the program. KidsAction helps to support families, children, and coaches through activity, recreation, and socialization.
How We Aim to Achieve This
Our objective is to assess different ways for KidsAction to thrive in diverse communities and to develop a model that outlines the key steps and strategies that can be used with other Indigenous and rural communities. We will use an Indigenous inclusive approach and a framework for developing and sharing knowledge that includes community members through all stages of this process. We will also collaborate closely with our provincial and community level project partners. We expect to implement and evaluate KidsAction in a total of 16 sites over the next 3 years.
How We Measure Success
Over the course of the project, we will measure the impact that KidsAction has across different sites in the areas of health and well-being at child, family, and community levels. We will also examine factors that helped or hindered implementation of KidsAction and how this information can help to generate a model or set of guidelines to help other rural and Indigenous sites use KidsAction more successfully. In addition, we aim to increase abilities among community members to support physical activity for children and families living with neuro-developmental challenges. We anticipate the project will contribute to more inclusive and equitable participation in physical recreation for rural and Indigenous families in BC and contribute to their improved health and well-being.
