celebrating our creating our - Recreation Connections Manitoba

12Session CworkshopsThursday, February 282:15 PM – 4:00 PMC13 Arena Bull SessionThis session is an opportunity for delegates, facility managers andoperators to discuss issues and challenges with their peers fromaround the Province. Delegates are encouraged to bring topicsthey would like to discuss in this forum.Facilitator: Larry Golby, Technical Director, Alberta Associationof Recreation Facilities PersonnelC16 Let the Children Play! HealthyBrain DevelopmentThe importance of play in children’s healthy development and learninghas been well documented. Dr. Rob Santos will provide an overview ofthe latest research in early brain development and the substantial inequityin children’s early development in Kindergarten, at the age of 5. Thissession will address national, provincial and community level data on howwell we are serving our youngest children and how play and recreationcontribute to healthy brain development.Presenter: Dr. Rob Santos, Associate Secretary to Healthy ChildCommittee of Cabinet, and Executive Director of Science and Policy atthe Healthy Child Manitoba Office, Government of ManitobaC17 Riding the “Wave” - Strategies forEngaging and Retaining VolunteersEngaging the demographic “wave” of new Canadians, Boomers and Youthvolunteers requires agility, forward thinking and a sense of adventure.This session will highlight current trends and innovative volunteermanagement practice. Learn how you can harness the power of today’svolunteer workforce and discover what may be holding your organizationback from success.Presenter: Karen-Denise Cyr, Coordinator, Disaster Management,Winnipeg Regional Health AuthorityC14 Are We the Best We Can Be?Recreation and parks help people grow, stay healthy, and buildstrong families and communities. The benefits extend to protectingthe environment, stimulating the economy, and adding to thequality of life in our communities. While there is no doubt that ourprograms, facilities, and parks are key, we still need to be asking,“Are we the best we can be?” and “Are the services we providein our community viewed by elected officials, municipal staff, andresidents as being essential?” Participants will leave this sessionwith key learnings, direction, and resources for enhancing theircapacity to change lives and communities.Presenter: Brenda Herchmer, Owner, Grassroots EnterprisesC15 Making Youth Heard in yourCommunity – The Gimli Youth ModelThis session will describe the process that led to the formationof the Youth Community Partnership in Gimli, Manitoba. Learnhow elements of this process may be used to encourage youthcitizenship in your communities. Discussions will include bestpractices, lessons learned and new ideas for encouraging youth tobe engaged in their own communities.Presenter: Rhonda Lorch, Owner and Manager of Lorchand Associates