Today on Indigenous People’s Day, the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta (ISCA) and KidSport Alberta announce a new partnership designed to get more Indigenous children playing sport. The two organizations will be working hand in hand to raise funds for the ISCA KidSport Fund which will provide assistance for sport registration fees for Indigenous children across the province.
“The ISCA KidSport Fund is an opportunity that will provide expansion into more Indigenous communities to support sport, physical activity and wellness. ISCA is very excited about how this partnership will offer youth and families another option for funding they may not have. We look forward to working with KidSport on this initiative and would like to thank our Executive Director, Jake Hendy, for developing this relationship with Kidsport that will benefit our Indigenous youth.”
– Shannon Dunfield ISCA Chair
Both KidSport Alberta and the ISCA recognize the importance of doing more to assist Indigenous children into sport. They are committed to doing their part by providing funding for sport registration fees to help break down one of the many barriers of sport participation.
“The KidSport Alberta provincial board is committed to ensuring that Indigenous kids are able to benefit from sport participation. This new partnership between KidSport Alberta and the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta will see both organizations working together to help more Indigenous kids across the province into sport. We look forward to learning more about Indigenous communities and how the KidSport program can help.”
– Rob Signoretti, KidSport Alberta Chair
INFORMATION ABOUT ISCA
The Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta (ISCA) is the provincial sporting body for Indigenous people of all ages that creates opportunities for physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health and wellness through sport, physical activity and recreation in Alberta. ISCA works hard to break down barriers for Indigenous individuals, families and communities of all ages to participate in sport, physical activity and recreation. Since the pandemic started in 2020, ISCA has been known locally and nationally for holding highly successful online at-home ISCA Fitness Challenges creating a wonderful sense of community throughout the entire province of Alberta for Indigenous people to get active as individuals and families.
INFORMATION ABOUT KidSport
KidSport is a national charity that provides assistance for sport registration fees for children from low-income families. KidSport Alberta comprises 37 locally organized community chapters and the KidSport Alberta Provincial Fund (which provides support for families in communities that do not have a local chapter) and now the ISCA KidSport Fund. In 2019 local KidSport chapters and the KidSport Alberta Provincial Fund assisted 13,677 kids from qualified families into sport by paying $3.2 million in sport registration fees. In 2020 those numbers were about 1/2 the previous year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on youth sporting activities. KidSport believes that sport has the power to develop children’s social, mental and physical well being, and that all kids should have the opportunity to participate.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PARTNERSHIP CONTACT:
Jacob Hendy
Executive Director
Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta
Greg Ingalls
Executive Director
KidSport Alberta
403-607-3875
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