The School of Community Government

Community Recreation Leader Certificate Program

This program is designed to provide recreation leaders in northern and aboriginal communities with practical and relevant skills and knowledge to effectively deliver recreation services. The curriculum is based on the approved occupational standard.

What will I learn?

The program provides instruction in key competency areas for recreation leaders including leadership, communications, program planning, volunteer development, youth programs and services, traditional games and sport.

Program Outline

What are the program objectives? 

  • Encouragement of quality standards
  • Facilitate adult learning in adult environment
  • Provide experiential learning
  • Standardizing of training related to occupational standards
  • Networking between community recreation leaders
  • A spirit of professionalism

Course/Module Descriptions

Northern Recreation Leadership

This course will focus on providing students with an understanding on the role leadership plays in developing and delivering recreation services in northern and aboriginal communities. Understanding leadership styles, problem solving, conflict resolution and oral communication will also be a focus within the course.

Recreation Programming

This course examines the process for designing and implementing successful community recreation programs and special events. Applying program planning models in a community context will also be a focus of the course.

Volunteer Development

This course will assist community recreation leaders in developing a volunteer base. Recruitment, retention and recognition strategies, volunteer organization development and promoting volunteerism in the community will also be topics within the course.

Recreation Finances and Fundraising

This course introduces the student to the key aspects of budgeting, record keeping and financial management relevant to a community recreation operation. Instruction in lottery licence applications and reporting, fundraising and proposal writing is also provided.

Youth Programs and Services

The course focuses on providing an awareness and understanding of youth issues among northern and aboriginal youth and how to develop and deliver effective programs and services for youth in the community.

Northern Recreation Activities

This course will focus on the planning and implementation of northern type activities such outdoor pursuits and an “on the land activities”. Instruction in the planning and organizing of outdoor activity trips such as winter camping or canoe trips will be provided. Wilderness survival, safety and emergency survival skills and traditional knowledge will also be topics in the course.

Recreation Facility Operations and Management

Instruction will be provided in facility design considerations, preventative maintenance, risk management as well as practical skills involved in the operation and servicing of recreation facilities. Other topics include developing policy and procedure manuals, energy management and facility scheduling.

Traditional Games and Sport Coaching

This course introduces the student to all aspects of traditional Dene and Inuit games and the coaching skills needed to instruct athletes participating in the games. Community Coaching certification will also be provided through the course.

Computer and Business Communications

Students will receive instruction in planning, organizing, composing and revising business messages. Documents will include letters, memos, email and other business messages with an emphasis on clear, concise communications. An introduction to computer applications such as Microsoft 2000 Word, Excel, Access and Power Point will also be provided.

Personal Management Skills

This course offers students an opportunity to develop the personal management skills necessary for greater personal and professional success. Students will develop skills in areas such as communication, problem solving and decision making and self awareness. Learning how to develop the personal discipline necessary to be effective recreation leaders is also a focus of the course.

Fieldwork I and II

The fieldwork or on the job practicum component of the program provides students with an opportunity for experiential learning by completing assignments and projects in the community or practicum placement related to all courses of study.

Community Recreation Leaders are also encouraged to attend courses within the Recreation Facility Operator Program including:

  • Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Arena Tech Level I
  • Arena Tech level II
  • Curling Operations
  • Ice Resurfacers
  • Pool Operator Level I
  • Pool Operator Level II
  • Parks and Sportsfields Level I
  • Parks and Sportsfields Level II

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