Today, the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, released a set of Community Physical Activity Toolkits designed to encourage, motivate and support residents of the province to be more physically active in their daily lives.

The toolkits were developed in partnership with ParticipACTION and supported by Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador (Recreation NL) to provide educational resources, ideas and recommended guidelines specific to three different age groups:

• The Early Years Toolkit helps parents and caregivers find ways to incorporate daily physical activity and reduce screen time for children up to age four.
• The Teen Toolkit teaches adolescents how a good balance of physical activity, sleep and reduced sedentary behavior can help them lead healthier lives.
• The The Physical Activity Toolkit for Older Adults emphasizes the importance of physical activity for older adults and provides ideas on how to introduce and sustain movement for independence, overall health and well-being.

The Early Years and Teen toolkits integrate the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth. The toolkits have been distributed by ParticipACTION, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and Recreation NL to community organizations, schools, daycares, youth groups, 50+ clubs, and the regional health authorities. They are also available on the Recreation NL website at www.recreationnl.com/programs-events/fyf/participaction .

The toolkits were released at a physical activity celebration at the Boys and Girls Club of St. John’s, where Minister Dempster also shared information about Let’s Get Moving – A Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Decreasing Sedentary Living in Canada.

The Common Vision was released by Federal, Provincial and Territorial ministers responsible for sport, physical activity and recreation on May 31. Its purpose is to guide and stimulate coordinated and collaborative policies and actions to increase physical activity and to reduce sedentary living among all Canadians across their lifetime.

This initiative delivers on commitments in The Way Forward to deliver better services and better outcomes for residents. The Way Forward outlines all actions the Provincial Government is taking to achieve a strong, diversified province with a high standard of living, and can be viewed at thewayforward.gov.nl.ca.

Quotes
“Through The Way Forward, we set a target to increase physical activity rates by seven per cent by 2025. We all need to be motivated, engaged, enabled and committed to be more physically active and less sedentary throughout the day. These toolkits, combined with the Common Vision, will help Newfoundlanders and Labradorians of all ages to sit less and move more.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development

“Good health and well-being starts with recreational living. The Common Vision document and the supporting ParticipACTION physical activity toolkits are wonderful resources for professionals, volunteers and individuals, as we strive to get our communities, sitting less and moving more, more often.”
Tina Auchinleck-Ryan
President, Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador

“Canadians know that sitting less and moving more can help improve their health and well-being, but they also require the proper support and information to get moving. ParticipACTION is pleased to partner with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador to deliver these tools and resources that will enable more movement for the people of the province.”
Elio Antunes
President and Chief Executive Officer, ParticipACTION

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Learn More

Community Physical Activity Toolkits – www.recreationnl.com/programs-events/fyf/participaction  

Let’s Get Moving – A Common Vision for Increasing Physical Activity and Decreasing Sedentary Living in Canada – www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/lets-get-moving.html 

Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador – www.recreationnl.com  

ParticipACTION – www.participaction.com/en-ca 

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL and @CSSD_GovNL 

Media contacts
Gina MacArthur
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
ginamacarthur@gov.nl.ca

Gary Milley
Recreation NL
709-729-0568
garymilley@recreationnl.com

Georgia Barrington
ParticipACTION
416-913-1682
gbarrington@participACTION.com