By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator
What Is WASAC?
What started out as two coaches, four leaders, and 40 children over 20 years ago, Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre (WASAC) has surged to become one of the country’s largest employers for Indigenous youth, providing quality sport, recreation, and cultural programming for thousands of kids across the province. And the impacts are big.
“What we’re seeing is better attendance in schools. The youth leaders are participating in community events, they’re planning cultural events, holiday celebrations. And we’re partnering with other programs in the communities, recreation departments, health departments – all that sort of stuff,” said Trevor LaForte, Executive Director of WASAC.
And as sport has the ability to do, it brings the community together, creating friendships and meaningful connections.
What Is WASAC North?
The name of the organization may have ‘Winnipeg’ in its title, but in 2009, WASAC expanded to the North.
This past year, they held more than 683 sessions and put on 1,366 hours of weekly after school programming in these northern Manitoba communities:
- Duck Bay
- Pauingassi
- Bunibonibee
- Lac Brochet
- Shamattawa
Partnering with the schools there, they have assigned what they call Champion Teachers to help WASAC recruit youth leaders for their programs.
These youth leaders are then mentored to deliver the after school programming. They learn how to advertise activities to students, organize sport equipment and teach the kids the rules and guidelines, take attendance, prepare snacks, and ensure participants are having fun and staying safe.
Along with healthy snacks made possible by the support of the Jays Care Foundation, the after school programs included basketball, baseball, soccer, badminton, floor hockey, volleyball, Indigenous games, arts and crafts, and jigging.
There Is No One-Size-Fits-All
When it comes to designing programs, there is no cut-and-dried approach. WASAC learns about each community, and all the people who live there, first. From there, they find creative and mindful ways to incorporate specific activities into the after school programs.
Just within the last month, Nathan Pangman, a WASAC youth leader in Winnipeg, got fishing rods and sent them up to one of the communities and they’ve got a fishing program running now.
In Shamattawa, there are a couple of leaders who enjoy and are skilled at cooking. So, they’re running cooking classes for kids as young as 10, 11, and 12.
“We don’t go in there and tell them what they should be doing. However we can help them develop the programs that are unique to their communities, is where the strength is built and where you’re going to get sustainability in the long haul,” said Trevor.
“There’s so many skills that come from being a part of the group and trying things, and everyone having each other’s back, knowing that you’re learning on the go and everybody will be there to support you.”
WASAC’s Greatest Legacy
WASAC North provides more than just after school programming for kids. The organization has deep roots based in mentorship, allowing older youth to gain experience running the programs themselves.
For instance, while kids play basketball or take a workshop, there are youth leaders a little older than them who are gaining critical leadership skills by being the ones who plan, prepare, and lead the younger kids through that programming.
“The 10-year-olds are mentoring the eight-year-olds. The 14-year-olds are mentoring the 10-year-olds,” said Trevor. “Kids really crave that responsibility and to be relied on and be a part of the team.”
Having this built-in mentorship piece to the program creates longevity in a kid’s WASAC experience and keeps it community-based. They can stay involved over the years, at first as a participant and then as a leader.
Trevor said the youth who participate and continue building on the skills they’ve learned is their greatest legacy.
“We’ve got leaders that have come through the program, alumni who are teachers, lawyers, doctors, in the trades, you name it. Whatever field there is, there’s probably an ex-WASAC leader that’s working in that field.”
He said one of their WASAC North youth leaders from Lac Brochet went on to become a counselor in his community.
“He used the leadership skills and tools that he developed —he had them already—but he also used them during our programming, and he took that on to become a counselor in his community [in] a more senior leadership role.”
Nathan said it also helped him with skills he uses in everyday life.
“My experience was, when I first started in WASAC, I was more of a shy kid. And it really helped me grow as a person to be more confident and to be in more of a leadership role.”
Get Involved
There are a number of ways to get involved with WASAC North. Keep an eye out for the Winnipeg Jets hosting a WASAC Night at a home game, which includes things like Indigenous art, music, and this year an online auction and WASAC merchandise in support of the not-for-profit. Youth travel to Winnipeg to attend WASAC Night and participate in a week of training and fun team-building activities.
You can also donate to the organization here. All funds raised go toward their programming.
To learn more about WASAC, visit their website and follow them on Facebook.
