Honouring Life Network Blog

MASRC Aboriginal Athlete Scholarship

The Manitoba Aboriginal Sport & Recreation Council will annually present $500 scholarships to sixteen Aboriginal students who have demonstrated a commitment to sport in Manitoba. Our goal is to encourage students to continue being active while attending a recognized post secondary institute. All Grade 12 students who will be graduating in 2011 and who are enrolled in a recognized Post Secondary Institute for the 2011/2012 academic season are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility

• The MASRC will award Athlete Scholarships to Aboriginal students graduating from Grade 12 and who are enrolled into a full time University or other recognized Post Secondary Institution.
• All candidates must complete the application form in full and provide all required information, documents, and letters in order for their applications to be considered.
• A candidate must have proficiency in sport, and have a minimum "C" (65%) average in his/her grades.
• Scholarships will be awarded to those Aboriginal Youth who have shown athletic leadership in Manitoba's amateur sport community through well rounded participation as an athlete, as well as on the basis of academic standing, and other school/community related activities.

The deadline for applications is June 17th, 2011.

MASRC Aboriginal Coach Scholarship

The Manitoba Aboriginal Sport & Recreation Council annually presents $500 scholarships to two Aboriginal students who have demonstrated a commitment to coaching in Manitoba. Our goal is to encourage students to continue coaching while attending a recognized post secondary institute. All students who are currently enrolled into a post secondary institute and currently coaching for a school, club, or community centre are invited to submit an application. Scholarships will be awarded to those Aboriginal Youth who have shown coaching leadership in the Manitoba's amateur sport community through well rounded participation as a coach, as well as on the basis of academic standing, and other school/community related activities.

Eligibility

• The MASRC will award Coaching Scholarships to Aboriginal Youth (up to 29 years of age) who are enrolling into a full time University or other recognized Post Secondary Institution.
• Current full time Post Secondary students, as defined by the Post Secondary Institute.
• A candidate must have proficiency in sport, and have a minimum "C" (65%) average in his/her grades.
• Currently coaching individuals/teams in Manitoba and plan on continuing their coaching duties.
• National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) training is an asset.
• Additional courses related to coaching (i.e. NCCP, CPR, First Aid, Coaching Seminars) are an asset.

Deadline for applications in June 17th, 2011.

For more information or to download application forms please go to http://www.masrc.com/news_details.php?id=326

Art, music, writing and dance are all powerful tools for sending out a message. We're seeing more and more projects using these artistic tools to promote healthy living. Taking Action is a great example!

The Taking Action! Project: Art and Aboriginal Youth Leadership for HIV Prevention is a national project working with six Aboriginal communities across Canada. They want to figure out how Aboriginal youth understand HIV in relation to their communities and cultures and also to see if using art is an effective tool for working with youth to talk about HIV/AIDS.

Why is this important?
There is so much in Aboriginal history and teachings to support healthy sexuality and Aboriginal traditions have always recognized the power behind the youth voice. Yet, there is a lack of culturally relevant information about HIV, which is a concern because HIV affects Aboriginal youth and their communities at higher rates across Canada.
It is time for Aboriginal youth to get involved in creating culturally relevant information that educates to prevent HIV. Unleashing the creative power of youth as health promotion activists is a successful approach, used both in Canada and around the world.
With this in mind, our team has developed the Taking Action! Project. It aims to involve Aboriginal youth as HIV prevention leaders, using both traditional art forms and new media approaches. Aboriginal youth, with the help of artists and community partners, will tackle the higher HIV infection rates among members of their communities by developing and showcasing their own creative art-based responses.

To read more about this project, and to see some of the amazing art produced during Taking Action workshops, check out their website: http://www.takingaction4youth.org/

Blue Print For Life was founded by Stephen Leafloor, a social worker and B-boy. The HLN filmed a documentary in Clyde River about the Ilisaqsivik youth hiphop program which was inspired by a Blue Print For Life workshop. Check back to see this film - it will soon be available on our website in both English and Inuktitut!

For now, check out this video about Blue Print and the work that they do:
http://www.aux.tv/videos/blueprint-for-life-cypher/

Here's a bit more about Blue Print (taken from their website www.blueprintforlife.ca):

Blue Print For Life runs “Social Work Through Hiphop” programs throughout Canada’s north and in Canada’s inner cities. Often Blueprint becomes the school curriculum for the entire week in at risk communities. We also offer creative consulting, project management and training in the fields of Social Work and Education. Its founder Stephen Leafloor has over 25 years experience as a social worker in the areas of Probation, Wilderness Programs, Street Work with Youth at Risk, Residential Group Homes, Child Protection and Community Outreach. Stephen has also been an active participant in the Hiphop Culture since 1981 and completed his masters thesis on this culture and its importance for educators and social workers.

Blue Print For Life believes that people make changes in their lives based on the relationships they have with others and how they see themselves fitting into the world. We are dedicated to working creatively with youth around the world to empower them with a sense of control and hope in their lives. We have worked creatively with over 3600 Youth at Risk in a variety of projects in 40 communities, and specialize in the education, guidance, and development of youth through the positive elements of HipHop. We have been in the national media many times for our work and have been featured in a number of documentaries about our work with Canada’s aboriginal youth.