Kenora Chiefs Advisory’s Right to Play (RTP) program provides culturally safe access to a broad range of pro-social recreation and sport activities in 9 First Nation communities in the Kenora area.

Each community play-based program is uniquely tailored to enhance peer-to-peer relationships, educational outcomes, and improve physical and mental health based on the needs of the youth and children in each community we serve. 

There is a shortage of community activities during the long winter months and the RTP team have developed a comprehensive winter program centered around an outdoor hockey rink located at the KCA On-the-Land Healing and Wellness Camp.

In May 2021, KCA was granted special funds from RTP to expand its programming under the Land-based and Traditional Sport funding stream. KCA’s RTP program outlined an approach to programming based on traditional knowledge and utilizing the outdoor, natural environment which would enhance the cultural experience and wellbeing of participants. The funds from RTP will fund one (1) dedicated full-time RTP staff assigned to the youth camp property. This new staff will be able to coordinate hockey programming outlined in this proposal in tandem with other land-based and traditional sport programming. 

Additional funding will make a difference to the youth in our communities who struggle without adequate equipment.

With your help and support, these are the programs we are looking to expand on and operate for more youth and their families

Learn to Skate – Pre-school – School Aged

• Structured ‘learn to skate’ programming – involving parents/caregivers
• Guided by skilled facilitators, following established curricula and activities
• Providing safe, outdoor space for families to introduce skating with their younger children

Parents Learn to Skate

• Due to the effects of intergenerational trauma, many parents have not had the benefit of learning this valuable recreation skill (ice skating) during their own childhood that many families enjoy and which bring them together
• Offering a single event or series of timeslots with guided facilitation specifically for parents who would like to learn to skate

 Hockey School

• Structured drills and on-ice exercises, offered by skilled facilitators
• Fun games that build knowledge of the game
• Off-ice training exercises and strength training

 Hockey Skills Clinics, Coaching Workshops

• The types of skills-development include: Shooting skills, stick handling, skating, positional and moving through a play, goal tending