Everybody Plays

Everybody Plays is an initiative to normalize active recreation, sport and performance arts participation at school: part of a school = part of a team. 

Home > Projects > Everybody Plays

Everybody Plays is a partnership between Ever Active Schools and Canadian Tire Jumpstart. Through this programming, we are aiming for children and youth to have 100% opportunity for active participation through recreation, sport and performance arts at school. We focus on:

  • 100% opportunity so that everybody plays
  • Priority populations so that everybody plays
  • Capacity building through grassroots approaches so that everybody plays

With a goal of reaching 75,000 students in 300 schools across 3 provinces, this project is no small feat. It takes shape through a four-pronged approach:

School Programming

Everybody Plays School Programming follows a comprehensive model that includes school engagement, program planning, implementation and evaluation. Our Health and Wellness Consultants work directly with staff and student champions to build, launch and/or refine projects addressing equal access to sport, recreation and performance art within the school community.

Community Programming

Everybody Plays Community Programming follows a comprehensive model that includes community engagement, program planning, implementation and evaluation. Our Health and Wellness Consultants work directly with community members to build, launch and/or refine projects addressing equal access to sport, recreation and performance art within the community.

Some project work in this branch includes Resettlement through Recreation, Learn to Skateboard, Canadian Outdoor Experience, After-school Programs and Recreation Passes in the Library.

EP Community Programming reaches more than 500 children and youth.

Leagues of Play

Everybody Plays Leagues of Play programming provides participant and coach training to schools and community groups to create space for accessible recreation, sport and/or performance arts leagues. 

The Leagues of Play work has led to a variety of coach training opportunities, recreational sports leagues and tournaments that have brought communities together to play and learn. An exciting example of the Leagues of Play work is the Treaty 7 Sports League in 2022/2023, which saw schools rotating host privileges and sports. This work has provided hundreds of students with equitable access to play!

Read more about Leagues of Play in this blog post.

Events

Everybody Plays Events create opportunities to increase well-being for children and youth through participation in recreation, sport and/or performance arts.

An exciting event established through this work was the Track and Traditional Games event held in Airdrie in 2022/2023. Nine schools from across the province joined for two days of non-competitive fun, with many of the 120 students in attendance trying new activities for the first time!

Read more about the Track and Traditional Games event in the Fall 2023 edition of Healthy Schools Alberta magazine.

This work exists to combat barriers to accessing physical activity and wellness opportunities. In the 2022 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, only 28% of children and youth in Canada were meeting national physical activity guidelines – a drop of 11% from the previous Report Card. Indigenous and newcomer youth, two of our priority populations, had even larger decreases in activity from pre-pandemic to 2022.

Jumpstart and Ever Active Schools stepped up. By creating opportunities within school communities where everybody can play, and providing equipment, facilities and transportation, we hope to increase activity levels and overall well-being.