Archive for February, 2010
Canada’s Athletic Excellence programs provide Olympic athletes, across all sports, with financial incentives to achieve podium success. Our goal is to help Canada be the number one nation (in total medals) at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and be within the top three nations (in gold medals) at the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.
Top 5 World Standing: A financial award, valued at $5000 is given to any athlete who finishes in the top five at a World Championship or Olympic Games.
Olympic Medal Winner Program: A monetary award is given to all Canadian Olympians for each individual medal that they win at the Games: $20,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.
The Canadian Olympic Foundation’s Youth Engagement initiative is designed to enhance participation of school-age children and youth in high performance sport through community and school-based programs.
Programs such as “Adopt an Athlete,” allow students the opportunity to personally invest themselves in the journey of their ‘athletic hero’ by writing letters and or fundraising to help the athlete achieve their dreams. We believe the collaboration between athlete and youth helps to reinforce the value of pursuing excellence through sport.
For that reason, our goal for the Youth Engagement program is to promote a message of health, fitness and teamwork to the youth of today, so we can produce the Olympians of tomorrow.
“Children and young people have been hit particularly hard by the earthquake in Haiti. However, they are often seen simply as victims in disasters whereas they can actually be as or even more resilient, creative and effective in coping with change as adults,” says Plan’s Director of Disasters and Humanitarian Response, Roger Yates.
“They also have great social and communication networks which could be key to not only getting this young nation back on its feet but preventing and minimizing the impact of future disasters.
“There is actually an opportunity to build better for the future of Haiti, but unless we listen to young people and actively involve them in protecting their homes and communities, then no significant change is going to be made.”
Up to now, young people rarely had a chance to be heard in Haiti. ”Before, the government completely excluded young people in this country. Now we need a new strategy,” says Jean Kency Vixama, aged 22.
Plan will work with children and youth groups to ensure that the government and the international community listen to their concerns. Supported by Plan facilitators, trained youth journalists will talk to children in different parts of Haiti, produce radio programmes, videos and blogs. The information they collect will be fed back into the reconstruction process.
Many young earthquake survivors have a very clear vision of what a new Haiti should look like. “I want that the rights of children are respected and that all children know what their rights are,” says 15-year-old Daphmika. “ I also want that everyone has access to education.”
Decentralization is another major concern. ”It is important that the reconstruction process in Haiti not only concentrates on Port-au-Prince. Otherwise people from other towns will keep on coming here and there will be more and more slums,” says 19-year-old Meite.