A level playing field for all children and youth across Canada.
An opportunity gap exists in marginalized communities across Canada and many children step up to the plate with two strikes already against them.
Girls
Did you know? - If a girl hasn't participated in organized sport by age 10, there is only a 10% chance she will be a physically active adult.
At Jays Care we believe in gender equity for all children and youth. This means creating programs that support girls across the county to overcome the current barriers to fair and accessible sport and recreation opportunities. We believe girls need sport and more female role models coaching them in sports to ensure that they live long and healthy, active lives. Research has shown that active children have the ability to concentrate much better and that exercise decreases anxiety, reduces depression and improves mood and outlook in children.
To tackle this issue, we implement the following programs:
Indigenous Children And Youth
Did you know? Almost 6 in 10 Indigenous boys aged 12-17 participate in competitive sport, which is 14% higher than girls the same age. Furthermore, sport participation drops with age to 23.5% for men and 11.2% for women.
At Jays Care we believe in on-going collaboration and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. This means working with Indigenous communities to create inclusive programs that promote the health and well-being of children, youth and families. We use baseball to engage hard to reach children and youth through inter-generational events and tournaments that involve elders, partners and community leadership.
To tackle this issue, we implement the following programs:
Children And Youth Living With Disabilities
Did you know? - Only 56% of children and youth living with physical and cognitive disabilities are participating in sport, play and recreation compared to 87% of those living without disabilities.
At Jays Care we believe in equity and accessibility for all children and youth. This means creating programs that are adaptive and accessible for children and youth living with cognitive and physical disabilities. In Ontario alone, there are an estimated 235,000 children and youth living with disabilities. Over one quarter of youth living with physical and cognitive disabilities had not taken part in any sport either in or out of school in the last year, compared to only 6% of young people in the general population.
To tackle this issue, we implement the following programs:
Children And Youth Living At Or Below The Poverty Line
Did you know? 1.2 million children across Canada live in low-income households. For nearly 50% of families experiencing poverty, the cost of programming is the biggest barrier to accessing physical activity programs.
At Jays Care we believe that every child is unstoppable no matter what their socio-economic background. This means creating programs that remove barriers to sport and recreation opportunities and that level the playing field for all. We know children in underserved communities experience troubling opportunity gaps starting from the moment they are born. These gaps include low birth weights, hunger, physically and emotionally unsafe environments and sub-standard after-school programming.
To tackle this issue, we implement the following programs: