MLSE Foundation releases findings from Change the Game research project

Photo by Rachel on Unsplash

The MLSE Foundation is excited to share the results and recommendations from the Change the Game research project.

COVID-19 shut downs have presented a rare opportunity to experience what life is like without sport, to evaluate and reflect on what is important, and reimagine a better way for youth to develop through sport. Between March and May of 2021, MLSE Foundation and the University of Toronto engaged more than 6800 individual youth and parents from across Ontario to share their experiences with access, engagement, and equity factors in sport, and ideas for what bringing sport back better means to them. The sample was robust and representationally diverse in terms of gender, age, geography, race, household income, and ability status. It included youth who have collectively participated in more than 100 different sports as well as those who are not engaged in sport.  

MLSE Foundation’s Change the Game webpage underwent a transformation to become an interactive, online dashboard that includes:

• A research report containing key insights from the study alongside recommendations for youth sport providers, policymakers, funders, and researchers; and where the study team and contributors such as YCRH have been named

• A transparent and interactive results dashboard allowing anyone to visually explore how the responses to key questions and themes vary by demographic, geographical location, and equity factors

• A downloadable version of the anonymized data set

• A media release and a series of social stories to accompany the roll-out

Read the full report here.

Featured Partner Resource: HIGH FIVE® Impact

HIGH FIVE has released a new study in celebration of the 2016 National Child Day and 15 years of positive experiences for kids called The Impact of Quality: Benefits of HIGH FIVE to Organizations and Communities.

The HIGH FIVE Impact Summary Report highlights the benefits of the HIGH FIVE Standard for organizations, families and communities.

Key findings show that using HIGH FIVE results in:

• Improved children’s experiences
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Strengthened credibility and reputation of organizations

Featured Partner Resource: TheyWill2

The South West Injury Prevention Network has created the TheyWill2 website to encourage parents and caregivers to role model bike helmets:

According to a 2015 Ontario Injury Compass report, 589 Ontario children under the age of 14 years old, the equivalent of 23 classrooms of children, suffered a head injury from bicycling in 2010/2011. 

Falls account for 85% of bicycle-related injury but research shows that a properly fitted helmet reduces the risk of a traumatic head injury by 85%. In other words, the risk of a traumatic brain injury to cyclists is largely preventable.

Role modelling is one way adults can help reduce traumatic brain injury in children by making helmet use the norm. When parents, grandparents and caregivers wear a bike helmet they're showing a child that safety is important. Make bicycle helmets a non-negotiable family rule and wear a helmet every time you ride your bicycle.

For information on bicycle safety visit www.theywill2.ca.