Grants support sports for children in and from government care

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A provincial investment of $3.6 million is supporting the RISE Grant Program. The funds will provide direct financial support to approximately 350 young people in and from government care per year for the next five years, helping them play sports and participate in cultural activities.

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Grants for as much as $1,000 annually will help cover the costs for registration, equipment and travel for sports like soccer, hockey and basketball; physical activities such as drop-in fitness or aquafit classes; and cultural activities including Indigenous traditional dance, hiking, art programs and canoeing.

Grants up to $10,000 are also available for organizations to develop and deliver programs for children and youth in and from care.

“Participation in sport and cultural activities helps children and youth be more active and connected their community and peers,” said Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development.

“Indigenous youth and young people in and from care often don’t have the same access to sports as other youth, and that’s why I am so pleased the RISE program will make it possible for more children and youth in and from care to participate in the kind of activities that we know can have positive impacts that last a lifetime.”

The Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (ISPARC), which helped develop the program, will administer the RISE program, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport and the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

“The power of sport, cultural and recreational activity contribute to transformational and social change. It is the common thread across our diverse cultures that interconnects the physical, intellectual, emotional, cultural and spiritual facets of life,” said Rick Brant, CEO of ISPARC.

“We are proud to be working with the B.C. government in the delivery of this new grant program. Making sport, cultural activities and recreation more accessible will advance our shared goals for a healthier future for Indigenous and non-Indigenous children and youth in and from care.”

The application process for the RISE Grant Program can be found at the ISPARC website.