Sunday, February 15, 2015

Winter Training Session with Right to Play and 30 First Nations' Community Mentors

On January 26 and 27, 2015 Bailey Davis and myself took part of a winter training for 30 First Nations community mentors at the Tim Horton Memorial Camp in collaboration with Right to Play.

The training objectives were the following:


  • To integrate Painted Turtle Arts Camp material and content resources with Right to Play’s Winter Training
  • To enhance Painted Turtle Arts Camp mission and support with on going programming for future arts initiatives in Northern communities
  • To recruit new First Nations communities who will lead their very own Painted Turtle Arts Camps for the summer of 2015
  • To broaden Painted Turtle Arts Camp visibility in the communities and presence through the extension of our existing relationship with Right to Play
  • To enhance program results through on going training sessions so that Painted Turtle Arts Camps will continue to develop an enriched curriculum foundation and train successful arts camp leaders
  • To demonstrate the effectiveness of Painted Turtle Arts Camp programming to First Nations Community Mentors and Right to Play staff and donors
  • To provide community leaders with new and fresh ideas in the arts that can be immediately implemented into their communities








The overall Painted Turtle Arts Camp winter training was a great success. Our sessions were most popular and the feedback was very positive. One of our biggest and most popular session was So You Think You Can Dance activity. This dance session demonstrated 8 social dance activities that could be immediately implemented into intergenerational events and socials. The participation was at 100% and all that were present danced with joy, laughter and connecting to one another!  It was a great kick off to the week. This workshop gave community leaders a myriad of ideas on ways to break up their social events with intergenerational dance activities. Sarina Condello and Bailey Davis provided all Community Mentors present with fun filled performing dance exercises that can be used for a variety of purposes including: warm ups, closures, team building activities and ways to enhance community involvement.


The intention was to not only provide facilitators with fresh new ideas but to also encourage past and new communities to run their own Painted Turtle Arts Camp for this summer. These collaborative sessions are crucial to the ongoing positive relationships with not only Right to Play but also the Community Mentors. The spirit, inclusivity and efforts that Right to Play has put forth in including Painted Turtle Arts Camp programming in their mandate has been nothing short of inspirational. A highlight for us both was to be in the company of Canadian's own Clara Hughes! Hughes is also the only Canadian to have won medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Her opening speech to all the delegates was nothing short of inspirational!







2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is your contact information Sarina Condello?
RE: Painted Turtles Program

Unknown said...

Did not get contact info by
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