After an eight-month delay, McNabb Recreation Centre has finally launched a new low-cost after-school program in partnership with Carleton University’s varsity sports council.
Dubbed Ravens Care, the program is run by volunteers from Carleton varsity teams who are given a day every week to teach children about their sport and other skills.
The volunteers pick up the children from the bus stop and walk them to the community centre, where they lead them in playing games and sports, and also help them with their homework.
The program was supposed to start in January, but low enrolment and flooding at McNabb pushed back the launch date to the beginning of September.
Despite the delays, former Ravens soccer player Andrew Latty says he’s confident this unique program will continue to build.
Latty, a recent graduate from Carleton, spearheaded the creation of the sports-themed program last year, and is now the coordinator.
“The aim of the program is to build relationships with the kids and the community,” he says.
“It’s not a typical after school program. Each (Carleton) team has a day where they can represent their own sport,” Latty says.
Volunteers from the Carleton rowing team are signed up for Wednesday afternoons.
“Having a place to play sports and do homework while they wait for their parents gives the kids time to unwind from school and play sports with athletes who they look up to,” says rowing team captain Megan Haley.
“We foster and build relationships, and as student athletes, we can show the kids they can be like us if they’re passionate about a sport,” she says.
Haley adds that being involved in a program like this gives the team more recognition at the university and in the wider community.
“Our student athletes are really role models,” says Jennifer Brenning, Carleton director of recreation and athletics. “They’re leaders in their own right with balancing academics and athletics. It’s great to have them representing the university in the community.
“They have this opportunity and this privilege to be a student athlete and giving back to the community is a way that they can show their appreciation of what they have,” Brenning adds.
“We want the kids to be more active and learn about the sports we play, as well as teach the kids new skills and just hang out with them,” Latty says.
Latty says he can also offer the children discount tickets to Carleton games so they can see university-calibre athletes in action.
Lisa Caswell, a parent with two sons in the program, calls Ravens Care a unique and affordable option that was much needed in this area.
The program runs throughout the school year and is available to children aged five to 12.
Brenning says there are no staffing costs because the student athletes are volunteers, so that keeps the program very affordable.
With two sons, aged five and eight, Caswell says she’s had experience with many after school programs and “it’s obvious to my husband and I how good this one is.”
She says she can see how much her sons enjoy the program.
“It’s a really great combination of varsity athletes,” Caswell says.
“The athletes have so much energy and they seem to be having a fantastic time, so I think it’s a great experience for both sides of it.”
Although there are only a few children enrolled in the program at the moment, Latty says, “It takes time to build the program.”
“We’re very proud of our athletes taking on an initiative like this and giving back to the community,” Brenning says.
“It’s a great initiative and they certainly make the university very proud in being that active and taking this leadership and initiative on their own.”
Caswell says she can imagine that the program will be extremely popular in the future.
McNabb Recreation Centre is located at 180 Percy Street, at the corner of Bronson and Gladstone avenues.