Right To Play Canada

Hayat was forced to flee her home in Ethiopia because of conflict. She arrived at a refugee settlement traumatized by the experience—but eager to find a way back into the classroom.

Learn how play-based lessons and psychosocial support games helped Hayat catch up on learning and start to process the trauma she experienced: https://righttoplay.ca/en-ca/news/Driven-from-Home-but-Keeping-Hopes-High/l

Celebrating !

In today's rapidly changing world, youth need diverse skills to succeed and Right To Play is dedicated to supporting youth in building these skills, by igniting their curiousity and perseverance through play. Youth like:

📚Noelline, Burundi - After overcoming the challenge of dropping out of school, Noelline is now a Junior Leader in our Girls Club and dreams of becoming a teacher.

📣Summer, Canada - As a member of the White Buffalo Youth Council, Summer is building leadership, social, and employability skills.

💾 Aime, Rwanda - Through our Plug in Play program, Aime is mastering foundational STEM skills and coding.

Together, we can support the next generation of leaders, innovators, and change-makers! Celebrate with us and learn more about our work at www.righttoplay.ca

As we gear up for , we celebrate our unique origin story. Right To Play was founded by Johann Olav Koss, a Norwegian gold medalist speed skater, inspired by a life-changing humanitarian trip to Eritrea.

Amidst war and poverty, Johann saw children creating joy through play, using a makeshift soccer ball made from a long-sleeved shirt. Learn how this powerful moment inspired our mission and our logo.

Come join Kenora Chiefs Advisory and Right to Play for an exciting week of soccer led by high-performance coaches!

This clinic is ideal for all skill levels of players eager to grasp the fundamentals of soccer, enjoy the game & want to enhance their skills.

All participants will receive a soccer ball, lunch, photos & more!

Ages 8 to 19
Monday July 22nd to Thursday July 25th – 11 am to 2 pm
Naotkamegwanning First Nation - Baibombeh Anishinaabe School

Registration Link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LFBBPC2

When Amna was 16 years old she was introduced to the game of cricket at her school in Lyria, Pakistan. She dreamed of practicing and pursuing cricket as her newfound passion, but instead she was faced with restrictions based on the social expectations of gender roles.

With support from Right To Play Pakistan's GOAL Program, Amna’s passion and perseverance eventually led her to break down barriers and empower an entire community. She didn’t just dream of playing cricket; she fought for it. As of 2018 Amna founded her own cricket academy where any gender, from all ages, are welcome to enrol.

The academy isn’t just about cricket—it’s about creating opportunities for those who face societal challenges. Through her efforts, she’s not only nurturing future cricket stars but also fostering a generation of strong, empowered young women. To learn more about Amna’s journey visit: https://righttoplay.ca/en-ca/stories/how-amna-is-levelling-the-playing-field-for-girls/

Right To Play’s HQ Program Team was in Dakar, Senegal last week meeting with our Senegal team for workshops supporting the Renforcement des Capacités des filles par le Sport et le Jeu (RECAF-Jeu) Program. Launched in 2022, RECAF-Jeu is using the power of sport and play to promote gender equality and the rights of adolescent girls and young women in the country.

Over the 4-day workshop, the team shared mid-line evaluation findings, discussed the challenges and successes of the program, and identified the resources and support for continued success throughout the remainder of the project. Thank you to the amazing Senegal and HQ programs teams for sharing some highlights from the sessions! Learn more about our work in Senegal: https://righttoplay.ca/en/news/girls-level-the-playing-field-in-senegal/

RECAF-Jeu is made possible thanks to the financial support of Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada

Shoutout from Right To Play Canada to our amazing partner, McSweeney's Premium Jerky and Meat Snacks! 🎉 We're excited to have McSweeney's as a supporter of Right To Play and want to extend a huge thank you for their recent gift of $15,000 to support the PLAY Program!

Over the past several years, they’ve supported us at multiple events – including last week’s Gran Fondo and International Day of Play Open House – and will also be supporting our upcoming Indigenous Programs Youth Symposium.

Thank you, McSweeney's, for fueling our mission and helping create a brighter future for all! Your delicious snacks keep us energized and ready to play! 🙌❤️

Last week, Right To Play led a special session with the Sun Life Canada team to celebrate our partnership and National Indigenous History Month. Together, we assembled 120 Health and Wellness Kits inspired by the Indigenous Medicine Wheel. These kits, designed to promote mental and emotional well-being, will be distributed at the Youth Leadership Symposium in August, supporting Indigenous youth leaders.

Our partnership with Sun Life, which has provided nearly $1.8M in support since 2007, continues to make a positive impact on the health and wellness of Indigenous youth across Canada. In 2023 alone, Sun Life's contributions benefited over 2,250 Indigenous children and youth in 36 communities.

A huge thank you to all the Sun Life volunteers for contributing to this meaningful cause!

Global Trends | UNHCR At the end of 2023, 117.3 million people were forcibly displaced. View the latest global statistics on the number of refugees, IDPs and asylum-seekers.

We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of with our incredible partner RBC Capital Markets! Thanks to their support and generous donation of $100,000 USD, Right To Play can empower more youth through the power of play, including in over 75 Indigenous communities across Canada!

A huge thank you to RBC for their continued support of our programs and their total contributions of more than $2.5M over the length of our partnership. Together, we're creating a brighter future for children and communities.

Learn more about this impactful day: www.rbccm.com/charitydayforthekids

Our latest Right To Play Indigenous Programs Seasonal Update is now available! This update showcases the amazing achievements of the communities we partner with across the country. From youth-led podcasts in Ontario to intergenerational support initiatives in B.C., we're inspired by the resilience and creativity of the youth and communities we serve

Check out the full report here! https://righttoplay.ca/en-ca/national-offices/national-office-canada/landing-pages/indigenous-programs-updates/

We're inspired every day by the creativity and leadership of Indigenous people and communities. Today, Canada formally celebrates the rich cultures, histories, and futures of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

We encourage you to take some time today to learn about & celebrate the contributions of Indigenous people, listen to and amplify their voices, and make space for all of us to learn and grow together.

Happy Indigenous People's Day!

! June 21 was selected as National Indigenous Peoples Day because it marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and a time when many Indigenous people celebrate their culture and heritage.

“We wanted it to be more purposeful than just: ‘Hey, come hang out and do whatever activities we decide,’ so we ended up settling on the Youth Council, and they could guide White Buffalo through what kind of programs we offer, what the facility looks like, the future of what we look like… right away, we had quite a lot of interest," says Wes, Community Mentor for Right To Play partner community White Buffalo Youth Lodge.

Read how he and Community Mentor Amber helped to support programming guided by youth voice, where participants could explore their interests, connect with each other, and build all sorts of skills, from video editing to coding to 3D printing and more! https://righttoplay.ca/en-ca/national-offices/national-office-canada/stories/white-buffalo-youth-council/

Highlights from Right To Play Pakistan's celebration!

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday to celebrate the first ever International Day of Play! It was wonderful to connect with both longtime and new Right To Play supporters, playing games, chatting, and celebrating the incredible work we're doing together. We hope you had as much fun as we did. Your support means the world to us💛

Celebrating the International Day of Play There are so many reasons to celebrate play. But too many children don’t experience the joy and opportunity it brings. The International Day of Play creates a unifying moment at the global, national, and local level to elevate the importance of play as central to children’s learning and well-bei...

As we gear up to celebrate the first ever , our Toronto office got together for a painting party at lunch today! We've got some really creative folks on our team, wow! Check out some of their work here. Huge thanks to the P&C team for sourcing all the materials and organizing the event💛

Last month, Community Mentors, Right To Play staff, and special guests came together for a National Gathering, a week-long event filled with shared learning and collaboration.

Through hands-on workshops and dynamic discussions, participants delved into sustainable program planning, play-based learning methodologies, and strategies to amplify youth voices.

Swipe through to see highlights from this incredible week. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined and made this gathering a meaningful experience.

Today is Anishinaabe Giizhigad, or Anishinabek Day, a time to celebrate the culture, traditions, and history of the Anishinabek Nation.

Check out the lessons plans and activities developed by Anishinabek Nation:
https://www.anishinabek.ca/education-resources/anishinaabe-giizhigad-june-6-resource/

The power of pretend play You don’t need fancy toys or tech to learn through play. Children pick up all kinds of skills when they pretend play. Take a look.