Designed to support members’ projects that further the development of leisure as a means to enhance the human condition, this programme awards up to $10,000 (USD) per project supporting leadership, advocacy, research, education, and engagement initiatives which promote socio-cultural development, encourage sustainable economic growth, or improve people’s quality of life.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES GRANTS (SPGs)
Grants Awarded in 2022
Aquaticity & Motivation: A New Approach to the Evaluation of Aquatics Programs
Dr. Jo An M. Zimmermann, Associate Professor
Dr. Stacey Bender, Senior Lecturer
Department of Health & Human Performance
Texas State University
The purpose of this study is to begin the process of developing a ‘generic’ method of evaluating aquatics programs for use by community-based recreation agencies. We are exploring the use of some unconventional methods. We plan to combine the use of an aquaticity skills test with measures of motivation, along with standard customer-service and demographics to create a fresh lens through which aquatics program can be evaluated. The goal is to have community agencies teach and measure basic skills of aquaticity as a means of reducing the drowning rate among children in Texas.
Measuring Physical, Digital and Hybrid Leisure Experiences at Events
Greg Richards, Angela Dimitrova and Ilja Simons
Breda University of Applied Sciences
The effects of Covid-19 on events, and the generation of a massive digital shift in event experiences in particular, and leisure experiences in general, have made research on the relationship between physical and digital leisure. The WLO Strategic Priorities Grant Project “Measuring Physical, Digital and Hybrid Leisure Experiences at Events” provides an initial review of this digital shift in events, and provides the basis for developing new measurement tools to assess the effects of this transition. This research project aims to examine the potential effects of the digital shift in leisure events by addressing the following questions:
- How does the experience of digital leisure events differ from physical leisure events?
How do outcomes such as emotional energy and social bonding differ between digital and physical event formats? - How can digital leisure events be best designed to maximise their potential contribution to quality of life, including individual identity, social justice, civic engagement, etc.?
- What future challenges do leisure events face as a result of the digital shift?
Building Urban, Low-Income Community Capacity through a
Sport-for-Development Youth Empowerment Program
Lee Kwan Meng, PhD
Institute for Social Science Research, Universiti Putra Malaysia
Sport-for-development (SFD) is an effective, leisure-based approach for increasing capacity among at-risk young people. Grounded in this premise, this project aims to develop a SFD program for youth in an urban, low-income community in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The program will be developed through a collaborative, shared leadership approach with youth ages 15 to 25 aimed at increasing critical life skills. Using a two-phase approach, we will 1) train a small group of older youth in SFD program planning, and 2) mentor them to conduct a SFD program for a second group of younger youth from the community.
Leisure-time physical activity as means to promote health outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic for people with disabilities in the Western Cape Province
Dr. Makhaya Malema
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
Leisure pursuits present experiences with positive outcomes, whilst simultaneously reducing negative health outcomes. People with disabilities, deserve equal opportunities to participate in LTPA. The current study aims to explore and investigate LTPA needs and programmes for people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve their social and physical health. A sequential explanatory approach using a mixed methods design will be used in this study. Phase I of this study will explore participation level and LTPA programming needs for people with disabilities. Phase II of this study will design and investigate the effect of LTPA programme for people with disabilities.
Sesc Verão 2022
Physical and Sports Development Management of Sesc São Paulo
Sesc – Serviço Social do Comércio
Sesc Verão is an institutional campaign developed by Serviço Social do Comércio (Sesc). Held annually, in January and February, the campaign seeks to raise awareness on the importance of leisure practices for the human development, health promotion and quality of life. We present the proposals from two Sesc centers—both based on collective participation and on the valorization of communities and local knowledge. One concerns the redefinition and occupation of São Paulo’s public spaces for leisure; the other seeks the implementation of a skateboarding space.
Grants Awarded in 2020
Adapted Sailing and Quality of Life of Persons with Physical Disabilities
On this occasion, the applicant supported by the WL Strategic Priorities Grants program is Dr. Cari E. Autry, presenting the project “Adapted Sailing and Quality of Life of Persons with Physical Disabilities”. The project raises the hypothesis that “participation in sailing by people with disabilities is regarded as having positive outcomes on their quality of life physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially”. Therefore, virtual reality sailing simulation (VRSS) – Phase I of the project – was implemented to improve the quality of life for people with physical disabilities. Five participants – three of whom have spinal cord injuries and two have spina bifida – already completed (successfully) Phase I and want to transition to sailing on the water (Phase II). Additional participants (at least three more at this time) are completing or being recruited to complete Phase I and move to Phase II. Five on-the-water sailing instruction sessions will be offered, and each session will last approx. 2 hours on the water. The Adapted Sailing Program (Phase II) will be offered from April 1 to May 15, 2020, at the Little Washington Sailing School in Washington, North Carolina.
Grants Awarded in 2019
Developing Global Capacity of Recreation Providers to Teach Swimming and Water Safety to Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
This project intends to refine and package the Sensory Enhanced Aquatics Instructor Training (SEAIT) program of the University of Kansas Medical Center for international dissemination. From this project, it is expected to increase the capacity of regional swim instructors working with children with ASD, as well as to develop SEAIT workshop materials to be delivered in manual and online formats in order to disseminate these instructional materials internationally.
2nd Editorial Meeting of the “Youth Leisure and Safety”
The programme is coordinated by members of the Young People’s Leisure Network. The idea is to be able to continue the writing process of the book on “Youth Leisure and Safety”, which is part of the Young People’s Book on Leisure (YPBOL) series project. The second editorial meeting is a follow up of the first YPBOL Editorial meeting held last year during the celebration of the 15th WL Congress in São Paulo, Brazil. This project aims to gather young people to discuss questions related to: Dangerous situations in young people’s life; The implementation of actions to engage young people in positive behaviors to prevent environmental issues; Suggestions that could be given to decision makers to help young people’s leisure time. The 2nd Editorial meeting of the “Youth Leisure and Safety” has already taken place during the last week of August in Hungary. Check some of the pictures we received from our youth ambassadors during their gathering and stay tuned for more information on the development of the YPBOL!
Educational Tour Studies and Practice
Educational tours have become a necessary educational practice in China. The objective of the comprehensive practical activity course is to help students gain abundant practical experience from individual and social life, as well as contacting with nature. Therefore, this project is aimed at promoting both theoretical and practical studies in this area. In so doing, curriculum criteria for educational tours in China and educational tour activities for K-12 school and college students (among others) will be developed. This project will start running during the upcoming months.
Supporting Organization signatory party of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism
