This June, in celebration of June is Recreation and Parks Month (JRPM) and Senior Citizens’ Month, we’re teaming up with the NWT Seniors’ Society (NWTSS) to host a multi-generational photo contest! You could be the lucky winner of a prize pack with some must-have summer recreation items and swag!
The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse says that Intergenerational Day was created in 2010 as a reminder to us all “of the importance of respectful connecting between generations to help break through social isolation, build resiliency, community safety and greater understanding across age groups, all of which are also key to preventing elder abuse.”
What better way to do this than through getting together and enjoying some activities outside with all ages? Our long summer days mean getting around is easier for older adults and Elders who may normally struggle with ice and snow.
How do you enter? It’s easy!
Get outside and do something you enjoy with people of all ages!*
Snap a photo of your intergenerational hangout.
Submit your photo on social media or by e-mail! Make sure to use #JRPMNWT and tag @nwtrpa when posting on social media; e-mail dvail@nwtrpa.org.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or check out our monthly e-newsletter to find out if you’re the lucky winner!
Recreation and parks offer many benefits to community members of all ages. From improving mood and resilience to boosting physical health and fitness, they strengthen our relationships and create connections in a way that is particularly important this year.
“Past crises have proven that parks and recreation are one of the first and most crucial services to return to communities. Parks and recreation play a critical role in the mental and physical health recovery of citizens and play an equally important role in community economic revival. Access to recreation facilities and programs is a fundamental service for Canadians that will usher in a return of normalcy after COVID-19 — especially for children and seniors.”
At the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, we like to challenge everyone about what “recreation” means to them. In the past, people often related it to organized sport, spending time in a park, or going camping. It is important to us that people expand their definition of recreation to include those, plus: on the land activities, traditional games and pastimes, walking, reading, exploring trails, harvesting food, card nights, meal prep sessions, craft programs, and more. The more open we are to different recreation ideas, the easier it becomes to integrate people of all ages.
Some of the benefits to intergenerational activities are obvious, like bringing together people of all ages that may not normally get to spend time together. NWTRPA programs like Generations on the Move and Elders in Motion promote healthy, active ageing that’s fun and engaging. But it’s also an opportunity to share stories, teach language, celebrate culture, learn something new, be more active, and bring a greater sense of responsibility to the people in our lives. Spending time with people of different ages helps us to see things in a different way and feel more compassion for people outside of our own age group.
What better way to celebrate Intergenerational Day than to enter in our photo contest and win an awesome prize pack! How will you celebrate? Share a photo of your friends, your family, or your community engaging in recreation and parks activities that include all ages and you will be entered to win!
Photos can be submitted on social media during the month of June by using #JRPMNWT and tagging @nwtrpa, or by e-mail to dvail@nwtrpa.org by June 30, 2021.
*Just remember to follow all GNWT public health directives for gatherings and events, and getting out on the land!
For Official Contest Rules, click here.