Kids are Made to Play: Designing a Play-friendly Ecosystem

The third Mission 2030 Workshop on the theme of Play & Physical Literacy took place on 22 July.

The Workshop Kids are Made to Play - Designing a Play-friendly Ecosystem provided an opportunity for productive discussion on the importance of encouraging the development of basic motor skills and physical literacy, and creating early positive experiences in play, sport and physical activity for kids. Speakers from different backgrounds offered insights on how coaches, schools, cities, sport organisations, and other key stakeholders interacting with children can work together to foster playing and being physically active among children. Over 130 participants joined the event. 

Relive the Workshop through our video below or on YouTube.

 

 

The Workshop did not only provide learnings, knowledge and experience sharing opportunities, but also practical solutions and recommendations on how to encourage kids to play and be physically active through child-centred, fun, safe and inclusive practice. 

 

Moderator

Gaetan Garcia

Gaëtan GarciaCommunications, Marketing & PR Manager, TAFISA, France

Gaëtan Garcia stepped in the Sport for All world in 2015 and has led the organisation of regional and international events (TAFISA World Congress, TAFISA Europe Conference, TAFISA World Martial Arts Festival) and carried out global campaigns and projects utilising Sport for All to create a better world. He is currently employed as TAFISA's Communications, Marketing & PR Manager.

 

Workshop Speakers

Lara

Dr. Sergio Lara-Berçal – Readers, Leeds Beckett University, UK

Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial is a Professor of Sport Coaching at Leeds Beckett University and the International Council for Coaching Excellence. He has published widely in a variety of sport-related topics and delivered keynotes, lectures and workshops across five continents. Sergio is also the co-founder of ICOACHKIDS, a global movement helping coaches put kids first in sport, and consults for multiple high-level organisations such as Nike, UEFA and FIBA. He is also a former international basketball coach for Great Britain and at club level has coached teams to 17 National Titles in the UK.

Jennifer Brown

Jennifer Brown Lerner – Deputy Director, Aspen Institute Project Play, USA

Jennifer Brown Lerner has spent her career working to ensure all young people have the opportunity to thrive. As the Deputy Director for the Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program, she has a range of responsibilities for strategy, management, and community work. Before joining the Aspen Institute, Jennifer served as the Deputy Director of the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), where she oversaw the organization’s work on education, workforce and youth policy to ensure all students graduate ready to succeed in college and careers. Prior to moving to Washington, D.C., Jennifer also worked as a classroom teacher, coach and communications officer. Jennifer and her husband live in Washington, D.C. with their two active boys who have embraced being multi-sport athletes.

Peter

Peter Parker – CEO, Bluearth Foundation, Australia

Peter Parker is the CEO of Bluearth Foundation, a 20 year old National Not for Profit Charity in Australia devoted to arresting the sedentary epidemic primarily within their youth. He is a registered osteopath and the Founder and previously CEO of Upstanding Kids. Peter has held the roles of State and Federal President of Osteopathy Australia, worked with the world champion Wallabies rugby union team from 1999-2001, and has built and managed one of Australia’s largest osteopathic clinics. He has broad based consulting experience in leading allied health practice with a strong commitment to whole community health. In taking on the CEO and board role with Bluearth, he is committed to arresting the consequences of physical inactivity and its impact on our long term physical and mental health. The fact Australia now ranks as one of the inactive nations in the world is staggering and the crisis needs to be acknowledged. Bluearth continue to deliver their evidence based face to face Active Schools program with success, but realise the confronting conversation and advocacy needed to halt this massive issue will be a significant part of their future if they are to empower all Australians to embrace the joy and love of moving well.

 

Workshop Panels

Tom Englen

Tom Englén – Director, Change the game, Sweden

Tom Englén, Director of Change the game (Umeå, Sweden)
Former beachvolley athlete and olympian. Sport coach educator.
Advisor and manager in experiental marketing and social change projects.
Now leading the physical literacy community project Change the game, where actors from all sectors are collaborating and inventing new solutions of activities and environments with physical literacy as a compass. Passionated about creating and try out new ideas in order to help people be active, healthy and flourishing.

Drew Mitchell

Drew MitchellDirector of Physical Literacy, Sport for Life, Canada

Drew is the Senior Director Physical Literacy Development for the Sport for Life Society and works as a consultant focused on the development of physical literacy and better physical activity and sport at the community level. Drew’s goal is to create movement - purposeful, skill based and confidence building movement in children, youth, and adults. Developing physical literacy is one of the cornerstones of being Active for Life and having better long-term health outcomes. Better movement skills lead to more choices, more options, more confidence, and potentially more activity!

Julie Delaire

Julie Delaire- Head of Operations, PLAY International, France

After working in the middle east for close to 6 years amongst the Syrian refugee crisis focusing on relief efforts then onto protection and educational challenges, Julie joined PLAY International in 2018. She manages programs, teams and strategic partnerships in France and at the international level, and plays a major role in developing the organization’s activities in 5 strategic regions: Western Europe, Western Balkans, West Africa, Great Lakes Africa, and Indian Ocean.

Germain

Germain Peyraud - Pedagogical Coordinator, PLAY International, France

Passionate about physical education and motor skills development for kids and students, Germain recently integrated the pedagogical team of PLAY International in Paris. He previously had the opportunity to be involved in some physical and inclusive education projects in France, Burkina Faso and the United States. Responsible of the pedagogical team of the French Mission, his role is to develop and ensure the quality of educational content and the implementation of its projects.

Michael

Michael Flockhart- Sportstec, South Africa

In 2006 Michael had a vision to set up an organization that focused on sport development targeting both Government and Private sectors. This vision has allowed him to fulfill his passion of using sport as a vehicle to address positive youth development as well as assist with systemic growth of sport development structures around South Africa. With a background in Human Movement Studies (Sports Science) and sports coaching, Michael has researched, developed and implemented sporting interventions in multiple countries; his primary focus being that of youth development. Michael has conceptualised, implemented and managed both national and international programmes for strategic organisations such as the National Department of Education (DBE), Unicef (United Nations), International Cricket Council (ICC), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) aswell as various corporate clients.