My buddie Nicole (that also works at SK in motion) handed me a pamphlet the other day. Across the top it reads “…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth” it’s a cool resource.

The tips suggest ways people can help empower youth. If you want to take the next step toward empowering yourself you have to let the right people know. You need to show the people you want to learn from, that you are interested in gaining knowledge and skills.

So here are a few of my favorites on the list (remember it’s the young person asking for help to be empowered):

“Involve me in decisions that affect y life.” – Sounds fair to me. If you want to be involved you have to go to the meetings, contact the people in charge, be informed on the issue (for example: increasing physical activity levels in Saskatchewan is an important issue because, Only 15% of children and youth meet the national guidelines for physical activity), and make the decision makers aware that you want your thoughts to be known moving forward.

This leads to “Give me a voice and vote on your committee.” – Once you show your are invested and informed by showing up to meetings and getting involved, pursue the opportunity to be involved with the decision making processes more directly moving forward.

If you have a positive project idea set up and meeting, present your thoughts and suggest to the decisions makers “Invite me to design and carry out a community service project.” They will definitely appreciate your initiative.  

One thing you always have is your voice, and being vocal for what your passionate about is key when working for change. Decision makers and public figures are often very skilled public speakers. Learn from their skills and ask for help in improving your own. “Mentor me in public speaking.”

It doesn’t always have to be a public official or politician who helps you become more empowered. Write down your opinion about the issue you’re concerned about and submit it to be published. “Publish my opinion piece.”

One of the most important things I’ve done for myself, and I think you should do to be empowered is finding someone who supports you. They will remind you to be confident in yourself and your ability to  achieve. “Teach me to listen to my inner voice and trust my intuition.”

When it comes right down to being empowered you have to work for it and ask for it. Remember, “until you ask or try, the answer is always no and you always fail…so always ask and go for it. “ – Unknown

Thanks to Search Institute for their great piece that inspired this blog. Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth.

What is the most empowering thing you’ve ever done? Or the most empowering advice you’ve ever gotten? Let us all know in the comments below, I bet you have some great advice to share.

Kenji

 Reprinted with permission from [Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth] by [Kristine Mudd]. Copyright © 2008  Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; www.search-institute.org. All Rights Reserved.

Only 12% of Children and Youth are meeting Canada’s guidelines of 90 minutes of physical activity a day. Sadly we’ve slipped slightly from 13% in ’09. That said, we’ve got to focus on the momentum that is building, and the progress that has already been made. In 2007 the national average sat at 9%, so there has been progress and awareness is building.

Let’s be real though, 12 or 13 % it doesn’t matter, it’s pretty brutal.

Here’s a quick break down of our national results for Physical Activity Levels:

C    Organized Sport and Physical Activity Participation

F    Active Play

D   Active Transportation

F   Screen Time

There is a ton more information in the Report Card that you should check out. You can download your copy from the Saskatchewan in motion website.

The Saskatchewan specific page doesn’t look much better.  As a province we’re sitting at 13% of kids getting their 90 minutes/day of physical activity.

Does that sit well with you? It really doesn’t with me.

The bottom line is that if we live inactive, sedentary lives in our younger years its likely we will live that way when we’re older as well. Inactivity is a recipe for an unhealthy life.

The good news is here in Saskatchewan (and across Canada) an effort is being made to make sure physical activity is recognized as being a hugely important issue.

Even better than that you can take this info and make a lifestyle choice that is good for you! Then once you see how great you feel living active you may want to spread the word.

If you have any questions, or want advocacy tools or more info, make sure you leave a comment below and we’ll get you all the info you need!

Kenji

Happy New Year to you all!

I wanted to share with everyone a lengthier version of an e-mail I sent out to all of the contacts I’ve made at the 08’and 09’ Student Leadership Conference. As well as the participants of the Lieutenant Governors Youth Forum.

Anyway I’ll get right to it; here’s what I want to share with you:

Generation Action has gone live! It is our “youth” blog, written be me, Kenji. – I write about physical activity all the time, but it’s unique cuz I make links to anything relevant. A lot of the time the topics of the blog are things you may not have thought of as being related to physical activity.

We have our new facebook group, Generation Action Saskatchewan in motion. You can also find the group by finding me, Kenji (Kendra Kenji Schmidt)!

We’re all over the social media scene cuz everyone here at the provincial office is part of the twitterverse (twitter) too. You can follow me @Kenji22 or follow the provincial office @inmotionsk.

Here is the straight up truth. Only 15% of kids and youth are getting enough physical activity to receive health benefits. I am not cool with that.. are you?

Our generation is set to be the first to have a shorter expected life span than our parent’s generation. – How is that possible with everything we know? The science is simple; to be healthy we need to be active.

The lifestyle is the hard part. That is the part we all usually need a little help with. We all need to help each other keep activity interesting. We need to come up with good ideas to motivate and engage people. We’ve gotta advocate for policy that enhances a lifestyle where activity is encouraged.

A bunch of us need to say “no thanks” to all the health problems and disadvantages that come from leading sedentary lifestyles. Then say “yes” to the benefits and joy that come from being active, and reconnecting with the natural world.

I know there are so many problems and things to worry about in the world so you might ask why worry about being active? Making the choice to be active is something you can directly and immediately impact. It’s your life and unlike bigger issues you don’t have to wait for anyone else to make a decision to change for the better, it’s all you! You can choose active transportation, or join a class, or take a hike, or swim in a lake. While physical inactivity is a huge issue the solution is straight forward. Move forward, one day at a time, get active and stay active!

That whole bit made it sound like living active will be hard work. Honestly though, some of my best memories are from biking around the neighborhood with my friends, and my time being involved with sports and dance.

If you’re interested in receiving the same kind of e-mails as these guys send me a quick e-mail (kenji@saskinmotion.ca) to let me know.

Have a great active weekend everyone!

Kenji!

Where did a new year sneak up from? It feels like only a year ago we were all freaking out about Y2K and ringing in the new millennium. (Ah good times at a 60s/70s/80s disco throw back party with the fam- it was hilarious watching people relive their glory days.)

Resolutions

So it’s a new year and that means a fresh start, big plans, and resolutions of course! What exactly is a resolution anyway? (ps.- I love dictionary.com) Basically its deciding on a course of action. What you’re gunna do; how you’re gunna do it; and when you’re gunna do it by. You set a goal and aim to succeed! Sounds good to me, but we all tend to be great at working out what we want to accomplish; it’s the follow through that’s a bit more dicey!

I’ve made and shall we say graciously abandoned many resolutions myself. Usually involving working out and getting in shape. I hit the gym, or take some classes for a couple weeks but then something happens. One day I decide to “take a day off”. Inevitably taking that one day off usually spells the beginning of the end of that resolution. Then without fail there is a mid-year resurgence of the New Year’s resolution,  in which I give it one more shot! This time when I quit I say: “it’s ok, next year!” It’s a vicious cycle haha.     

It’s the dawn of a new era

Not this year though!  Oh no, this year there will be no resolution. Instead this January 1, 2010 will mark the first day in a gradual endeavor towards a lifestyle change. See I think I figured out why (for me anyway) resolutions don’t work…

I get this idea in my head of getting toned, being active and eating healthy. Rather than ease into things slowly I toss myself off the deep end. I get up at 5 am and work out. I throw out all my junk food and vow to eat 5 small meals a day. For the first week it’s awesome! I’m like a healthy lifestyle machine. Then… like clockwork, that day where I’m really tired and decided to skip the work out comes.  A couple days after that, the candy isle at 7-eleven is empty and my list of reasons why I gave up is written.

This year through I’m resolving to have no resolution. Instead I’m going to remind myself everyday that no one else will look after me. It’s up to me to make healthy choices for myself every day. [So I guess that is a resolution, but you get what I was trying to do there ]

I think I can, I know I can

The best part is why this new plan is going to work! It’s all about accountability. Here I am every day spreading the word about living a healthy active lifestyle .. well step up Kenji! It’s time to lead by example. If I expect my family and friends and all of Saskatchewan to be active, I better be too!

As the quotable fridge magnet my lovely co-worker gave me for Christmas says, “Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi”

Are you all about the resolutions? What is yours for this year? Fill me in on your thoughts below… maybe there will be something I missed in my new lifestyle plan.

Good luck!

Kenji

During the holiday season no matter how old you are we tend to give and receive gifts. This holiday season it’s a good idea to ask yourself, what am I saying with this present?

Gift giving is actually a fairly influential opportunity. It’s a little bit of a chance to be expressive and really say something without words. For example, this Christmas I symbolically adopted some animals on the WWF website for my lil cousins. Yes.. I am trying to turn them into mini tree huggers. The same goes for choosing and hoping for presents that help and encourage living an active lifestyle.

If you’re into video games go for a Wii and one of the many “fit” games that are available. Maybe you’re an outdoorsy person like I am and would prefer some gear to head outside. (Outer wear, snow shoes, cross county skis.) It could be that you are a hard core athlete and would be down with a heart rate monitor or pedometer. Fans of active transportation and the environment might be stoked on a long board or bike tune up (think bikes, rollerblades, skate boards, a good pair of shoes).  Maybe none of this is wild enough for you and we need to amp it up to “extreme sport” like snowboarding and ski gear. Now all of the above is fun and entertaining, but there are some active gifts that scream fun like a snow tubes! I know I’ve had some ridiculous tobogganing nights. Don’t forget that you can give warm weather gifts in the winter too!

All in all I’m trying to say why not take this gift giving and receiving opportunity as a chance for making being active a part of your life!

If you need some more ideas you can check out Saskatchewan in motion’s Active Toy Guide!

Kenji