Ontario's After-School Initiative

In the 2008-09 Budget, the government announced "$10 million annually towards a childhood obesity strategy to encourage children to eat healthy and be physically active." Consultation with other ministries, experts and stakeholders confirmed the need for an integrated and holistic approach to address multiple risk factors, including obesity.

Programs funded under Ontario's After-School Initiative have three required elements: physical activity, healthy eating and nutrition education, and personal health and wellness education. There is also an opportunity for local programs to help meet any specific needs the community may have (e.g. academic assistance, arts and cultural activities, teen programs, and more).

Ontario's After-School Initiative is a key commitment under Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy to help break the cycle of poverty by:

• supporting young people in low-income families, including priority populations such as Aboriginal communities and newcomers;

• improving opportunities for young people to be more physically active, learn about healthy living and develop skills to cope with problems; and
• ensuring there are no financial barriers to participation in programs.

This initiative also supports The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence recommendation to get young people involved in positive activities in the after-school hours when under-supervised children are the most vulnerable.  

After-School programs began rolling out across the province in September 2009 for the 2009-2010 school year.

HELPING CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN HIGH-RISK COMMUNITIES

The Ministry of Health Promotion is partnering with a variety of provincial and community organizations in priority neighbourhoods to deliver after-school programs and services. More than 15,500 children and youth in over 270 sites across the province will benefit from the Ontario's After-School Initiative. 

Priority areas were identified in partnership with other ministries. These are primarily areas where young people face the highest risk, and there are the greatest gaps in service. 

The identification of these areas also factored in:

• socio-economic status based on data provided in the 2006 Census and low household income;
• community needs in urban/rural/northern areas including those adversely impacted by economic conditions and very limited resources/funding; and
• gaps in after-school services at the community level and regions with limited after-school programming and the need for expanded programming.

Government funding criteria will require service providers to ensure that there will be no financial barriers to participation.

DIRECT SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS

Ontario's After-School Initiative supports community-based activities and requires local partnerships that can enhance the delivery of programs. Almost 60 per cent of the sites will be in schools, while others will be in settings such as community and recreation centres.

Funding under the Ontario After-School Initiative supports costs related to delivering the program, including:

• Staff costs such as salaries, benefits
• Staff training
• Healthy food, cooking and food service supplies
• Program equipment, including sports equipment, arts and crafts supplies

In some cases, funds have been requested to support special needs for program delivery. These include:

• Transportation costs to get children and youth from the main venue to other locations (e.g. to the community swimming pool, to the library); and
• Equipment for the facility to encourage teen engagement in after-school programs such as music and gymnastic equipment.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS ISSUES IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH

• Children and youth in poverty are more likely to be overweight or obese and face a number of barriers, including access to affordable community recreation programs and healthy food.

• In Ontario in 2004, 28 percent of children and youth aged 2 to 17 were overweight or obese based on measured heights and weights. 

• The main contributors to obesity are behaviour, poor food choices, lack of physical activity, environment, and genetics.
• Young people who live in poverty are particularly at risk of obesity, partly because unhealthy food is less expensive, and community recreation programs are not always affordable or accessible.