PHE Journal

 

type

  • Feature Article
  • Podcast
  • Research

theme

  • Instant Activity
  • Food Literacy
  • Outdoor Learning
  • Physically Active Learning
  • Social Emotional Learning
  • Cross-Curricular Learning
  • Models-Based Approach
  • PHE Community
  • Healthy School Communities
  • Fundamental Movement Skills
  • Dance Education
  • Digital Literacy
  • Health Education
  • Financial Literacy
  • Physical Education
  • Sex Education
  • Educational Leadership
  • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Teacher Education
  • Mental Health
  • Substance Use
  • Truth & Reconciliation

Search Results

SORT BY:

Support for Social Development for Young Women and Girls Experiencing Systemic Barriers

PHE Canada
September 15, 2023
youth learning dance

PROPEL - Support for Social Development for Young Women and Girls Experiencing Systemic Barriers

PROPEL is a pilot project that invited girls and young women experiencing systemic barriers to physical activity to co-design a physical activity program to increase their access, participation, and inclusion in programming. The project focused on identifying structural, social, cultural, and interpersonal barriers to participation, and incorporated ways to address them in the programming. Participants expressed that the PROPEL project increase their access and rates of physical activity, they also shared that their feelings of belonging, and social and community connections increased as a result of their participation in the project. Professional development opportunities to front-line staff of various education settings, including child and youth workers and educational assistants were also provided to increase their knowledge, skills, and abilities for developing inclusive programming. 

PHE Canada engaged 3 sites, 54 students in grades 8-12, and 11 front line workers in the project. The video shares first-hand experiences of the programming and resulting impacts for the participating sites.

 

The following outcomes were achieved with the PROPEL pilot:

  • Increased intention of participants to engage in physical activity.
  • Improved cultural awareness, confidence, and social engagement for participants.
  • Reduction in identified barriers to participation. 
  • Greater inclusion across sport and physical activity opportunities.
  • Enhanced capacity of front line staff to provide quality physical activity programming and support to youth facing systemic barriers.

Authors

PHE Logo
PHE Canada
Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) champions healthy, active kids by promoting and advancing quality health and physical education...
Read More

E-learning banner

Recent Posts

Group photo of the Student Chapter Showcase
Building Connection, Leadership, & Belonging: The Student Experience at the 2026 PHE National Conference
[ Feature Article ] This year’s Physical and Health Education National Conference in Vancouver marked an exciting step forward for enhancing the student experience and strengthening connections among the next generation of PHE leaders. Through intentionally designed networking opportunities, active experiences, mentorship moments, and student-led initiatives, the conference created meaningful spaces for pre-service educators to build relationships and deepen their sense of belonging within the profession.
Read More
Authored by: Caleb Poulin, PHE Canada
A group of three school-age children can be seen walking together outside a school. They appear happy and are clearly enjoying each other's company.
HEx Prescribing Health Education in Canada: Moving from Insight to Action - A PHE Canada Thinkers Report
[ Feature Article ] We invite you to read this document and join us in advocating for the 25 recommendations and championing the actions that will guide us towards achieving meaningful and sustainable solutions within our school communities.
Read More
Authored by: PHE Canada
A teenage boy is sitting on the floor with a schoolbag next to him. He is holding a phone and looking at it intently.
Digital Media and Navigating Smartphone Use in Schools
[ Feature Article ] Digital innovation in education is here, and it is transforming how, what and where we learn. We are witnessing a surge in artificial intelligence, with technology increasingly becoming the primary mechanism that directs learning, rather than merely supporting it. However, not all innovation has positive outcomes, nor is it all created equal. This article offers strategies to help young people build digital resilience in the digital media age.
Read More
Authored by: Ryan Fahey
A young child with blonde hair in a bun, wearing denim overalls and a yellow shirt, looks over their shoulder while carrying a bright blue and green dinosaur backpack with orange spikes.
To Learn, To Love, To Move: Branding a Future in Physical Education
[ Feature Article ] This article explores how the phrase “To Learn, To Love, To Move” can reframe physical education (PE) as inclusive, joyful, and meaningful. Rooted in physical literacy and child development, it captures cognitive, emotional, and behavioral learning. The slogan offers a unifying identity for PE, resonating with students, educators, and policymakers. Practical implications for curriculum, staff development, and collaboration are discussed, positioning the phrase as both a guiding philosophy and a catalyst for cultural change in PE.
Read More
Authored by: Aaron Beighle, Ph.D., Mike Chamberlain, Dr. Heather Erwin
Two colorful puzzle pieces with a mosaic pattern of different shapes and colors on a light wooden background.
Stronger Together: Connecting Subjects to Ignite Student Learning
[ Feature Article ] In schools, across all grade levels, cross-curricular connections result in countless benefits for student learning. Cross-curricular connections are purposefully planned lessons that fuse two or more subjects, providing students with meaningful learning experiences while ‘connecting the dots’ between subjects. In this blog, I share a brief introduction and a few teaching considerations pertaining to cross-curricular connections, along with two examples—one for K-6 and one for Grade 7 and above. Alongside some supporting materials, I conclude with a list of ‘Three To-Dos’ for educational stakeholders to consider when thinking about the innumerable amount of benefits that can arise from cross-curricular connections in the learning environment.
Read More
Authored by: Brent Bradford
A solitary tree stands in a vast grassy field, silhouetted against a dramatic sunset sky with scattered clouds and rays of light breaking through.
Animality, Technology & Connecting to the Natural World: A Posthuman Approach to Physical Education
[ Research ] This paper explores a posthumanist approach to physical education (PE) to address declining well-being in both human and non-human worlds. It acknowledges the challenges of operating within a humanistic framework that often prioritizes human-centric goals and colonial perspectives. The proposed vision emphasizes reconnecting with our animality through self-directed and rough-and-tumble play, fostering creativity, social bonds, and a recognition of human-animal similarities.
Read More
Authored by: Ty Riddick