Students from Sprott School of Business & Varsity Athletics at Carleton University are collaborating with the communities of Masset, BC, and Mayo, Yukon, to co-create sport and wellness programs that offer youth the opportunity to share their love of sport and healthy community living. Programs include online coaching, high performance training, health and wellness sessions, sustainable food programs, and mentorship. Carleton students will build on existing social, economic and wellness development initiatives within the communities and work with local partners to explore business and entrepreneurship fundamentals. Students participate in customized sports and wellness training and support the sustainability of the programs.

The goal of this project is to nurture collaboration, partnership, and a love of sport and wellness between students at Carleton University and Northern Indigenous communities in Masset B.C and the Yukon. Through the promotion dialogue and teamwork on geographically distributed teams, the project strengthens cross-cultural relationships and enables participants to develop community-based, culturally appropriate solutions to challenges determined by the community.

Funds for this project will be used to cover project costs in the partner communities, along with travel costs and on-the-ground expenses for members of Carleton. We will collaborate with leaders in the community to cover expenses associated with our activities in the partner communities.

Students from Carleton will travel to the partnering communities to participate in basketball sessions, project work, and mentorship activities. Partners from the Yukon and Gudangaay Tlaats’gaa Naay Secondary will have the opportunity to travel to Ottawa to train and collaborate on project work at Carleton. This will enhance the partnership by ensuring that community members maintain their role as continued collaborators on this project.

This project is a way for Carleton students to connect with Northern Indigenous communities in Masset B.C and the Yukon through sport and wellness programs.

At the community level, the Courts for Change projects encourage community youth to:

• Participate in sport and wellness programs that are important in their community.
• Develop critical thinking, creativity, and co-design skills through their project work.
• Develop practical skills in entrepreneurship, business, and virtual teamwork.

For Carleton Students, the Courts for Change Project will:

• Increase their skills in social entrepreneurship, creative thinking, working in geographically and culturally distributed teams.
• Develop critical thinking, creativity, and co-design skills through their project work.
• Allow them to establish long-lasting relationships with community members.