Investing in Leisure Literacy
Brenda Herchmer
Alberta Recreation and Parks Association
Session
Outcomes
Participants will leave the session better able to:
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Define recreation, leisure, & leisure literacy &
understand why it’s relevant to Kids at Hope
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Reflect & learn from our own leisure choices
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Articulate the benefits of recreation
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Describe a process and potential tools & resources
for facilitating leisure literacy and informed,
meaningful choices
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What do you do for
3
Does Your Answer
Change with this
Definition of Recreation?
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“All those things that a person or group chooses to do
in order to make their leisure time more interesting,
more enjoyable and more personally satisfying".
Canadian National Recreation Statement
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Using this definition, turn to the person beside you and
share what you do for recreation. Also share 3 words
that describe how it makes you feel?
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Benefits of
Recreation
www.benefitshub.ca
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sense of belonging
social and emotional
wellbeing
reduced stress
creative expression
leadership skills
reduced health risks
quality of life
enhanced learning
education performance
confidence and selfesteem
civic responsibility
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So What is
Leisure?

some measure of time from which a person is
released from responsibilities which normally or
routinely pertain to the duties they are compelled to
perform
personally
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to be able to act in ways which are
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pleasing and intuitively worthwhile
provides us choice i.e. “freedom from” and
“freedom to”
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Definitions of both Recreation
& Leisure contain
the element of choice -- either an activity or nonactivity which deviates from the normal or routine
structure of compulsory activity -- and the element of
satisfaction, by way of some attribute which the
individual finds positive or pleasing.
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Recreation
& Leisure
Can Be:
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Active or Passive
Alone or with others
Indoor or Outdoor
Participatory or Spectator
Fee or Free
Planned or Spontaneous
Others?
For life balance; variety is
recommended
Another Way of Thinking
About Recreation…
“…recreation is a social service in the same way that
health and education are considered as social services
and that recreation's purpose should be:
(a) to assist Individual and community development;
(b) to improve the quality of life;
(c) to enhance social functioning.
Such recognition will indicate the constitutional
responsibility of the Provinces and Territories in
recreation services.“
Canadian National Recreation Statement
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DECLARATION OF THE
RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Adopted by UN General
Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV)
of 10 December 1959
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The child shall have full opportunity for
play and recreation, which should be
directed to the same purposes as
education; society and the public
authorities shall endeavour to promote the
enjoyment of this right.
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What is Leisure Literacy?
(or Leisure Education)
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Ensures children, youth, and adults are aware of
leisure and its value
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Ensures we are prepared to make choices that
increase our options for personally satisfying, quality
experiences in leisure
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Enables individuals to be self-determining, selfsufficient, and proactive in relation to their leisure
lives
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Relevance To
Kids at Hope
FOUR ACES or ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS
 ACE of Hearts - anchor parent
 ACE of Clubs - all other caring adults
 ACE of Spades - treasure hunter
 ACE of Diamonds - adults who facilitate children’s
pathways to success
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Relevance To
Kids at Hope
Destinations
•Home & Family
•Education & Career
•Community & Service
•Hobbies & Recreation
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Relevance to
Development & Growth
Play
3-6
Explore
7-12
Growth
12-19
Focus
Outcome
• Social
• Interaction
• Imagination
• Self Starter
• Self Control
• Resilience
• Competence
• Identity
• Group
• Thinking Abstract
• Make Judgments
• Apply Strategies
• Individual
• Interests
• Self discovery
• Hypocritical and
deductive reasoning
• Growth
• Independence
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Components
of Leisure Literacy
Knowledge
and
Awareness
of Leisure
Positive
Attitudes
Toward
Leisure
Awareness
of
Resources
for Leisure
Self
Awareness,
Interests,
Needs &
Constraints
Values
Skills for
Participation
Decision
Making
Knowledge
and Skills
Increasing Our
Knowledge &
Awareness of
Leisure
The Resource: Alphabet Challenge
 Recreation / Leisure Activities
 Recreation / Leisure Settings
 Outcomes / Benefits of Leisure
Explore
Your
Interests
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Easily understood
A good starting point
Often the carrot that draws people in
Can be something that connects people
By itself does not necessarily make a good
activity choice
See Activity Interest Inventory
Identifying
Individual Needs
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Each of us has hundreds of personal needs
Needs can be met through school, play,
recreation, work, relationships
Unmet needs motivate us to action
Having needs may not mean we know what
they are or that we can articulate them
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Developmental
Assets and others
See “Needs Assessment Tools”
Decision Making Model for Leisure
Interests
Values
Values
Constraints
YOU
Needs
Resources
Values
Petersen, C (1981.2000)
Your
Role
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Facilitate opportunities/teachable moments to learn
Support others in this role
Recognize that learning occurs across the lifecycle
Encourage a wide range of leisure opportunities
– Arts
– Hobbies
– Sports
– Community Service
– Dance
– Outdoors
– Fitness
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