ORGANIZATIONAL MANDATE

Our organization receives it's mandate through the support of the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Chiefs and it's communities and has officially been recognized through the Mi'kmaq * Canada * Nova Scotia Tripartite Forum (www.tripartiteforum.com) as one of its Working Committees.  Through these partnerships in government, we have been able to generate funding and human resource support to help assist MYRACL in achieving its goals and objectives for each fiscal year.

We have received very strong support both from our communities, its leadership but also from the Provincial and Federal Government.  As indicated before, we developed this organization to improve and promote healthy, active lifestyles through the tools of organized and structured sports and recreation programs and services.   These are delivered to the Mi'kmaw communities of Nova Scotia on a year round basis and help to make positive changes happen in our communities.

Obviously, a huge reason for our initiatives is the steadily growing population of our communities, and specifically our youth here in Nova Scotia.  In view of this population growth, there are continuous needs that have to be addressed by our organization to our people in the areas of fitness, sports, recreation, culture and social.  Considering that over fifty (50) percent of our population are individuals under the age of twenty-five (25) years of age and that a majority of this population is facing tremendous statistical health issues, MYRACL is positioning itself to help try to make positive changes take place towards healthier, active lifestyles.


COORDINATED EFFORT

It is imperative that a co-ordinated effort be made to improve the quality of life for our people through initiatives that are available to us through sports and recreation.

This co-ordinated effort in our view begins with participation and active living on a daily basis as much as possible. It is well known in the communities that, not only do our own people have to play an important role in the process of self healing but responsible agencies and groups must now take the steps necessary to curb the declining health of Aboriginal peoples.

This is the foundation of our organization, and the blueprint that MYRACL will be operating by in the next number of years.  The focus is to provide every opportunity for all Mi’kmaw people to participate in activities that will either sustain or improve their well being.  It will also build the skills necessary for the competitive athletes to prepare for competitions whether they are Aboriginally linked or not. We aim to strengthen the incorporation of sports and recreation into the lifestyle of our Mi’kmaw people, thus creating a balance of mind, body and spirit in a holistic view while improving their quality of life.

With ongoing funding on a yearly basis, many worthwhile initiatives can and will take place such as leadership development, communications program developed throughout communities (development of an interactive Website), hiring of a community development officer(s) to develop and assist with existing programs in place and to help build new ones. We will also target increasing the training for Aboriginal coaches, officials, administration/organizations and their development in communities.  As well, there are such things as outdoor leadership program opportunities need that will be part of our long term plans.


MEASURING AND MONITORING

MYRACL also wants to build on the great opportunity to develop our very own support system that will help educate our communities in leading healthier lifestyles and to continue to improve on the overall daily quality of life.   

We have visions of building opportunities through sport development camps, creating an inventory on data via research of existing community sport programs/facilities/staff as well as our most recent initiative of identifying physical activity levels of school aged children (6-19 years of age) in order to help determine certain physical and health statistical data regarding overall physical activity and whether it meets national standards of healthy individuals.

Opportunities in promotion, training, access and participation to high performance provincial, national and international events, and the development of support and awareness networks in combating barriers in Aboriginal sports... are only some of the issues that we will have to deal with on an ongoing basis.


REPRESENTATION