Take the Lead!®

“Students that were trained in Take the Lead!® have become more mature. The leadership skills they learned and practiced during the Take the Lead!® program have transferred to everyday school life”

Take the Lead!®

Take the Lead!® is focused on fostering leadership skills in youth aged 11-14. Our youth know how to play best! Utilizing Take the Lead!® resources and training, youth can practice leading active play opportunities, providing more physical activity opportunities for their peers. We are confident that youth who Take the Lead! will later draw upon these skills as they reinvest in our communities.

Benefits

• Youth leaders (ages 11-14) demonstrate leadership qualities and self-confidence;
• Children are active for a minimum of 30 minutes per day in the school environment, to help achieve the goal of 60-90 minutes of physical activity per day;
• There are safe active play areas for children;
• Increased time dedicated to active, fun play during school recess, noon hour and the after school time period, and;
• Strengthened capacity of schools and communities to support physical activity for children

Curriculum Outcomes

The Take the Lead! program as a whole and specific modules in the Youth Leader Training meet a number of outcomes in the Saskatchewan Curriculum.

We've created a document to show the alignment between Take the Lead! and Grade 6 & 7 Health Education, Grade 6 & 7 Physical Education and Grade 6 & 7 Career Education outcomes.

• Saskatchewan Curriculum Alignment - Download PDF

Endorsed by PHE Canada

Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) champions healthy, active kids by promoting and advancing quality health and physical education opportunities and healthy learning environments. 

In 2016, SPRA engaged PHE Canada to review and revise Take the Lead!® manuals to ensure they are high quality, current, and meet the needs of youth in Saskatchewan. PHE Canada officially endorsed the updated Take the Lead!® content and materials in 2018, saying that “the resource supports the aim and philosophy of [the] Health Education and Physical Education curriculum, is written clearly and would be applicable in the majority of recreational spaces.”

Some of the improvements and revisions made to the Take the Lead! manuals include:

• More content on Physical Literacy, Fundamental Movement Skills, and holistic wellness
• Increase in presence of cultural elements including Indigenous ways of knowing and understanding
• Inclusion of more activities suitable for small and large group sizes
• Emphasis on the benefits of outdoor play and option to lead activities outdoors
• Re-organization of the training modules to increase ease in facilitation of Youth Leader training
• Presence of content related to group management and creating inclusive environments that foster participation among groups of all abilities

For more information about the updated materials, or to request copies of the new manuals, please contact us.

To Host a Take the Lead!® Workshop

To host a Take the Lead!® Leadership Coach workshop or Youth Leader training, complete the online Workshop Request Form.

Where Can Take the Lead!® Be Used?

Any school or organization that wishes to increase time dedicated to active play, decrease instances of negative behaviour, and that provides services to youth ages 11-14.

• 12 Steps to Successfully Start a Take the Lead!® Program
• Take the Lead!® Delivery Model and Workshop Details

Take the Lead!® Training Assistance Program

The 2023-24 Take the Lead! Training Assistance Program grant is currently closed. Stay tuned for the next intake September 2024.

Grants are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis or until funds are depleted. Eligible expenses include activity equipment, training, youth leader celebrations and more.

Free Resource

We’ve launched a new Take the Lead! resource that compliments existing program materials with ideas for games and activities that are low-touch and promote physical distancing.

Whether or not you are currently involved in the Take the Lead! program, we encourage you to access this resource in support of active and safe play for youth.

Request the Free Resource

Take the Lead!® Success Stories

These young people have taken the lead! 

Watch these short video clips on YouTube to hear how Take the Lead!® has impacted the lives of young people:

• Take the Lead! Changes How Kids Feel About School – Ecole Centennial, Regina
• What Does It Feel Like to be a Youth Leader? – Ecole Centennial, Regina
• How Does Take the Lead! Affect the Kids? – Ecole Centennial, Regina
• Youth Leaders “Know More Better” – Ecole Centennial, Regina
• Glen Elm School, Youth Leaders Share Their Experiences

For More Information

Contact: