Fitness Centre open Soccer kicks bad habits Ir’s hard for young people to live in areas where people struggle with issues such as poverty, lack of housing and drug use. Involvement in recreational activities such as sports or after-school clubs can reduce involvement in criminal activity, yet youth in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside/Strathcona neighbourhood often don’t have access to such opportunities. This year, three Douglas College sport instructors joined a partnership to create new activities that could help make a difference. The MoreSports Program involved Douglas College, Tradeworks Society, Soccer BC, the Vancouver Park Board and the East Vancouver Community Association. The objective: create and support an inner-city minor soccer league program. The project also provided a positive work experience for 12 at-risk community youth. Douglas College Coaching Diploma Program faculty Tim Frick and Alison Gill worked with MoreSports to teach Sport Leadership and Sport Administration to the 12 sport leaders chosen for the six-month program. The two three-credit courses gave students practical information as well as the added value of personal and post-secondary achievement. Chris Johnson, from the Douglas College Sports Institute, helped design the Parent and Volunteer Manuals used to guide individuals running the league on an ongoing basis in each community. “This could be a model for other inner-city organizations looking to give kids sports as a viable option in their lives. With the strength of this kind of partnership, real changes could happen,” said Frick. In September ceremonies hosted by Johnson, the program graduated nine leaders who were able to touch the lives of 3,000 young people through soccer festivals, camps, sport days and theme gatherings during the summer soccer season. The Human Resource Development Canada-funded program met its outcomes for 2002 and is planning on funding future MoreSports Leaders. longer Centre for Sport, Recreation and Wellness Director Lou Rene Legge (left) and Activites Coordinator Ed Lunn pump it up at the New Westminster Campus Fitness Centre. The Centre boasts new longer hours to accomodate users, opening from 8:30am-6pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The Centre is open 8:30am-4:30pm Thursday and Friday, and is closed on weekends and holidays. Passes are available at the Centre (pay first at the Cashier's Office on the second floor across from Security); drop-ins are always welcome. For more information, see www.douglas.bc.ca/csrw/fitness.htm or call Ed Lunn at 604-527-5005. Douglas College employees and students can also do their workouts at the Pinetree Community Centre in Coquitlam. Year-long passes are available for $5 and can be purchased at the front desk at the Pinetree Community Centre. College developing strategies for changing times It’s a time of rapid changes and uncertainty for BC’s post-secondary institutions. Policy directions and funding practices from the Ministry of Advanced Education are shifting. Student needs and expectations are evolving, and the demand for student spaces continues to grow. Douglas College is developing an interim Strategic Plan this fall to identify College priorities in light of the changing circumstances. Douglas College community members are invited to discuss the draft plan ata College Forum, 4-6pm on October 23 in the New Westminster Campus Boardroom. For those unable to attend, the draft will be circulated and individuals will be able to comment via memo or e- mail. “This is being called an interim plan because we know things will change, but it nonetheless reflects the future as we now perceive it,” says Douglas College President Susan Witter. “This plan is not intended to be highly detailed, but rather it will address the larger, macro issues facing the College. When documenting our changing environment and our strategies for responding to it, we will keep our College's mission and values firmly in mind. Although there will undoubtedly be changes in the post-secondary system in the coming months and years, most of our efforts will be devoted to continuing and enhancing the good work we are already doing.” The plan will incorporate existing projects such as the Student Successs Task Force and the Task Force to Achieve FTE Targets. Other issues include development of the College's first applied degree programs, construction of the two- floor New Westminster Campus expansion, as well as changes in funding and budget allocation from the Ministry of Advanced Education. Signing on Faculty in the Department of Sign Language Interpretation have been busy. Cheryl Palmer and Barb Mykle-Hotzon both graduated from the University College of the Fraser Valley with a BA in Adult Education — both going to school part-time while teaching at Douglas College. H&H Publishing just released a five-CD Study Guide developed by Jan Humphrey to accompany her popular textbook So You Want To Be An Interpreter? (3rd Edition). Jan has also worked with Dave Still to produce four educational video tapes for Family Network for Deaf Children. The videos cover issues for groups such as teens, immigrants and families. In addition, both Dave and Jan were selected to make presentations at the Washington State Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf state-wide conference in September. Flipping for United Way The pancakes will be on the grill again this month as Douglas College hosts fundraisers for the United Way during the week of Oct 21-25. The week will feature the popular $2 pancake breakfasts — Tuesday, October 22 (7-10am) at the David Lam Campus Cafeteria and Wednesday, October 23 (7-10am) at the New Westminster Cafeteria (second floor). Look for cookie and popcorn sales at all three campuses throughout the week, along with 50-50 draws and other special features. Dealing with issues such as poverty, hunger and homelessness, funds raised by the United Way assist more than 100 agencies across the Lower Mainland.