Youth sports coaches, camp counselors, seasonal staff and community volunteers play an important role in supporting our young people — but knowing how to build positive environments that make youth feel supported and valued requires a special skill set. If you’re a youth-serving professional looking to develop or improve your skills, join the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, Laureus USA, Nike and NRPA for the “Building Resilience Through Sport” workshop this October 7 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This no-cost, in-person learning opportunity will equip attendees with the knowledge and skills to apply a healing-centered lens to interactions with youth — specifically, the power of sports to heal.
We know sports provide enormous benefits for youth. Youth who play sports get better grades, report higher levels of self-confidence, and build critical SEL skills like teamwork, empathy and respect. Youth who experience overwhelming stress or trauma have unique challenges that sometimes aren't recognized within the sports/recreation experience, making it imperative that all youth-serving program staff and volunteers understand the ways that exposure to trauma can change a young person’s brain and impact their behavior. Sports and recreation are uniquely suited to help people who have experienced trauma to heal, because they inherently combine physical activity, relationships, structure and competence building.
Event Details
If you’re interested in reserving your spot for this free event (spots are going quick!), register here. NRPA Annual Conference attendees should use these instructions for registration. If you are not attending the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference, please use these instructions for registration.* Event sponsors include the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport, Laureus USA and Nike.
Mark your calendar for:
- Date: Monday, October 7, 2024
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. EDT
- Location: Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia
- Cost: Free (lunch provided)
*While this event is hosted in conjunction with the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference, you do not have to attend the conference to attend this workshop. This event is open to Atlanta coaches and volunteers broadly at no cost. If you aren’t attending 2024 NRPA Annual Conference, select ‘additional trainings only’ at registration. Reach out to youthsports@nrpa.org with questions.
What Is Healing-Centered Sport?
Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport’s core training aims to address systemic inequities and trauma found in sports while providing practical tools for coaches and volunteers to leverage the inherent healing powers of sports and relationships. This training explores the impact of trauma on the brain, body and behavior of young people to provide participants with an understanding of how sport and movement can help young people heal through relationships and physical activity, and includes the following topics and essential skills:
- Social-emotional learning
- Diversity, equity and inclusion
- Trauma-informed sport
- Youth development and well-being
Positive youth development opportunities support social and emotional well-being and create inclusive environments where all can participate. Well-rounded, thoughtful and innovative training programs for staff and volunteers can ensure all leaders working with young people have the skills, knowledge and confidence to support positive youth development. We hope to see you at the “Building Resilience Through Sport” workshop in Atlanta!
Questions about this event? Reach out to youthsports@nrpa.org.
Rosa Riley (she/her) is a program specialist at NRPA.