Surveying the Field - 2018

Surveying the Field 2018

FRAMEWORK FOR WeLLBeING

Recreation is...

The experience that results from freely chosen participation in physical, social, intellectual, creative and spiritual pursuits that enhance individual and community wellbeing.

We envision

A Saskatchewan where all citizens have equitable access to recreation experiences that: ■ Contribute to mental and physical health and wellbeing.

■ Result in well-rounded, well-adjusted, contributing members of their community.

■ Provide connection and attachment to their communities and environment.

Recreation and parks can address negative trends in health and reduce barriers to access and inclusion for people who face constraints to participation. To learn how recreation and parks impact the people of our province, the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association (SPRA) contracted Insightrix Research to conduct an online survey in February 2018.

Insightrix contacted a non-probability proportion stratified sample of 805 respondents over, the age of 18 from across the province, with a response rate of 26%.

There are hopeful signs of change. Saskatchewan people are becoming more active, and newcomers are among the most active in the province. However, nearly 1/4 of people say they cannot afford to participate and discrimination continues to be an issue. Addressing these challenges requires commitment and action towards enhancing opportunities for active living, improving access to recreation and parks, promoting inclusion, and developing supportive environments for people of all ages, abilities, genders and backgrounds.

To access the full survey report, visit: www.spra.sk.ca.

SPRA is a non-profit member organization dedicated to the leadership and facilitation of programs and services to enhance the impact of recreation on the quality of life in Saskatchewan. www.spra.sk.ca

Supported by:

Active Living

Recreation develops a culture of active living in Saskatchewan through physical activity.

BECOMING MORE ACTIVE

This year, 73% of all respondents describe themselves as very active or somewhat active, an increase from 63% in 2017.

58% of those surveyed indicated they are somewhat active, a 12% increase from 2017. 78% of Indigenous people in the province agree that they are somewhat active, an increase from 55% in 2017.

LGBT+ respondents that are very active or somewhat active has nearly doubled, 2017 to 2018 85% 48% 2017

2018

Another positive trend is the number of those who are not very active, which has dropped from 32% in 2017 to 23% in 2018.

The Government of Canada recommends that adults get 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week. Of those surveyed, 19% of people in Saskatchewan received the recommended amount of physical activity and 23% are more active than the recommended amount. However, 58% are less active than the recommended amount.

MAKING AN EFFORT

We asked people if they had made an effort towards becoming more active in the last 12 months and 67% either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed. 77% of newcomers to Canada agree they have made an effort to become more active, along with 69% of Indigenous people, 69% of LGBT+ people and 64% of persons living with a disability.

There is a slight difference in how men and women in Saskatchewan rate their level of activity. 76% of men agree they are somewhat active or very active, while 70% of women are somewhat active or very active. There is also a gap in the reported time spent being physically active. 28% of men reported more than the recommended amount of weekly physical activity, compared to 19% of women.

Priorities for Action

â– Educate leaders in your community about the risk factors associated with sedentary lifestyles and encourage them to address this public health issue through recreation programs and services that include physical activity. â– Remove and prevent barriers to participation for people experiencing disability. Focus on improving access to the physical environment, transportation, information and communications systems for recreation, culture and sports.1

People who have moved to Canada in the last five years rated themselves as the most active demographic. 46% of newcomers to Canada receive the recommended amount of physical activity and 31% are more active than the recommended amount. People with a disability are the least active demographic. 72% of people experiencing a disability receive less than the recommended amount of physical activity and 24% of people with a disability are active 15 minutes per week or less.

1. Adapted from the Saskatchewan Disability Strategy (2015), People Before Systems: Transforming the Experience of Disability in Saskatchewan.

Inclusion and Access

Recreation improves inclusion and access for people who face barriers to equitable participation.

aCCESSIBILITY ISSUES

Here are the top three reasons why people in Saskatchewan are inactive:

56%

42%

Leisure Time is Spent on Inactive Pursuits

Health Issues

35%

Not Enough Time to be Physically Active

IS RECREATION AFFORDABLE?

The majority of people in Saskatchewan can afford to participate in recreation opportunities.

23% of those surveyed said that they cannot afford to participate People in the lowest income brackets report the lowest levels of physical activity. People who make $30,000/year or less are more likely to say they are not very active (28%), or not active at all (3%). 16% of people in that same income bracket achieve the recommended amount of activity or more, but 19% are active for 15 minutes or less per week. 39% of people with a combined household income of $120,000 or more receive the recommended weekly amount of physical activity.

There is strong support for low or no cost recreation opportunities.

92% of respondents somewhat or strongly agree it is important that people in their community have access to recreation opportunities that are free or low cost. Women are significantly more likely to strongly agree (60% of women vs 41% of men).

INCLUSIVE RECREATION SPACES

We asked people in Saskatchewan if recreation facilities should be inclusive for people of all abilities and needs. We are happy to report that 94% of those surveyed agree.

45% of those surveyed support making accommodations for people of different backgrounds. 14% of people strongly agree and 31% agree. However, 30% of those surveyed neither agree nor disagree, 16% disagree and 9% strongly disagree. 85% of those new to Canada agree or strongly agree that accommodations should be made and 73% of LGBT+ respondents agree or strongly agree.

The number of those who say they have experienced discrimination or harassment while participating in recreation has increased by 3%, from 14% in 2017 to 17% in 2018. The number of those who have not experienced discrimination has dropped from 70% in 2017 to 62% in 2018. LGBT+ respondents report a decreased level of discrimination or harassment, from 40% in 2017 to 35% in 2018. Indigenous respondents report higher levels of discrimination or harassment this year. 25% of Indigenous respondents agree that they had experienced discrimination or harassment, an increase from 21% in 2017.

Priorities for Action

â– Enact policies of nondiscrimination on the basis of ethnicity, cultural difference, gender identity and gender expression. â– Engage diverse community groups when developing, evaluating and leading recreation and parks programs, services and activities.

Supportive Environments

Recreation environments support participation and help build strong, caring communities.

Gender Neutral FACILITIES

40% of people agree or strongly agree that facilities should include gender neutral amenities, such as bathrooms and change rooms (26% somewhat agree, 14% strongly agree). There seems to be a lot of uncertainty around the issue of gender neutral amenities in facilities, as 32% neither agreed nor disagreed. 15% somewhat disagreed and 13% strongly disagreed. 77% of LGBT+ respondents either agree or strongly agree that facilities should be gender neutral and 85% of newcomers to Canada agree or strongly agree. Men are more likely to strongly disagree (19%) than women (6%).

61% of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that Saskatchewan’s recreation facilities are well-maintained and safe to use.

Only 5% disagree or strongly disagree. However, 35% were unsure. 92% of newcomers to Canada agree that Saskatchewan’s facilities are safe, quality environments and 49% of persons experiencing a disability agree or strongly agree.

Mental Health BENEFITS

We asked survey participants if they agree physical activity reduces stress and anxiety. A combined total of 86% respondents agree or strongly agree. 100% of newcomers to Canada agree or strongly agree, along with 92% of LGBT+ respondents and 86% of Indigenous people. People with children are more likely to strongly agree (46%) than people without children (35%). Respondents who are Indigenous (6%) or experiencing a disability (6%) are more likely to disagree or strongly disagree that physical activity reduces stress and anxiety. There was less than 1% strong disagreement among the total respondents.

We provide free access to information, trends and research to support the Sport, Culture and Recreation sectors of Saskatchewan.

Our Services include: ■ An Online Library Catalog with over 5000 books, DVDs, CDs and more to choose from ■ Assistance with research, trends monitoring and grants prospecting ■ GPS and Pedometer lending kits

Healthy Food OPTIONS

79% of those surveyed agree or strongly agree that facilities should offer healthy food options. Only 3% somewhat or strongly disagreed. However, there is some uncertainty around the provision of healthy food in facilities. 19% neither agree nor disagree that facilities should provide healthy food. 85% of those with children either agree or strongly agree with facilities offering healthy food options. People without children are slightly less certain. 75% of those without children agree or strongly agree and 25% of people without children neither agree nor disagree.

Outside of people without children, most demographics are in agreement. 85% of Indigenous respondents agree facilities should serve healthy food, along with 85% of newcomers to Canada, 86% of non-Indigenous visible minorities and 89% of LGBT+ people.

83% of women either agree or strongly agree, compared to 75% of men.

Priorities for Action ■

■

Work with recreation and sport facilities in your community to ensure patrons have the choice of healthy food options.

Collaborate with community groups representing Indigenous and LGBT+ people, newcomers to Canada, persons experiencing disabilities and non-Indigenous visible minorities when designing recreation facilities, programs and services.

Visit our website to access these resources: www.spra.sk.ca/resources-and-advocacy.

For more information, contact: Nancy Young, Consultant - Information and Research Services Email: nyoung@spra.sk.ca Phone: (306) 780-9439