CATCH Champion for November, 2007

Teresa Rinaldi, Supervisor of Children and Youth

YMCA of Oakville, Ontario, Canada

When did you adopt CATCH Kids Club, and what prompted you to do so?

We began CATCH at our facility in October, 2006. Since then our school-age programs, child care centers, and child and youth programs in our membership center have adopted CATCH. We chose CATCH as it was evidence based, was easy to incorporate in our existing programs, and more importantly it involves the family.

Describe notable changes since implementing CATCH and how you know CATCH is working.

In the short time since implementing CATCH we have seen a difference in the children. They are having fun, coming back for more, and sweating! All children are participating and no one is left out. Those children that used to sit and watch are now joining in and having a great time. The social development and self-confidence that is building within these children is wonderful to see. It's what we strive for in our association.

What are the keys to your success?

The biggest key to success has been the support from staff and management from within our YMCA including the CEO. The training from the University of Texas was also a key to being able to understand and pass on the philosophy of CATCH to parents and children.

What advice can you offer for those just beginning and for those who have already implemented the CATCH Program.

Be persistent and believe in the need for a program that addresses the number one issue affecting children's health. Get as many staff members trained as you possibly can, get the word out into the community, and try to link to funding opportunities which will support the sustainability of the program.

What was your most significant barrier and how did you overcome the challenge?

Staff turnover is a challenge, as well as getting new staff trained. Funding for the program has also been a challenge, as is trying to link to an academic institution to evaluate the program. We are hoping to partner with Brock University which should help us give credibility to the program and make it easier to secure funding. We will also continue to train as many new staff and volunteers as possible.

What has been the reaction from parents, administration, students and community?

The reaction to the program has been very positive, especially from the kids and instructors. Although I believe it is early, it will take some time to be engrained in the community. We are working towards trying to partner with local school boards to create more momentum.

What are your plans for the future? What is your CATCH vision?

Our vision is to be able to spread the CATCH Program throughout the YMCAs in Ontario and Canada . We will be involved in training others within the YMCA and local communities. We are also hoping to get support from Brock University in evaluating our program. I believe this will allow us to be able to link positive results to growth of the program.

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