Saskatchewan
Blind
Sports
Association
510 Cynthia Street
Saskatoon, SK S7L 7K7
Phone 306.975.0888
Toll-free 877.772.7798
Leadership
Having leadership skills are some of the best tools
children and youth can have. Everyone can learn the skills good leaders
possess, with time and proper mentorship.
Just like gardens, leaders can grow and thrive in the
right conditions and with the right supports.
Building leaders builds
community.
The following tips may help you foster leadership skills
in children and youth you work with.
Lead by Example
Leading and teaching by example is the most effective way
of getting your point across. Model the behaviours and attitudes you want to see
grow in others. Actions speak louder than words.
Treat Others How You Would Like...
It’s an old saying but still remains true. Kids need to
learn to respect difference; not everyone thinks, acts
or looks the same. Not everything is either right/wrong or black/white– there
are many shades of grey. Teaching people
to think about others’ feelings will help them gain a sense of empathy, which
is vital in good leaders.
Communicate
Being able to communicate respectfully and effectively
with others is the key to being a good leader. Kids who are able to express
themselves clearly while respecting other opinions are better equipped to get
along with peers.
Collaborate/Teamwork
If some individuals don’t understand the word ‘collaborate’,
most understand the concept. Working together, letting everyone participate in
discussions, activities and decisions helps to create a team mindset. It builds ownership and responsibility for a
positive outcome.
Compromise/Negotiate
Again, most people understand the concepts of compromise
and negotiation. Strong leaders are able to negotiate and compromise to get along
with others. People need to learn how to give and take. Strong leaders will compromise
to achieve a better end result.
Planning/Strategizing
Developing a plan or strategy and learning how to follow
through are crucial life skills needed by everyone. Having the ability to break
down overwhelming tasks into manageable pieces allows kids to become problem
solvers and builds self-esteem.
Goal
Having a vision or a goal helps kids to stay on track and
keep on striving. Kids who can visualize the outcome of their goals have a
better chance of reaching their goals.
Determination/Persistence
The ability to persist builds strength of character. Every
“failure” teaches us something and teaching kids to “keep on going” will assist
them throughout their life. Determination and optimism is empowering.
Finally…
Individuals with strong leadership skills are more likely
to contribute to society. Mentoring people in learning leadership skills benefits
our children and our communities.
For more
information on sight and sight conditions, contact your local optometrist,
ophthalmologist or CNIB.
Did you know?
The correct language is “people who are blind” or “people
who are partially sighted”
People who blind or partially sighted can be and should be as physically active as their sighted counterparts
There
are specific sight classifications for athletes who are blind or partially
sighted:
B1 -
From no light perception in either eye to light perception, but inability to
recognize the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction
B2 -
From ability to recognize the shape of a hand to a visual acuity of 2/60 and/or
visual field of less than 5 degrees
B3 -
From visual acuity above 2/60 to visual acuity of 6/60 and/or visual field of
more than 5 degrees and less than 20 degrees.
Mission
The purpose of SBSA is to promote and
facilitate sport opportunities towards excellence for persons who are blind or
partially sighted, by delivering sport programs, creating awareness, and
advocating for sport inclusion.
Awareness Participation Excellence Inclusion
To Contact Us:
Call 306.975.0888
or
Toll-free
877.772.7798
Fax
306.242.8007
By
email sbsa.sk@shaw.ca
Check
us out on the web
SBSA
gratefully acknowledges
