Pathways to Belonging is BCRPA’s new, online, self-guided training program for recreation and parks staff across BC focused on expanding inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Six modules help teams remove barriers, use inclusive language and build programs where more people feel a true sense of belonging.
When inclusion is intentionally woven into every aspect of programming, everyone has the opportunity to experience a genuine sense of belonging. By creating environments where participants feel welcomed, including through physical spaces and the staff who support them, Pathways to Belonging training helps foster comfortable, engaging recreation experiences where everyone can participate.
Whether it’s ensuring accessible entrances and pathways, offering translated materials, having classes in different languages or providing gender-neutral washrooms, there are many practical ways to make recreation and parks programs more inclusive and accessible for all.
REGISTER FOR PATHWAYS TO BELONGING“…I can make a difference with my staff through this training and where we can go with it.”
Stacey Miranda, Williams Lake Director of Community Services
What is Pathways to Belonging?
The Pathways to Belonging program includes six online modules designed for participants at every level of an organization, from interns to Recreation Directors and business owners. Participants explore how recreation and parks programs can benefit from incorporating IDEA principles and practices, learn how to apply them in practical ways, and deepen their understanding of unrecognized privileges and biases that can impact people on a daily basis.
How Was the Program Developed?
BCRPA partnered with Synergy Executive & Boards Consulting Group to develop the program, training 22 program leaders in 20 communities to support the program in all regions of BC. In each module, participants will learn about a variety of topics, including incorporating inclusive language, engaging community members, and breaking down accessibility barriers that may be invisible.
Each module includes the opportunity for participants to reflect on what they have learned. Program trainers facilitate group discussions, providing an opportunity for participants to further their learning and discuss key topics and issues at the community level.
“Advancing IDEA at this moment is about safeguarding community cohesion, countering exclusionary narratives, and ensuring these spaces continue to serve as accessible, welcoming anchors for everyone, especially those most impacted by uncertainty and division,” said Trish Mandewo, Founder & CEO, Synergy Executive & Boards Consulting Group.
Delivering Pathways to Belonging Across BC
The first step to bringing BCRPA’s Pathways to Belonging program to life was to train facilitators who can deliver the program in their communities across the province.
Williams Lake Director of Community Services Stacey Miranda and BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader and Vancouver personal trainer Kate Lee are two of the trainers currently completing the program.
“Some of the questions that are coming from the participants have already opened my eyes [about] how I can make a difference with my staff through this training and where we can go with it,” Miranda said about leading Pathways to Belonging.
The Pathways to Belonging program was designed to ensure space for open conversation and room for both organizations and individuals to grow in a way that will impact the community now and into the future.
“I’m going to be looking for a group that is enthusiastic,” Lee said about leading the first Pathways to Belonging program, “They’ll challenge me, they will be open to me trying various methods, [and] that they’ll give me more time because I’d like to try different examples.”
Over the summer of 2026, 22 program facilitators were trained and are now ready to welcome program participants from across the province.
REGISTER FOR PATHWAYS TO BELONGINGAbout the Author
Ethan Paulson loves going for a swim, even in the middle of winter! Growing up in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, he was surrounded by beautiful lakes and rivers, which he spent countless hours in during the summer. When Ethan isn’t taking a plunge, he is a 4th year Communications student at the University of the Fraser Valley, writer for his schools’ newspaper and a former Communications Assistant Intern for BCRPA. With a passion for sport and recreation, Ethan hopes to bring communities together through a shared love of the game.
