HOCKEY EDUCATION REACHING OUT SOCIETY
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Mission Statement
Hockey Education Reaching Out Society (HEROS) is a volunteer-driven charity that uses the game of ice hockey to teach life-skills and empower Canada’s marginalized youth. HEROS’ free programs provide young people a team for life by celebrating in their first goal on the ice and assisting in their dreams off the ice. HEROS uses mentor relationships between dedicated volunteers and the participants as well as peer mentoring of older participants with their younger counterparts. By providing a safe and stable environment for young people to succeed and connect, HEROS guides its participants to become constructive citizens within their communities.
About This Cause
HEROS provides two types of programming for young people in Canada, our flagship, HEROS programming, that aims to support young people living with financial and social barriers to sport, and our newer, SuperHEROS programming that provides adapted hockey programming for young people living with physical and cognitive barriers to sport. HEROS Programming - Many HEROS players begin their journey in the Future Stars program, which is offered to youth in grades four to eight. With help from mentors, youth begin with the basics of hockey's fundamentals. Through practice and coaching, the Future Stars become more advanced and confident in their skills, developing a sense of mastery in their game, and learning the many other important lessons sport can offer - all while experiencing the joy of being part of a team. In addition to the on-ice sessions, HEROS also provides off ice activities that include field trips, vocational exploration, life skill development and more. As players grow, they transition into our All Stars program, offered to grades eight and higher. The All Stars program continues with more advanced on-ice drills and further challenges the youth with life-skills training and ongoing mentorship. The youth are given enhanced opportunities for success as they move into adulthood through off-ice programming such as post-secondary preparation, including tours of local post-secondary institutions, application tutoring, resume writing, interviewing skills, and personal growth and development opportunities - including the chance to mentor Future Stars players. Both Streams of programming are centred on HEROS four fundamental behaviours: listening, respect, discipline, and having fun. HEROS programming is offered during the critical hours immediately following the end of the school day. Participants are picked up after school ends via HEROS bus, transported to the rink where their equipment is stored and maintained, provided with access to a nutrition program, and take part in their weekly on ice session. Once the session has finished, participants are transported back home, while their equipment is securely stored on site at the arena. The sessions are designed to allow lots of time in the dressing rooms with their peers, building connections and relationships with each other, as well as our volunteer mentors. Each session's focus ranges between awareness and first involvement, active start, and fundamentals as identified in the Long-Term Athlete Development model. There is little emphasis on structured competition, helping ease the unwanted pressure that it can bring, and instead prioritizes the experience of playing hockey. The overall goal of the program is for players to increase their confidence and develop a broad skillset that nurtures team-based skills both on and off the ice. As players graduate HEROS, these sessions provide them with the physical, social, and emotional skills that they will need to participate in sport for the rest of their life. Many HEROS’ graduates choose to continue their involvement in the program. By using their improved confidence and skills, they become community leaders able to provide a relatable, positive influence for future generations of HEROS, while filling a gap identified in the representation of diverse backgrounds and experiences at the mentor and coaching level. SuperHEROS - In 2018, HEROS identified a gap in hockey programming: the western provinces of Canada had few options for young people that live with physical and cognitive barriers to play the sport in a safe and welcoming environment. In an effort to make hockey more accessible and ensure everyone has a team to play for, the SuperHEROS program was created. SuperHEROS is open to youth ages 7-17 that live with physical and cognitive barriers to sport, and like all HEROS programs, is completely free. In addition to providing participants with all of the equipment they need to play, as well as 1:1 support from dedicated and experienced volunteers and coaches, SuperHEROS provides unique approaches to ensure every player can succeed. More specifically, this includes optimized environments to ensure success for children and youth living with autism spectrum disorder, accommodating for the unique physical and cognitive needs for athletes with Down syndrome, and providing adaptive equipment that enables children living with diagnoses such as muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy to take part in this team sport. Throughout each weekly session, SuperHEROS players focus on learning the fundamentals of hockey in a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where each player can participate at their own pace while increasing their skills as well as their confidence. To further players’ development and sense of community, SuperHEROS programs provide opportunities to share the hockey experience with fellow HEROS, as well as youth from other communities. The SuperHEROS program has helped many of our players, and their families, explore opportunities that they never thought possible. In 2021, SuperHEROS launched a pilot project to provide further supports for players as they reach the age limit for the program. As youth that live with disabilities are at a higher risk of not being employed, HEROS partnered with a local supporter of our Calgary chapter to implement a work experience program, where each week SuperHEROS learn employment skills and help with day-to-day activities.