16
National
Inclusion Week
Take Action , Make Impact : Social Impact at the Canoe Slalom World Championships 2023
The theme for this year ’ s National Inclusion Week is ‘ Take Action , Make Impact ’, so we ’ re taking a closer look at social impact projects supported by the 2023 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships , and the impact on the local community around the Lee Valley White Water Centre .
The Canoe Slalom World Championships took place in Lee Valley between the 19th and 24th September , and had a vast programme of initiatives and projects taking place alongside the event , aiming to benefit the local community , get more people involved in paddling , bring paddling to a more diverse audience , and help improve the environment .
Ahead of the event , the University of Hertfordshire became the Official Social Impact Partner to the World Championships , which enabled over £ 30,000 worth of investment in social impact projects in and around the event itself - you can find out more here . Let ’ s take a closer look at some of the projects delivered as part of the Championships .
Women and Girls Festival
Providing accessible opportunities to try out paddling is key for widespread community engagement . Broxbourne Council partnered with British Canoeing , Lee Valley Regional Park Authority , Better Leisure and Lee Valley Paddlesports Club to deliver a festival aimed at increasing the number of women and girls engaged in long-term paddling activity . The festival aimed to reach up to 1,000 women and girls local to Lee Valley White Water Centre , and with the Championships taking place at the very same venue , the ambition was to also increase the number of women and girls spectating at the event .
This project wasn ’ t just about those engaging with paddling - it ’ s also about those involved in delivering paddling opportunities . Funding from British Canoeing supported the training of six women from the local area to become Paddlesport Instructors , improving the representation of women in the coaching body . www . britishcanoeing . org . uk
Former # ShePaddles Ambassador and paddlesport instructor , Lisa Dickinson , has been working with the newly qualified instructors around the Championships , and said “ I spend a lot of time as part of the # ShePaddles programme supporting women and building their confidence on the water and especially white water ”. Lisa felt the festival had been an “ amazing opportunity ” to promote paddlesports to women and girls in the Lee Valley area .
The newly upskilled instructors have been involved in running more paddling activity at Lee Valley White Water Centre and Lee Valley Paddlesports club postevent , helping the Centre and Club engage with more women from the local community .