Physical Literacy Community Leader: Claudie
August 19, 2026
Next up in our Physical Literacy Community Leader series is Claudie Ringuette from the Kent Regional Service Commission!
As the Director of Community Services and a driving force behind many physical literacy initiatives, Claudie has helped create opportunities for young people and families to get active, build confidence, and feel connected to their community.
Read on to learn more about her role, the impact of the programs she’s involved in, and how physical literacy helps people of all ages say yes to new opportunities.
About the Program
Tell us about your organization, community, or initiative.
Now serving as the Director of Community Services, I was one of the key people who helped initiate the Physical Literacy for Communities (PL4C) project. Over the past few years, we have successfully engaged and supported community partners working across various sectors to develop new initiatives that promote physical activity and physical literacy.
What program, project, or activity are you most excited to share?
Our greatest success is possibly the Champions | Grande région de Kent greater region program, a community initiative that helps youth cover the registration costs of the sport, arts, and cultural activities that interest them.
Who is your program for, and what impact has it had on participants?
Since its launch in September 2025, the Champions program has supported more than 130 youth, helping increase their access to sport, cultural, and recreational activities. For many families, the support provided through Champions makes the difference between whether or not their child can participate in an activity. Community engagement has been remarkable, both through the involvement of partners and the support the program has received, demonstrating its importance and impact throughout the region.
How does your initiative help girls and women develop their confidence, skills, motivation, or enjoyment through movement and physical activity?
We have launched pilot physical literacy sessions in collaboration with several municipalities across the greater region. Although the P’tits Champions en action program is open to all children, we have noticed that the majority of participants are girls.
By introducing young people to movement and physical activity through play, the program provides a dynamic, engaging, and non-competitive environment where girls can explore their abilities, have fun, and develop their movement skills in a safe and inclusive setting. This approach helps build their confidence and encourages the development of a positive relationship with physical activity from an early age.
What has been your greatest success or proudest achievement?
My greatest source of pride is, without a doubt, the team I have had the opportunity to build over the past few years. Since the launch of PL4C, we have not only established the Champions program and the Regional Physical Activity Partners Table, but we have also secured the funding needed to hire qualified, dynamic coordinators who are deeply committed to the development of our region.
These investments in people have helped ensure the sustainability of our programs, strengthen regional leadership, and increase the positive impact within our communities. Together, we can make a much greater impact than would have been possible alone. The support of the provincial government and municipalities has been essential to this success, and ultimately, all communities throughout the region benefit from it.
What does physical literacy mean to you or your organization?
For us, physical literacy is the foundation of an active and fulfilling lifestyle. Without the necessary skills, it is difficult to develop the confidence, motivation, and desire to remain active throughout life. Within Community Services, physical literacy is present everywhere and takes many different forms. It can be seen in the confidence of a young person who signs up for a school or community sport activity, in the commitment of volunteers who maintain community gardens, in the work of young summer camp leaders, in programs offered to families through our libraries and resource centres, and in residents who discover and use our trails and natural spaces.
But for me, physical literacy also represents much more than the ability to move: it gives us the strength to say yes. Yes to the opportunities that come our way. Yes to playing with your child at the park, going for a bike ride with friends, exploring our natural treasures and trails, or simply participating fully in community life. It’s about developing the confidence to try, explore, and enjoy being active.
Physical literacy therefore goes far beyond sport. It is about developing the skills, confidence, motivation, and enjoyment of movement needed to support active participation throughout every stage of life. By providing opportunities to develop these abilities from an early age, we help build communities that are more dynamic, inclusive, resilient, and healthy. For our organization, physical literacy is a tool for community development that is reflected throughout everything we do and helps people of all ages say yes to the opportunities around them.
Why do you think physical literacy is important for girls and women?
Physical literacy is particularly important for girls and women because it develops much more than movement skills: it builds confidence, independence, and a sense of capability to participate fully in an active life.
Too often, girls and women face barriers that affect their participation in physical activity, whether it is a lack of confidence, fear of judgment, limited access to certain opportunities, or the idea that physical activity must be competitive or performance-focused. By providing positive, inclusive, and non-competitive environments from an early age, we allow girls to discover the joy of movement, explore their abilities, and develop a positive relationship with physical activity.
Women in Leadership
What inspired you to become involved in sport, recreation, or physical activity within your community?
I was fortunate to grow up in sport and to have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities that interested me. Over the years, I participated in more than a dozen Jeux de l’Acadie finals, both as an athlete and as someone involved with the Société des Jeux de l’Acadie. These experiences had a profound impact on my journey and allowed me to discover everything sport can provide: confidence, a sense of belonging, social connections, and the enjoyment of challenging yourself.
However, after finishing high school, I noticed that opportunities for young adults, particularly women living in rural areas, become much more limited. It often took a great deal of effort to find opportunities to be active, but also to meet another equally important need: creating connections, meeting people, and feeling like you are part of a community.
Today, I realize that without the strong foundation that sport and physical activity gave me during my childhood, I probably would not have had the confidence to go work out alone, swim alone, or bike alone. I also recognize that not everyone has had the same opportunity I had to access these positive experiences from an early age.
That is what motivated me to become more involved and to support the creation of sustainable structures that allow young people to discover the joy of movement, develop their confidence, and find their place within their community. What began during my childhood continues to support me in my adult life today. My hope is that the young people who benefit from our programs will maintain this positive relationship with physical activity and that the experiences they have today will become foundations that stay with them throughout their lives.
What does being a woman leader in this sector mean to you?
Being a woman leader in the sport, recreation, and physical activity sector represents a great responsibility to me, but also a great opportunity. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that women fully belong in decision-making, development, and leadership roles within our communities.
For me, leadership is not simply about leading; it’s about creating opportunities for others to succeed. It means building strong teams, developing sustainable structures, and ensuring that more young people, particularly girls, can develop their confidence and see themselves in roles of participation and leadership.
My own journey has provided me with many opportunities, and now I want to give back by creating those same opportunities for future generations.
Why is it important for girls and women to see women in leadership positions in sport and recreation?
It is important for girls and women to see other women in leadership positions in sport and recreation because representation creates possibilities. When a young girl sees a woman making decisions, leading a team, or transforming her community, it becomes easier for her to imagine herself in that type of role.
Having women in leadership also brings different perspectives and contributes to creating environments that better reflect the realities and needs of the entire community.
For me, it is not simply about having a seat at the table; it is also about opening the door for others. Every time a woman takes on a leadership role, she helps expand what is possible for future generations and reminds young girls that they, too, have a place at the table.
Perspectives
What advice would you give to other communities or organizations looking to create opportunities for girls and women to be physically active?
Talk to girls and women. We need to understand their realities, their needs, and the barriers that may limit their desire to participate so that we can create opportunities that reflect who they are.
It is also important to provide safe environments where they feel welcome, confident, and free to explore without performance or competition always being at the centre. Opportunities for “free play” or “recreational” activities are relatively rare. I think we need to rethink our models and make more room for these types of activities.
We also need to think beyond a single program or activity. Creating sustainable opportunities requires strong partnerships, local leadership, and structures that allow girls and women to continue participating, become involved, and eventually become role models themselves for future generations.
If you could share one message with girls and women across New Brunswick, what would it be?
Take the opportunities that come your way, dare to say yes, and have the courage to create opportunities that reflect who you are. Don’t always wait for a door to open; sometimes, you need to have the courage to create one yourself. Believe in your abilities, take your place, and remember that there is room for everyone!
Is there anything else you would like people in New Brunswick to know about your work?
I would like people in New Brunswick to know that behind every program, every initiative, and every opportunity created, there is an incredible amount of passion, collaboration, and hard work. Community development is not always easy; it requires perseverance, innovation, and sometimes a willingness to think outside the box to respond to the changing realities of our communities.
The greatest successes never depend on one person alone. They are the result of dedicated teams, partners who believe in a shared vision, and careful attention to the needs of the community. Good intentions are important, but collective action is what creates lasting change.
What motivates me every day is believing in the potential of people and our communities. For me, leadership means leading with heart: creating connections, building confidence, recognizing the strengths of others, and creating opportunities for them to take their place as well.
Ultimately, every child who discovers the joy of movement, every young person who builds their confidence, and every person who feels more connected to their community represents a small victory. By multiplying these small victories, we build stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient communities.
