City Recieves High Five Accreditation

The City of St. John’s through its Recreation Division have achieved HIGH FIVE® Accreditation for children’s programs. HIGH FIVE is Canada’s only nationally-recognized quality assurance framework for excellence in recreation programming.

“We are very proud to be the first organization outside of Ontario to receive HIGH FIVE Accreditation,” says Jamie Korab, Council lead on Community Services. “That we achieved an overall score of ‘excellence’ through the process confirms the high standard of recreational services offered by the City.”

Since 2004 the City’s Recreation Division along with community partner Recreation Newfoundland and Labrador have trained over 6,700 recreation leaders in the province in HIGH FIVE principles of healthy development: play, mastery, friends, participation and a caring leader.

“The HIGH FIVE Quality Standard is trusted by over 400 organizations across Canada and those that have achieved Accreditation are distinguished by their focus on healthy child development in all aspects of their operation from programming to policies and procedures,” says CEO Cathy Denyer, from HIGH FIVE national office, Parks and Recreation Ontario. “The City of St. John’s has shown tremendous dedication and drive towards excellence, delivered by knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff.”

To celebrate achieving HIGH FIVE Accreditation the Recreation Division hosted free swims and neighbourhood events at City of St. John’s Community Centres.

The City of St. John’s wants to create a city where people feel connected, have a sense of belonging and are actively engaged in community life. Achieving HIGH FIVE Accreditation is identified in the Our City, Our Future 2019 Action Plan under the goal to develop and deliver programs, services and public spaces that build safe, healthy and vibrant communities.