Designing 4 Belonging
An experiential and collaborative learning journey to ignite relational ways of designing and delivering sport, physical activity, and recreation (SPAR) provisions (i.e., programs, policies, resources, and events) that deepen the sense of belonging and dignified access in communities.
What is D4B?
D4B is a 10-week learning journey consisting of nine, two-hour virtual training modules. Each module provides practical resources and tools to support participants in exploring:
The foundational principles of designing for belonging
Core elements of co-design
Relational approaches to navigating complexity within community settings
Who created D4B?
D4B was co-designed by the Reimagining Sport, Recreation and Leisure (RSRL) team and the System Shifters – a collective of equity-owed individuals/groups and community sport, recreation and leisure service providers and allied community practitioners who sought to advocate for more inclusive and dignified provisions by working in relational ways.
Who is D4B for?
Designing for Belonging is for individuals committed to cultivating more inclusive and equitable communities. While especially relevant to those working in:
Physical activity and recreation
Sports and outdoor experiences
Arts and cultural programming
However, the tools and approaches shared in D4B are applicable across sectors!
Given the program’s hands-on, applied nature, we invite community service providers who play a direct role in designing and delivering activities, programs, policies, services, or events. Whether you're shaping policy, delivering programs, guiding learning, or building community relationships, D4B provides tools and approaches to deepen inclusion and design for belonging.
What’s required?
To support this effort, we seek community service providers who possess the capacity, courage, and commitment to connect with underserved residents as a part of this learning experience and are eager to apply the course material within their community contexts.
Where is D4B offered?
It is facilitated online (via Zoom) with a small group of like-minded community service providers.
When is D4B being offered?
Fall 2025 (offered in English) and Winter 2026 (offered in French). The session dates, times, and details for Fall 2025 can be found below. More information to come regarding the Winter 2026 training.
Fall 2025
We are finalizing the curriculum dates (i.e., every Wednesday with one break to give participants more time in their communities to apply course content) and will update this page as soon as possible. However, know that sessions will take place September 24th to November 26th from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. AST.
Module 1: Why Belonging & Lived Experience
Module 2: Belonging Basics
Module 3: Relational Engagement & Mindset
Module 4: Ideation
Module 5: Co-creation & Collaborative Feedback
Module 6: Relational Approaches to Planning & Promotion
Module 7: Welcoming and Safer Places & Spaces
Module 8: Learning & Adapting
Module 9: Closing
What do you get from participating in D4B?
In summary, you’ll get:
9 interactive learning modules delivered live in a supportive community of practice with like-minded peers, giving you the opportunity to learn, share, and grow together.
Hands-on, guided experiential learning that helps you apply tools and concepts directly to a community project.
18 hours of dynamic, facilitated content led by experienced practitioners who bring deep, real-world knowledge from the field.
A thoughtfully prepared onboarding package with curated tools and resources tailored to each module theme to support your learning throughout the course and beyond.
Engaging small-group sessions designed to foster open dialogue, peer learning, and collective problem-solving.
Weekly support and coaching to help you integrate what you’ve learned into your local context and build lasting impact in your work.
Pricing
We are committed to making this training as financially accessible as we can, so we are offering a sliding scale fee structure. This fee enables you to select a registration fee that aligns with your organization’s budget, ensuring the program remains sustainable. We trust you to select the amount that best reflects your situation and/or organization’s capacity to support your training. Thank you for supporting an inclusive and welcoming learning environment!
| Organization Type | Suggested Fee Range |
|---|---|
| Grassroots/volunteer-run organizations or small nonprofits with no or occasional training funds | $400.00 – $500.00 |
| Nonprofits with dedicated training funds and staff development resources | $500.00 – $700.00 |
| Municipal governments, regional service commissions, counties or districts with dedicated and recurring training resource budgets | $700.00 – $900.00 |
| Provincial or federal governments with dedicated and recurring training resource budgets | $1,000.00 – $1,300.00 |
| Private sector, consultants who are billing as a business expense | $1,500.00 – $2,000.00 |
Contact us to be notified when applications open!
Any questions?
Please reach out to our project coordinator, Julia.
Meet the D4B Facilitators
Julia Frigault (she/her) is a dynamic facilitator and community connector who thrives on helping individuals and communities unlock their potential. With a rich background in kinesiology, sociology, and community development, she brings a unique, interdisciplinary lens to every space she enters. Julia has worked extensively with rural, remote, and equity-owed communities across New Brunswick and Canada, always centring inclusion, empowerment, and meaningful engagement. She’s passionate about building bridges between people and ideas, and her work consistently sparks growth, connection, and lasting impact.
Madeleine Whalen (she/her) is a design researcher and facilitator of Lebanese and Acadian settler descent living on the unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Wolastoqiyik, Mi’kmaq, and Peskotomuhkati peoples. She recognizes the histories of colonization, displacement, and migration that have shaped both her ancestry and the land where she works and plays. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Maddy has worked alongside newcomer youth and families, championing collaborative and co-creative approaches to community building. Through her facilitation and research, Maddy continues to support the development of more just, responsive, and connected communities.
Steph McLean (she/her) is an inspiring community builder and facilitator with over 20 years of heart-led experience in the recreation field, where she’s thrived as both a certified dance educator and a creative facilitator of community programming. Though she still taps into her love for movement and joyful gatherings, Steph’s passion now shines through her work in the nonprofit sector. She is deeply committed to helping families access meaningful recreation opportunities and partnering with organizations to build programming that’s inclusive and accessible for everyone. Steph’s approach is grounded in equity, empathy, and a belief that everyone deserves spaces to play, connect, and belong.
Moni Loewen (she/her) is a transformative leader and compassionate changemaker, known for her ability to bridge strategy and empathy across both the private and nonprofit sectors. Passionate about fostering meaningful partnerships, she’s dedicated to shaping opportunities that help children and families thrive. Known for her creative, community and human-centered approach, Moni has designed and facilitated impactful learning experiences ranging from intimate family sessions to large-scale conference workshops—all in collaboration with the inspiring ROC (Recreation Opportunities for Children) team. Her work reflects a deep commitment to nurturing inclusive spaces where growth and belonging flourish.
Jackie Oncescu (she/her) is a professor, researcher, creative thinker, and changemaker working at the intersection of community development and community recreation, sport, and leisure. A passionate advocate for equity and belonging, she blends academic insight with innovative, community-based approaches to help reimagine recreation, sport and leisure experiences for equity-owed populations. With extensive experience collaborating in and with communities across Canada, Jackie has co-led and co-supported community initiatives that tackle barriers to participation in physical activity, sport, and recreation. Her work is grounded in co-creation and relational engagement, supporting communities in designing inclusive, responsive, and dignified spaces for all.