Sun Safety in the Recreation Community
Sun Safe Nova Scotia wants to support your municipality, organized sports group or residental camp to create a culture that supports sun safe behaviours with your summer staff, volunteers and program participants.
Policy Resources
Use these policy templates as a starting place for the creation of your own policy. Please add additional procedures that you would like to implement or remove procedures that you cannot commit to at this time. We encourage you to re-visit your policy each year and make any necessary updates.
Staff Training Resources
If you have a policy and procedures in place or currently have specific expectations on the topic of sun safety – make sure these are linked to the activities. Please note: Sun Safe Nova Scotia has policy and procedure templates available for recreation and sport organizations. Request a template from sunsafety@eastlink.ca.
• A variety training resources can be found in the Sun Safety Staff Training Resource Package.
• Sun Safety and Sports - It Just Makes Sense (A great resource for coaches!)
What is the best way to prevent and detect melanoma? Dr. Mike Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital. Check out this great video by Dr. Mike Evans.
High Five and Sun Safety
Sun Safe Nova Scotia has partnered with High Five Nova Scotia to promote sun safety as an integral component of quality recreation and sport programming during the summer months. Check out these resources below:
Below you will find resources that can aid in the communication of the importance of sun safety to parents, staff, volunteers, and program participants. Be creative with these promotional tools.
• See our 10 Sun Safety tips to use on social media, websites, newsletters and more.
• 8.5x11 poster can be used to indicate the daily UV Index and appropriate action for staff, parents and participants.
UV Poster - PDF
• This parent letter can be adapted for your organization and distributed at the beginning of the summer.
Parent Letter – Microsoft Word
• The Canadian Dermatology Association keeps an up-to-date list of approved sunscreen products. This is a helpful resource to share with parents and staff.
Participant Resources
Activities, crafts and songs can be a great way to solidify the sun safety messaging among program participants. Perhaps summer staff will commit to do one activity each week as part of their program plans.
George the Sun Safe Superstar
George the Sun Safe Superstar is a rhyming, illustrated story written by Skcin to teach primary school aged children key sun safe messaging in a fun and engaging way.
Canadian Dermatology Association
- Help young children understand the importance of sun protection through this fun, four minute, sing-along video. Children will join Guy and his dog, Norman, to learn about the many ways to play safely in the sun. Recommended for children ages 2 to 6.
- Spend a day with Sophie at the park and at the beach. Her friend Max and Felix the dog come to play too. Sophie and her friends show us how easy it is to be sun safe in the summer. Created by Canadian Dermatology Association.