Spectrum Multi-Sport Drop-In is making a positive impact on stress levels, mental health and overall wellbeing for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, a recent study shows.
Spectrum first launched the Multi-Sport Drop-In program in 2022. The program, which runs weekly, is free to 2SLGBTQIA+ adults 18+ in the Waterloo region. The program aimed to provide an accessible and inclusive opportunity for 2SLGBTQ+ adults to participate in sports. Most importantly, the goal was to provide an opportunity for participants to find a sense of community.
“We know that, being an adult, it is already hard to make friends, but being a queer adult adds a whole other layer to that,” Troy Dettwiler, sports coordinator with Spectrum, said.
Multi-Sport Drop-In started on a volunteer basis at the Stanley Park Community Centre and later expanded to the Cambridge Kinbridge Community Association. It began to grow after receiving a grant from Sport Canada which funded the program from Apr. 1, 2023 to Mar. 31, 2024.
During this time, the program expanded to Kitchener’s Downtown Community Centre, and they hired a Sports Coordinator and co-facilitators to lead the weekly sessions.
At the same time, Spectrum partnered with the Wilfrid Laurier University Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social work to conduct a research study to assess the impact of the program on participants.
The study was inclusive of 87 sessions and 210 participants across all three sites.
For Dettwiler, having a space where he could connect with like-minded people that enjoyed sports regardless of skill level was a key focus.
Growing up, he said some of the only options for building a queer community was to meet people online or within the club scene.
“I wanted a space that I could connect with people in a more organic and fun way,” Dettwiler said.
Often, the few queer spaces in a community can become homogenous environments, which either only gay men or only lesbian women tend to occupy.
In contrast, sports and physical activity has been a unifying activity for a diverse mix of identities, bringing together folks that identify with every letter of the 2SLGBTQIA+ acronym.
“This space is something where it feels like it brings like everyone together,” Dettwiler said.
“Especially now with how the world is changing, I think it’s more important than ever that we are representing gender diverse individuals in sports. I think it’s critical that we are here and queer and representing people,” Dettwiler said.
Dettwiler’s sentiment regarding the importance of creating community spaces for 2SLGBTQIA+ people was echoed through the results of the data captured to assess the impact of Multi-Sport Drop-In on participants.
The study, which surveyed participants at the beginning of the program and again at the end of the program several months later, found that participants’ overall wellbeing and mental health had improved as a result of the Multi-Sport Drop-In.
The data also showed that most participants joined the program to spend more time with other 2SLGBTQIA+ people as opposed to physical activity being the main driving force.
“The sports drop-in has created a new sense of community for me and is a space where I feel like I really belong. I look forward to seeing the familiar faces and making new connections. I always leave feeling fulfilled and seen,” Jordan Betancourt, a participant of Spectrum Multi-Sport Drop-Ins since winter 2024, said.
Looking forward, Dettwiler hopes the program continues to develop twofold. Firstly, he hopes that the community grows beyond Spectrum as a facilitator. Secondly, he hopes the program becomes sustainable instead of relying on the uncertainty of funding that is allocated on a yearly basis.
“The vision is to try and keep this sustainable. So [we’re] doing a lot of work to make it financially sustainable and stable because it is so important for people to have this meeting space,” Dettwiler said.
Leave a Reply