WORLD LEISURE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY

2016 HEWLETT-PACKARD
ANNUAL REPORT
COMPANY
Table of Contents
Message from the Co-Directors ......................................................................................................................................... 2
About the Centre ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Our Education Initiatives ..................................................................................................................................................... 4
Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management.................................................................................................. 4
Sustainable Leisure Management: Graduate Cohort 2015-2016 .......................................................... 5
WLCE at VIU: Interactive Map ............................................................................................................................................ 5
Visiting Scholars 2015-16 .................................................................................................................................................... 6
Innovation Infusion Events ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Vice Dean International, Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Germany ..................................... 7
Filmmaker, activist, and scholar, Canada ............................................................................................................ 7
Dr. Joe Pavelka, Mount Royal University, Canada............................................................................................ 7
Dr. Betty Weiler, Southern Cross University, Australia................................................................................. 8
Dr. Massimo Morellato, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand ......................................... 8
Dr. Amanda J. Johnson, Vancouver Island University, Canada ................................................................... 8
Dr. Susan Hutchinson, Dalhousie University, Canada .................................................................................... 9
Mr. Lee Herrin, Royal Roads University, Canada ............................................................................................. 9
Dr. Jacquelyn Oncescu, Vancouver Island University, Canada ................................................................... 9
Strategic Initiative: Workshop ......................................................................................................................................... 10
SLM Students as Change Agents Select Field Experiences ................................................................................ 11
Yufan (Veronica) Yang .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Lan Le Diem Tran ........................................................................................................................................................ 12
Prem Prakash Singh ................................................................................................................................................... 12
Anglica Granja ............................................................................................................................................................ 14
Douglas Ribeiro da Silva Field School, Durban, South Africa .............................................................................. 14
Sustainability Cases in the Vancouver Island Region: Into the Field We Go! ............................................... 16
Change Makers, Social Innovation, and Leisure Environments ......................................................................... 16
Cowichan Valley Regional District Park and Trail Division ................................................................................. 18
VIU Sustainable Leisure Management Students out in the Biosphere ............................................................ 19
World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report i
Our Research Initiatives ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Completed Masters in Sustainable Leisure Management Thesis Research................................................... 21
Yufan (Veronica) Yang: Social Entrepreneurship, Reporting Performance, and Organizational
Ambidexterity in the Case of Parent Charities in B.C., Canada ................................................................. 21
Yandi Pan: Identifying seniors travel motivations and travel barriers in China: A case study in
Beijing .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Mingqi Yang: Absent Husbands, Settled Wives: A Study on the Leisure Constrains of Chinese
Immigrant Women in Richmond, British Columbia ..................................................................................... 22
Harpreet Kaur: Barriers to Information and Financing in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
in Central Vancouver Island ................................................................................................................................... 22
Jeff Wahl: "Where else would you find blacktop trails to a 130-some year old ravine?":
Negotiated authenticity at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument ................................. 22
Yihua (Erika) Chen: Local Resident Perceptions of the Social Impacts of Sports Events: the Case
of Nanaimo as a Host City for the 2014 BC Summer Games ..................................................................... 23
Abhinav Verma : Exploring the Use of Flextime by a Media Company in New Delhi ..................... 23
Innovation Movies................................................................................................................................................................. 23
Solution Series Lab: A Success Story ............................................................................................................................. 24
Innovative Leisure Practices: Volume 2 ....................................................................................................................... 24
Diamond Jubilee Scholarship............................................................................................................................................ 25
Patricia Forbes & Emily Hammer Award..................................................................................................................... 25
Faculty and Staff in the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management .......................................... 26
Research Assistants .............................................................................................................................................................. 26

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report ii
 Message from the Co-Directors
Nicole Vaugeois, Director of Advancement and Strategic Initiatives
Joanne Schroeder, Director of Partnerships and Community Engagement

The past year marks an important milestone for the World Leisure Centre of
Excellence at Vancouver Island University (WLCE). We have delivered our first five
years of the Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management graduate degree
and the core themes of the Centre, sustainability and innovation, can be seen in
numerous initiatives, projects, and student research. Some of the highlights for
2015-16 include the planning and delivery of our second fieldschool in Durban,
South Africa with 30 students from seven countries participating including our
own VIU student. A very successful reading circle on the book Overwhelmed by
Brigit Schulte took place with 25 community members, students and faculty
engaging in dialogue around leisure lessons in life. Leisure stakeholders
participated in Innovation Labs addressing social, complex issues where leisure
plays a role in solutions based approaches. We released our second volume of case
studies profiling innovative leisure practices from around the world.
The WLCE engaged a variety of internal and external stakeholders in a Strategic
Planning session in the spring resulting in a new 5 year STRATACTION plan for the
Centre. As the Centre grows, we are seeking to formalize new and innovative
agreements with partners and to work collaboratively with the network of global
Centres of Excellence. As such, we signed a new learning Partnership Agreement
with the City of Nanaimo Parks Recreation and Environment. This fortifies a new
direction of supporting students in experiential learning, participating in
community projects from the ground up, addressing research through applied
approaches and working more closely with our professional practitioners in the
field.
As we embark on this new journey we are pleased to welcome support from John Predyk who will replace Nicole
Vaugeois as the Director of Advancement and Strategic Initiatives. There is much more to highlight but as you read
through these pages you see the work of students and colleagues, visiting scholars and community partners to
expand the work of the Centre and global partnerships throughout our network. We look forward to the next five
years as we have learning behind us, ambassadors amongst us and a strategic plan in front of us.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 2
 About the Centre
The World Leisure Center of Excellence in Sustainability and
Innovation in Leisure brings together established and emerging
scholars from around the globe to share innovative ideas, engage in
dialogue and collaborate in research and teaching.

The core themes of the Center On September 15th, 2009, apartnership was createdbetween the
include: World Leisure Organization and Vancouver Island University
(VIU) toestablish a Centre of Excellencewith a focus on innovation
Sustainability and sustainability in leisure management. The WLO definition
identifies a Centre ofExcellence (COE) as aninternational post-
Questioning the relationship between graduate program with research and service elements and the
leisure and sustainability, agreement states visiting scholars as an integral part of the program.
determining the level of The work of the Center includes:
sustainability of the leisure industry
and inviting and monitoring new 1. Creation of a network of scholars from academic, government, and
practice to form a community of practice that engages in dialogue on
models and approaches to enhance sustainability and innovation in leisure;
sustainability.
2. Collaborative scholarship on sustainability and innovation in
Innovation leisure including research projects, learn abroad opportunities, and
interactive media;
Rethinking the systems and 3. Delivery of a Masters degree in Sustainable Leisure Management
structures that have evolved across at Vancouver Island University where emerging scholars learn about
the globe, creating a culture of the core thematic areas of the Center while engaging in dialogue with
partners within the network.
innovation where new ideas emerge
and flourish, and measuring the
impact of innovation on
sustainability efforts.

The Centre invites engagement from

scholars, students and practitioners to
explore these themes further in
research, service or teaching.

More information on:

www.worldleisureviu.org

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 3
 Our Education Initiatives
Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management
Update from Dr. Aggie Weighill, Chair and Graduate Coordinator
The MASLM is maturing into the flagship graduate program at VIU. Our
students involvement in community engagement activities, public
THE MASTER OF ARTS IN SUSTAINABLE presentations, and their success in marquee scholarships has raised our
LEISURE MANAGEMENT AT profile within our region and beyond. Our current cohort of students
VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY IS represent eight different countries and a wide variety of undergraduate
backgrounds; resulting in an interdisciplinary and intercultural
FINISHING ITS FIFTH YEAR OF THE
exploration of sustainability and innovation through leisure.
GRADUATE DEGREE. THE PROGRAM
HAS PROVEN TO BE ATTRACTIVE TO We have made a significant program change this year that is in the final
STUDENTS WITH AN ENROLLMENT OF stages of institutional approval. It is anticipated that by the end of 2016
23 STUDENTS IN 2015-16. IN we will be able to offer students a Graduate Diploma in Sustainable
CONJUNCTION WITH THE WORLD Leisure Management. This credential will allow us to recognize the
LEISURE ORGANIZATION THIS learning of students who are successful in the MASLM course work but
PROGRAM INSPIRES A GLOBAL
who are not able to complete a thesis. It is felt that credential will help us
maintain our high academic standards while also honouring VIUs
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AS WELL AS
tradition of open access. We have designed this to be an exit credential
INSTRUCTION FROM INTERNATIONAL
only and not a program with a separate entry.
SCHOLARS AND VIU FACULTY.
The Department and the MASLM program where excited to have Drs.
Jackie Oncescu and Amanda Johnson join our team in 2016. With strong leisure backgrounds and degrees from well-known North
American leisure programs, Jackie and Amanda took on our two research courses (Knowledge Creation and Mobilization I & II) that
are designed to help the students prepare for their thesis. John Predyk (MBA) also joined our team; bringing a stronger business and
management focus. In the fall he will be leading our Case Studies in Sustainability and Innovation course, and will be taking students
to the resort community of Whistler.

We are proud to be making some progress on attaining scholarship for our students. I was an active member in developing a proposal
for the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship program at VIU; an $800,000, three-year program that offers scholarships to
Belizeans students to study at VIU and for Canadians to travel to Belize to conduct research focused on Building Resilience in Coastal
Communities. We transferred $12,000 from our budget surplus to the VIU Foundation for student awards something we hope to be
able to do on an annual basis. Finally, five faculty members submitted leisure and education packages into the VIU Foundations
Annual Auction. In 2016 students also received funding for their research and to attend conferences from the Emily Hammer, Patricia
Forbes, John Weighill, and Faculty of Management awards.

During completion of the program, students:

acquire a broad interdisciplinary knowledge of concepts, models and issues relating to the field of leisure;
analyze sustainability issues by integrating social, environmental and economic perspectives;
develop and critique policies and practices that advance sustainability goals;
apply strategies to influence change and innovation at the community, regional, national and international levels;
conduct applied research on specific leisure, innovation, and sustainability topics;
develop capacity to actively engage in knowledge creation and mobilization approaches and strategies;
engage with diverse stakeholders on complex leisure and sustainability issues; and,
formulate a personal and professional commitment to strategic and innovative leadership practices in sustainable leisure
services.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 4
Sustainable Leisure Management:
Graduate Cohort 2015-2016
Angelica Granja Moreno, Chenhao Zhang, David
Petroziello, Jie Ding, Julia Froese, Kevin Chen, Lan
Tran, Liuying Deng, Lu Xu, Manpreet Nijjar, Michelle
Harnett, Prem Singh, Roberto Donoghue, Sarah Hain,
Seth Kretser, Shangling Yang, Sihan Liu, Sunil
Kanumuri, Wei Huang, Wei Li, Yuzhang Zhai, Zihe
Yang, Ziyu Yang

WLCE at VIU: Interactive Map

The WLCEs interactive map keeps track of all the visiting scholars who have presented their speeches on the
Innovation Infusion Speakers Series at World Leisure Centre of Excellence at VIU. Also, students who have been
enrolled in the Master of Arts in Sustainable Leisure Management program are marked on the map based on their
origins.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 5
 Visiting Scholars 2015-16

Dr. Joe Pavelka, Mount Royal University, Canada

Visited VIU September 16-28, 2014
Joe brings expertise and experience in the areas of communitybased tourism, lifestyle
migration and leisure. He is an Associate and co-founder of the Bachelor of Ecotourism
and Outdoor Leadership program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. Joes
teaching and scholarship has brought him to many places around the world but he
maintains specific projects in Peru and Mexico. He also maintains a consultancy carrying
out work in destination management planning. Joe is especially keen to blend scholarship
and practice in to challenge existing practice and thinking.

Dr. Betty Weiler, Southern Cross University, Australia

Visited VIU December 4-18, 2015
Betty Weiler holds a PhD from the University of Victoria (Canada) and is Research
Professor in the School of Business and Tourism at Southern Cross University, which is on
the east coast of Australia with campuses in northern NSW and the Gold Coast. Betty is
known for her research collaborations with industry partners particularly national parks,
tour operators, zoos and heritage attractions. Her research has centred on the role of
communication in the tourist experience mainly in Australia but also in several overseas
locations, including North America, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Her recent work
focuses on the use of persuasive communication to influence tourist behaviour and as a
tool for managing visitors in national parks. In addition to her 200+ publications, Betty is a
multiaward winning PhD supervisor, an editorial board member of six international
tourism journals, and coauthor of Tour Guiding Research: Insights, Issues and Implications (2015).

Dr. Massimo Morellato, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Visited VIU February 17-31, 2016
Massimo Morellato is a Lecturer at the Department of Tourism and Events at Auckland
University of Technology, New Zealand. He conducted his doctoral research at Simon Fraser
University and he was research coordinator in Whistler, BC for '2010 Olympic Legacy Research'
in collaboration with BC Ministry of Tourism Culture and Arts. Massimo has several years of
work experience as a recreation coordinator, environmental educator, and adventure tour guide.
Massimo holds a master's degree in Computer Science and has a wide range of experience
working with international teams. His research interests span across the disciplines of tourism, marketing, events and he is
particularly attracted by interdisciplinary studies that lead to more sustainable uses of natural and cultural resources. In New
Zealand, he is currently investigating coastal and mountain communities engaged in learning about opportunities to
influence their surroundings and to create attractive environments for both visitors and residents.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 6
 Innovation Infusion Events

Vice Dean International, Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Innovation and New Technologies in Tourism: Understanding the Impacts on the Digital
Economy and the Tourism Industry, October 15, 2015
Armin Brysch is a professor at Kempten University, Germany and Chair of Education
Committee German Travel Association (DRV). He studied International Marketing
Management at Dublin City University before his academic studies at Trier University
for a German Diplom-Kaufmann (equivalent to MBA degree). His research interests
range from service excellence & quality management, e-marketing & digital
transformation, to international destination management & sustainable development
in tourism, with recent publications on Net Economy & e-Tourism, and Personal
Management in Tourism. His lecture examined innovation, new technologies and practices that influence digital
economy and in particular tourism processes & tourism providers. Special attention was given to understand the
crucial impact on social-media-related innovation.

Filmmaker, activist, and scholar, Canada

October 15, 2015 Pride, Leisure Time, and Social Responsibility: Shaping Activism with
Affects of Joy, October 22, 2015
Bob Christie is a Vancouver filmmaker, activist, and scholar exploring the intersections
of documentary cinema, entertainment and social justice. His 2009 feature Beyond Gay:
The Politics of Pride won several festival awards and was broadcast on cable television
throughout North America, Europe and South America. Bob Christie's talk was an
investigation on the development of two dominant trendshomosocial and joyI in
conjunction with theories of affect, LGBTI documentary cinema, and leisure time as
social justice activism.

Dr. Joe Pavelka, Mount Royal University, Canada

Tourism Today: Aspirations and Fears, October 29, 2015 (Cowichan Campus);
Community Tourism in Perufrom Machu Picchu to the Amazon, November 3, 2015
(Nanaimo Campus)
Dr. Joe Pavelka is an Associate and co-founder of the Bachelor of Eco-tourism and
Outdoor Leadership program at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Alberta. He brings
expertise and experience in the areas of community-based tourism, lifestyle migration
and leisure. He maintains specific projects in Peru and Mexico, and he also maintains a
consultancy carrying out work in destination management planning.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 7
Dr. Betty Weiler, Southern Cross University, Australia
Saving Our National Parks from Experience Extinction, December 8, 2015
Betty Weiler is a Professor of Tourism at Southern Cross University, Australia. She is
known for her research collaborations with industry partners particularly national
parks, tour operators, zoos and heritage attractions. Dr. Weilers research has centred
on the role of communication in the tourist experience mainly in Australia but also in
several overseas locations, including North America, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Her recent work focuses on the use of persuasive communication to influence tourist
behaviour and as a tool for managing visitors in national parks. Worldwide, visitor
numbers to parks are static or declining on a per capita basis. Her speech explored the
causes and consequences of this phenomenon and the ways society can prevent further
loss of nature experiences and of national parks.

Dr. Massimo Morellato, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Ski Areas in New Zealand: Example for Alternative Management of Ski Fields, February, 2016
Dr. Massimo Morellato is a lecturer at the Department of Tourism and Events at Auckland
University of Technology, New Zealand. He conducted his doctoral research at Simon Fraser
University and he was research coordinator in Whistler, BC for 2010 Olympic Legacy
Research in collaboration with BC Ministry of Tourism Culture and Arts. With a topic of Ski
Areas in New Zealand: Examples for Alternative Management of Ski Fields, Dr. Massimo
Morellato presented the outcomes of the ongoing research on ski experiences and resort
management undertaken across six ski areas in New Zealand.

Dr. Amanda J. Johnson, Vancouver Island University, Canada

Successful Winter Tourism Destinations: An Examination of the Forks National Historic Site, Winnipeg, Manitoba,
March 16, 2016
Dr. Amanda J. Johnson is a Co-Director of the Tourism and Community Knowledge Network
and a Professor at Vancouver Island University. The primary focus of her research is on
community-based meanings of public leisure spaces. Dr. Johnson typically examines
landscapes of everyday life and how these spaces and places are managed to ensure
preservation and sustainability while allowing for everyday and practical use by a diversity
of individuals and communities. Her Innovation Infusion speech presented a specific example
of how various stakeholders came together to offer a unique experience and transformed an
otherwise negative climate condition into a positive and desirable aspect of the destination.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 8
Dr. Susan Hutchinson, Dalhousie University, Canada
Cultivating the Power of People, Place and Play for Healthy Communities, April 8, 2016
Dr. Susan Hutchinson is a former Vancouver Island gal who now lives, works and plays in
Nova Scotia. Susan teaches in the Recreation and Leisure Studies program at Dalhousie
University. Her research focuses on the ways in which leisure and recreation can be a resource
for individual and community well-being. Her Innovation Infusion presentation focused on how
and why leisure and recreation can serve as third places for cultivating individual and
community well-being, places including coffee shops, dog parks, libraries and pubs that matter
for people and communities.

Mr. Lee Herrin, Royal Roads University, Canada

Enterprising NonprofitsRevving up Revenues for Not-for-Profits, April 14, 2016
Mr. Lee Herrin has worked in the public, private and non-profit sectors throughout his 15 years
career. He also has more than 15 years experience serving on boards of community
organizations. Mr. Herrin joined Royal Roads in the fall of 2012. He is engaged in the Associate
Faculty of Business facilitating the Bachelor of Commerce, Foundational Business Skills
course. Herrin worked for BC Stats, the provincial statistical agency, for 11 years and spent
nine years leading the Surveys and Analysis (now Public Sector Research and Evaluation) unit.
He left government in 2009 to become the executive director of the Fernwood Neighbourhood
Resource Group Society, a neighbourhood-based organization with which he has been involved
since 1998. In his Innovation Infusion speech, Mr. Herrin illustrated Fernwood NRGs success
in social enterprise operation and how their social enterprise has transformed their organization and its financial
sustainability.

Dr. Jacquelyn Oncescu, Vancouver Island University, Canada

Leisure Education, Poverty and Recreation Participation: A Case Study of a Community-based Leisure Education
Delivery System, April 20, 2016
Dr. Jacquelyn Oncescu is a faculty member in the Department of Recreation and Tourism at
Vancouver Island University. Her teaching and research focus is on sustainable community
recreation practices, largely in rural and remote contexts. Her recent work includes rural
community recreation delivery systems, community-based leisure education and leisures role
in community resilience. In her Innovation Infusion speech, Dr. Oncescu presented a case
study that highlights the innovation of a community-based leisure education delivery system
(provided by ROC Inc.) to help low-income families learn about leisure, develop the necessary
skills, knowledge, capacities and resources, and gain access to a wide range of leisure and
recreation experiences in enhancing their leisure repertoire.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 9
 Strategic Initiative: Workshop

Dr. Ken Hammer from Ken Hammer & Associates facilitated a full day strategic initiative workshop in the spring of
2016. It was pre-empted with a survey with the following questions:

Where do we want the WLCE to be in five years?

What are 3-5 most important challenges for WLCE?
What are 3-5 most important opportunities for WLCE?
Who are the most important stakeholders for WLCE? and
What are 3-5 priority goals/projects of WLCE over the next several years?
Over 30 people were involved in the workshop including students, faculty, recreation & tourism professionals. The
results set into motion a STRATACTION plan 2020 with some key priority areas identified as: branding and
messaging, implementation of a business plan, broaden community and campus engagement and priority
partnerships. The funding for the workshop was supported through an Engagement Accelerator Grant, VIU
Research and Scholarly Activity Office.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 10
 SLM Students as Change Agents Select Field Experiences

In the SLM program, students are provided with the opportunity to apply themselves in field based situations to deepen
their learning. These experiences vary widely from attending international conferences, study tours, to doing internship
with international organizations and more.

Yufan (Veronica) Yang

Communications Assistant at WLCE
Being a communications assistant for the World
Leisure Centre of Excellence (WLCE) at VIU has
been such an amazing experience for me. With
constant help from the WLCE team and continuous
self-learning, this 140-hour work experience has
helped me expand knowledge and improve skills
enormously in a short period of time.
My main work responsibilities were as follows: 1)
website maintenance and weekly blog postings; 2)
WLCE social media promotions; 3) development of
the WLCE Visiting Scholars/SLM Student interactive
map; 4) research assistance for two professors on the
critical review paper; and 5) development of the WLCE annual report 2015-16.
This field experience helped me expand knowledge on leisure, sustainability and
innovation through searching and posting relevant content, combing articles for
the review paper, listening to Innovation Infusion presentations, and sharing
insights with current cohorts.
Several personal skills have been strengthened, including self-learning, problem-
solving, and working in a team. In addition, the position helped me develop
administration and organizational skills through event promotion planning, task-
scheduling and time management. Moreover, the incredible research experience
with Dr. Nicole L. Vaugeois and Dr. Pete Parker has further developed my
research skills that are extremely beneficial for my future career goal as a
researcher.
Ive enjoyed every second of work as communications assistant. I cant express
enough of my appreciation to this valuable experience as well as all the support
Ive received along the way, which helps me continue to grow and become a better
person. Thank you so much WLCE!

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 11
 Lan Le Diem Tran
Research Assistant of the project Where Is Here?: Small Cities, Deep Mapping, Sustainable Futures
As an attempt to establish and explore the link between cultural
mapping and sustainable development in small cities and rural
communities, the pilot cultural mapping project titled Where Is
Here?: Small Cities, Deep Mapping, Sustainable Futures was
created and took place in Nanaimo, Courtenay and Port Alberni.
Began on January, 2016 with four different phases, the project
concluded with the final phrase in July, 2016 in the form of an
international symposium. By the end of April, 2016, the interactive
maps for the three cities were successfully launched on the projects
website (http://www.whereishereculturalmapping.com/mapping-
connections). Community members can then continue to add their
own stories on the map using amateur technology, i.e., smart phones. Courtesy: Nanaimo News Bulletin

Lan was involved in the making of recorded stories in Courtenay and Port Alberni, as well
as the transcription of those in Courtenay. She also participated in the Symposium as a volunteer. It was her first time
learning about the concept of cultural mapping, and it
fascinates her to see how citizen engagement and deep
understanding of peoples experience can be enhanced
through the application of technology. Awed by this
valuable experience, Lan decided to apply the concept of
mapping into her thesis on the topic of leisure mobility
among the Millennial generation, and strives to seek
innovative way to mobilize knowledge and enrich
understanding among people whenever possible.

Prem Prakash Singh

VIU Sustainability Fair 2016
The Sustainability Fair at Vancouver Island University (VIU) has grown
from five exhibitors in 2011 to close to twenty exhibitors in 2016 under the
administration of Margot Croft. The Fair is an ideal place for the VIU
community to see the best practices of organizations towards sustaining a
thriving environment, a thriving society, and a thriving economy. The Fair
was designed to create an opportunity to bring students and staff together to
participate in their local community as well as to promote a sustainable
environment. The event was promoted on multiple social media pages
including web and mobile applications to increase the engagement and
reach. The strong positive feedback indicated that the goal of providing
quality information and creating awareness about sustainability at the VIU
Sustainability Fair 2016 was achieved.
The work with exhibitors and getting to be a part of the sustainability impact was incredibly rewarding. The exhibitors in
r Liu,
the booths promoted concepts or ideas based on a healthier lifestyle, ways to reduce environmental footprints and overall
empowering people. I could closely relate to a few of the major social issues that were raised, such as poverty. The platform
provided in this Fair will support my own ideas towards building a business model attached with a strong social value in
near future. The thought-process to be a change maker and bring transformative impact in communities would have not
being possible without support and mentorship I received from the program, faculty and peers in Masters of Arts in
Sustainable Leisure Management (MASLM).

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 12
Roberto Donoghue

Research assistant for a study on the relationship between smart phone and young, cost-conscious
travellers in Tofino
In the fall of 2015 I began my career as a student in the masters program of sustainable
leisure management at Vancouver Island University. Towards the end of my second and
final semester of classes, my very last class before starting to approach my research and deal
with my proposal, was that of our field experience. Towards the end of the class we are
given the task to find an experience, something that relates to our studies or something we
can see ourselves doing in the future. Some of the students in our program go on to find jobs
placements for the summer, internships etc.
In my case, I was fortunate enough to have kept in touch with my undergrad professor back
home throughout the years. He had an on-going study that aimed to explore the relationship
that young, cost conscious travelers or backpackers have with their smartphones during
travel. This study was implemented via the use of surveys and had already been conducted
in both Scotland and in Peru. In this instance, he offered me the opportunity to become a researcher and collect data from
such backpackers and travelers in the town of Tofino, located in the province of British Columbia, Canada. It was a no
brainer, how could I say no? Research, good weather and surf? Hang ten brah!
In conclusion, I learned about how much we (as travelers) depend on technology on our travels and how much it can
influence ones choices and motivations during such, made some great memories, made some friends, pretty sure I made
some people slightly annoyed at me as I used their precious time for my surveys, but in the end, it was an experience that I
must say I wish everyone could take part in at least once as a researcher. I learned various things about myself and how I
operate that I didnt know or was aware of before. Especially on how this experience allowed me to positively build upon
both my interpersonal and intrapersonal communication skills.

Sara Hain - Seine Bight Reservoir to Museum Foundation in Belize

Sarah Hain is a student in the Sustainable Leisure Management program. With a keen interest in sustainable tourism,
Sarah conducted her field experience in Belize working with a non-profit, community-based organization in the coastal
community of Seine Bight. The Seine Bight Reservoir to Museum Foundation is committed to the development of a
Garifuna museum of culture and history. Sarah was involved in working toward the organizations goals of fostering
greater economic opportunities via cultural tourism, and the preservation and promotion Garifuna culture. Projects
included the organization of fundraisers, collection of oral history through qualitative interviews, and participation in
community capacity building workshops. Sarahs experience will serve a higher purpose of achieving social, cultural, and
economic sustainability through the use of tourism as a leisure activity.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 13
Anglica Granja
Community of Wechiau in Northern Ghana
Anglica Granja spent 1 month in the Community of Wechiau in Northern Ghana this
summer. Her trip to this remote community had two purposes: First, to collect the
necessary data in order to complete her thesis project. She conducted life histories
interviews with 11 women that work in the Shea butter production within the community.
Her goal is to analyze the role that Shea plays in women's lives and their families, as well
as to explore the social, economic and environmental sustainability of this particular
livelihood.
The second reason to travel there was to volunteer in the community using what she
learned during the SLM Program. Teaching computer lessons and ways to handle data
were part of her work while she was there. She was also invited to deliver one public
presentation on Sustainability and Development in one of the schools in the region.

Douglas Ribeiro da Silva Field School, Durban, South Africa

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 14
 Douglas Ribeiro da Silva Field School, Durban, South Africa

The World Leisure Centers of Excellence (WLCE) are organized as international graduate programs with research and
service elements supporting their education mandate. Such centers provide a unique opportunity for graduate students from
throughout the world and leisure educators, researchers and professionals to come together at one venue during the World
Leisure Congresses to participate in and/or contribute to the offering of a field school. The first inaugural field school was
held in Mobile, Alabama 2014 and the second school took place in Durban, South Africa 2016, in conjunction with the
WLO Congress. The naming of the school was after a young Brazilian student who attended the 2014 congress but sadly
passed away. Douglas Ribeiro da Silva was an emerging, young leader in the leisure field. He was at the beginning of his
education pursuit but was already showing great determination and excellence in both his academics endeavors and his
ability to overcome personal challenges to fulfill his education dream. As a tribute to a young ambassador we acknowledge
Douglas in the naming of the school to recognize his passion for the field and create a legacy for other young leaders.
THEME: CHALLENGES, CHOICES & CONSEQUENCES

The World Leisure Centre of Excellence at Vancouver Island University participated in the 2016 WLO World Leisure
Congress in Durban, South Africa in July, 2016. Professors Joanne Schroeder and Dr. Aggie Weighill presented at the
congress, and VIU student Sue Street participated in the 2016 Douglas Ribeiro da Silva International Field School. This
opportunity offered students from South Africa, Canada, Brazil, USA, the Netherlands, Germany, China, Thailand, and Japan
a chance to partner with community members and stakeholders of the eThekwini municipality, the uMngeni River Valley,
and the District of Inanda, on a project near the Inanda Dam in south-eastern South Africa. Students, hosted by the Durban
Green Corridor (DGC) stayed at the local Ezweni Lodge where they participated in eco tours, cultural tourism initiatives,
hospitality programs and collaborative research, in preparation of presenting their findings and recommendations for the
DGC at the upcoming World Leisure Congress in Durban. This fascinating approach to community development through
global connection and collaboration resulted in many judicious recommendations being put forth to the Corridor project, and
the field school opportunity led to the creation of many global alliances.
The next WLCE field school opportunity will be hosted during the 2018 World Leisure Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil (Aug
28 to Sept. 1, 2018), where Leisure Beyond Constraint, will focus on (leisure) in its broadest sense to address the
physical, socioeconomic and symbolic barriers to leisure.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 15
Sustainability Cases in the Vancouver Island
Region: Into the Field We Go!
--SLM 602 Joanne A. Schroeder

Sustainability may sound simple in the classroom, but when you take it out into
the communities and talk with the REAL actors involved in bringing it about,
REAL learning takes place. The week of October 26-30th saw twenty six MA
Sustainable Leisure Management graduate students, three faculty members, and
numerous visitors join our group to tour the mid Vancouver Island region.

We met and engaged with thirteen organizations, varying between the private,
public and non-profit sectors. Sustainability and innovation were explored in
what many might consider unconventional locations such as grass fields,
restaurants, trails and open spaces, territorial First Nations lands, gardens,
farms and protected estuaries and Mt Arrowsmith Biosphere Region. Yet other
locations would be considered more conventional; Deep Bay Marine field station
and LEED certified buildings. We heard about the challenges and innovations
that these entrepreneurs and sectors were exploring or trying to figure out and
we asked questions,
probed them about their passions and tried to make sense the various
complexities they faced all while asking the question, What does leisure
have to do with any of this? The experience was transformational,
awesome people, amazing passion, critical thinking students, complex
issues to address and we had fun while doing it all.

Thank you to Joe Pavelka who joined us as a Visiting Scholar from Mt.
Royal University in Calgary Alberta. His teaching in Amenity Migration
became a continuous tread of conversation throughout the week.
Learning was experiential, real and complex and the graduate students
will continue to make sense of it all through the lens of Sustainable
Leisure.

Vancouver Learning Lab:

Change Makers, Social
Innovation, and Leisure
Environments

Sustainability needs to become a

unifying story of hope, a useful
myth foretelling the arrival of a
new kind of human community.

Chris Turner, The Geography of Hope

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 16
The SLM 604 course provides an opportunity for learners to understand how to influence change towards
sustainability in communities and organizations. As part of that course, the Vancouver Learning Lab (VLL) is
designed to provide learners with an opportunity to experience the applied dimensions of course theories and
concepts. Through activities such as speakers and presentations, visits and tours of social and other change-oriented
enterprises, mapping exercises, group discussions and debriefings, we examine diverse aspects of leisure in relation
to (positive, social, transformational) change, stakeholders, planning, innovation and sustainability. Learners are
provided with opportunities to synthesize in-class learning and reading through experiential education activities
and presentations by Vancouver-based social innovators and changemakers. From December 9-11, 2015, 24
students and VLL designer and faculty member, Dr. Suzanne de la Barre, travelled to Vancouver from Nanaimo to
explore course themes with diverse changemakers. We were pleased also to have accompany us, two co-facilitators:
The World Leisure Centre of Excellence at VIU, Guest Scholar Dr. Betty Weiler, and PhD student in Social
Innovation, Fiona Friesen.

Participating changemakers for this years VLL include: YWCA Hotel Vancouver (Arthur Mills), Mountain
Equipment Co-op (MEC) (Elyse Curley, Vanadis Oviedo and Khoi Chau), Roundhouse Community Centre (Cindy
Chwelos and Maria Lopes), Edible Canada (Eric Pateman), Groundswell Grassroots Economic Alternatives
(Paola Qualizza and Emily Huynh), Skwachys Lodge and Aboriginal Art Gallery (Maggie Edwards and David
Eddy), City of Vancouver (Non-Profit and Community Capacity Building, Social Policy and Projects Division) (Annie
Burkes), and The Hive Sweet Social Impact (Maya Goodwill). Thanks also to Potluck Caf and Catering and The
Post at 750. The MA SLM program greatly appreciates your example of positive change, and thanks each and every
one of you for your support to our program and students, and for your willingness to share your perspectives, vision,
and experiences with us.

What do you get when you cross a bunch of graduate students of leisure, change and innovation with
waiting time outside MEC head office in Vancouver? A spontaneous line dance class, of course!!!!!

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 17
Cowichan Valley Regional District Park and Trail Division

Effective park promotion and media is an important

part of creating a positive visitor experiences. This
analysis was conducted by Vancouver Island
University (VIU) undergraduate students in
Tourism Recreation Management Degree Program,
who traveled to the Cowichan Valley Regional
District (CVRD) and participated in a world caf
workshop. This analysis was conducted to assist
the CVRDs Park and Trail Division in improving its
promotional material and media. The
recommendations derived from this analysis
focused on printed media, online materials, social
media, target audience, content priorities,
Wayfinding Iconography and New methodologies.

The report make recommendations that would increase the overall effectiveness of promotional and advertising
initiatives of the Division. Parks promotion should be used to promote the health, wellness, education, and overall
quality of life within the CVRD. The audience parks promotion targets should be both residents and
tourists/excursionists. However, residents should be the primary audience of all promotional and advertising
material. The promotional material should focus on marketing activities available within the parks, all recreational
opportunities, and any historical significance of the parks and its amendments. It is vital that all communication can
be easily interpreted by residents and international visitors. The parks department should not eliminate print media,
rather just down scale the volume it offers. It is recommended to incorporate advertising opportunities for local
business in printed promotional materials to offset production costs. Creating a coffee table book or magazine is a
great example of incorporating marketing materials to the public. It is important to generate a longer life-span for
printed materials which results in reduction of volume. Analog media should be available, however does not need
to be the priority.

The primary focus of parks promotion should be on digital media. It allows for easier access to online material. It is
important that the maps available online are high quality and effectively display information. There should be an
online calendar available on the website that shows the dates, times, and locations of the event and activities taking
place in parks. Overall, the CVRD website should be updated and continually maintained. It encourages the division
to utilize social media platforms and promotes parks, trails, and the Cowichan Valley as a destination. Building and
maintaining digital interactive communication tools that provide updated information is vital. Parks/trails need to
be promoted to establish a pull factor for visitors and residents. Online marketing approach is the creation of
taglines and hashtags, which monitor the usage through analytics.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 18
VIU Sustainable Leisure Management Students out in the Biosphere

The Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR)

inspires a positive future on the east coast of
Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada, by
facilitating collaboration, coordinating
participatory research, and supporting community
initiatives that explore environmental, social,
cultural, and economic sustainability.
From October 26 to 28, twenty-six graduate
students enrolled in VIU's MA in Sustainable
Leisure Management explored the Mount
Arrowsmith Biosphere Region (MABR). They were
on a mission to understand how sustainability and
innovation manifest themselves in organized,
leisure-based environments.
Activities included:

A walk along Top Bridge Regional Trail to understand the connection between watershed management and
tourism;
Visits to Little Qualicum Estuary and Moorecroft Regional Park to understand the balance between wildlife
and leisure management;
A tour of Qualicum Commons--formerly Qualicum Beach Elementary School--to understand how the
meaningful repurposing of infrastructure can create positive community impacts;
A tractor ride at Little Qualicum Cheeseworks where sustainable farming, local food security, and economic
vitality meet in one place.
Joanne Schroeder and the MABR's Monica Shore thank all those who introduced students to memorable educational
experiences in the biosphere!

Updates from Alumni Basemah Alhobishy

Basemah Alhobishy presented her research at the Innovation

Arabia congress http://www.innovationarabia.ae in Dubai in
March and it got published in the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart
University Journal. The congress was held under the patronage of
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU.
Basemah will be continuing her studies by taking Ed.D. in
Leadership at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota - United
State in September 2017.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 19
 Our Research Initiatives

Co-applicants: Nicole L. Vaugeois, (VIU) Pam Shaw, (VIU)

Research Coordinator: Sharon Karsten, (SFU)

Technical Advisor: Alanna Williams, (VIU)
Students:
Lan Le Diem Tran (MA SLM), Elise Boulanger, Sarah Holden, Liz
Kawahara, Wei Li, David Petroziello, Garry Slater, Sunny Rosser,
Melanie Messier

One of the most visible avenues used by small cities to retain competitiveness can be seen in the attempts to revitalize their
downtown areas to create places and spaces enjoyed and valued by residents and visitors. Formerly recognized as the heart or
Centre of small cities, many downtown areas have suffered due to urban sprawl and a loss of connectedness or familiarity
among new residents. While efforts to address downtown revitalization are evident such as the creation of public spaces,
events and support for small businesses, there remains a need to understand if, and how, residents in small cities value their
downtown areas. Small cities are increasingly turning to cultural mapping as a way to identify the assets and values associated
to the places and spaces within their boundaries. This case study highlights the Where is Here? project, an innovative initiative
to develop cultural maps in three small cities on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, namely in the cities of Nanaimo, Port
Alberni and Courtenay. The cultural mapping process included the active participation of local citizens, business owners,
municipal development leaders, arts and culture associations, and Aboriginal groups. Three public engagement events or
walk abouts were coordinated where 85 videos were captured of residents speaking to the places that they felt most
connected to in their downtown core. The videos were shared widely in digital form on the project website and collectively,
uncovered deep layers of meaning associated to a variety of downtown places. Leisure emerged as a central and embedded
theme in the connect spots shared both in terms of the venues profiled and the experiences of residents. Leisure researchers
may play a critical role in supporting small city place making initiatives by uncovering and mapping how residents engage
with places and spaces within their leisure. Cultural mapping may provide a tool to leisure researchers to aid in these
investigations.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 20
Completed Masters in Sustainable Leisure Management Thesis Research

Yufan (Veronica) Yang: Social Entrepreneurship, Reporting Performance, and Organizational

Ambidexterity in the Case of Parent Charities in B.C., Canada
Supervisor: Dr. Nicole Vaugeois Co: Supervisor: John Predyk External Examiner: Lee Herrin
Non-profit organizations are encountering increased difficulties in soliciting financial support for
mission-related programs and for the overall survival. The purpose of this study was to examine
the reporting performance and organizational ambidexterity of the parent charities operating a
social enterprise in the leisure & recreation field in British Columbia, Canada, to determine if
current proliferation on social entrepreneurial practices among non-profits contributes to improved
reporting performance and higher levels of organizational ambidexterity. The criterion sampling
strategy was used to identify 20 parent charities as research sample. A concurrent mixed methods
approach was adopted where both qualitative and quantitative data were used, including financial
data from CRA T3010 forms from 2003 to 2013 and qualitative content from charities websites.
A revised rating instrument combining the strengths of two relatively well-developed charity
rating systems was developed and utilized, in response to the lack of variables for social impact
measurement in the existing rating systems. Study findings show that operating a social enterprise
did not contribute to better financial reporting performance or higher levels of organizational
ambidexterity over time. Results indicate low levels of overall reporting performance among the
charities examined. Charities became less exploitative but more explorative. In terms of the rating
system, pilot tests on the utility of the revised rating instrument show it worked well to
simultaneously examine financial & social results reporting performance and organizational
ambidexterity. The study has the potential to contribute to the knowledge of social
entrepreneurship, organizational ambidexterity, and organizational performance evaluation, which
may contribute to the non-profit literature.

Yandi Pan: Identifying seniors travel motivations and travel barriers in China: A case study in Beijing
Supervisor: Suzanne De la Barre Co: Supervisor: Louisa Yee-Sum Lee, PhD External Examiner: Dr. Susan
Hutchinson
This research focused on exploring travel motivations and barriers to travel faced by seniors who
live in Beijing, China. Travel motivation and travel barrier were two key factors in understanding
peoples travel decisions and travel behaviours. China has entered into an aging society and the
aging population continues to increase steadily. Seniors have less responsibilities, more
discretionary savings and more free time compared to other age groups. As a result, travelling has
become an increasingly popular leisure activity among Chinese seniors. A more comprehensive
understanding of Chinese seniors characteristics and needs lays the foundation of developing
sound senior tourism in China.

This exploratory case study used semi-structured interview and document analysis research
methods to collect data. The findings identified relaxation, knowledge and education,
enhancement of kinship, novelty social interaction and escape as key travel motivation -
push factors for seniors; perceived safety, natural experience, cultural appreciation, ease of
travel, cost, tourism infrastructure, local delicacy and climate were the pull factors that
seniors were concerned with when choosing a tourist destination. The identified travel barriers for
seniors were three-fold, including individuals personal problems, limitations of travel agencies
and shortcomings in government policy. The implications of the study provide both private travel
sectors and public institutions practical detailed guidance on developing senior tourism to better
serve Chinese senior tourists.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 21
Mingqi Yang: Absent Husbands, Settled Wives: A Study on the Leisure Constrains of Chinese Immigrant
Women in Richmond, British Columbia
Supervisor: Suzanne De la Barre Co: Supervisor: Janet Ready. External Examiner: Charlene Shannon-McCallum
For over three decades, Canada has witnessed waves of Chinese immigration from Hong Kong
and Mainland China. In many Chinese immigrant families, the wives have settled in Canada while
their spouses have remained in China, mainly for economic reasons. A number of studies have
been produced outlining Chinese immigrants leisure constraints in Australia, the United States
and Canada but little attention has been given specifically to the leisure constraints of female
Chinese immigrants. The purpose of this study is to explore the leisure constraints of Chinese
immigrant women in Richmond, British Columbia, by examining the constraints of this specific
population. Aligned with the interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, a qualitative approach, using
document analysis and semi-structured interviews was employed. The data from documents was
collected and analyzed and twelve interviews were conducted. Participants were recruited through
snowball and purposive sampling methods. Findings suggest that time, interpersonal and
intrapersonal constraints were the most significant leisure constraints to maintaining leisure
preferences. Financial and intrapersonal constraints were the most significant constraints to
beginning new leisure preferences. In addition, embedded in these constraints, the cultural factors
influenced the participants leisure constraints after immigration.

Harpreet Kaur: Barriers to Information and Financing in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Central
Vancouver Island
Supervisor: David Robinson Co: Supervisor: Stephen Burr. External Examiner: Johan Latulippe
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up over 99% of the 1.1 million employers in
Canada. Moreover, these businesses have a 52% share of private sector gross domestic product
and account for 90% of Canadas private sector employment growth. Entrepreneurship is an
essential activity in the Canadian business sector. Many individuals have the ambition to become
their own bosses, and SMEs account for a significant proportion of Canadas employment
opportunities. The success of SME owners would be improved by identifying and recognizing
obstacles that they face when seeking appropriate business information and funding. Clearing
away impediments for business start-up or growth is essential to an energetic corporate sector and
employment market. The purpose of the study is to identify the barriers that are preventing SMEs
from accessing business information and financing from Community Futures in Central
Vancouver Island.

Jeff Wahl: "Where else would you find blacktop trails to a 130-some year old ravine?": Negotiated authenticity
at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Supervisor: Dr. Pete Parker Co: Supervisor: Kellee Caton & Billy Collins External Examiner: Dr. Deborah Kerstetter
As an industry bound to representing the past, authenticity is an important facet of heritage
tourism. Authenticity is linked to heritage tourists motivations, expenditures, and experiences.
However, little consensus has been reached as to what constitutes authenticity. Negotiated
authenticity is a theory that strives to balance the significance of both history and social
constructivism in heritage tourism. The purpose of this research was to explore heritage tourists
experiences with negotiated authenticity at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The
findings of this research suggest that heritage tourists experiences with authenticity involve
historically accurate elements, socially constructed representations of the past, and individual
meaning making.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 22
Yihua (Erika) Chen: Local Resident Perceptions of the Social Impacts of Sports Events: the Case of Nanaimo as a
Host City for the 2014 BC Summer Games
Supervisor: Drs. Pete Parker & Tom Delamere. Co: Supervisor: Katie Schlenker. External Examiner: Deborah
Edwards
Sporting events are increasingly considered an effective tool contributing to local development in
terms of economy and social cohesion. However, sporting events also result in negative impacts
such as overcrowding and inconvenience. Social impacts are attracting most of the attention
recently as such impacts are most closely related to daily life and can have profound and lasting
effects on local communities. This research evaluated the social impacts of the 2014 BC Summer
Games on Nanaimo through the eyes of local residents, hoping to gain a better understanding the
resultant social impacts not only in Nanaimo, but also in similar communities who are considering
hosting sports events. Results suggest residents perceive a moderate level of social benefits and a
low level of social costs from hosting the event. Findings of this research are helpful for future
event organizers to better mitigate the impacts and promote the benefits through enhanced
community assistance.

Abhinav Verma Exploring the Use of Flextime by a Media Company in New Delhi
Supervisor: Joanne Schroeder Co: Supervisor Dr. Rick Rollins External Examiner: Martin Martens

Although the concept of flextime has been introduced in work organizations for some time, there
is a lack of research that highlights the specific reasons for employees choosing to utilize or not
utilize the option of flextime. Therefore, the aim of this research was to investigate specific
reasons for employees making the decision for choosing the option of flextime, and to find out if
these decisions are influenced by sustainability (e.g. to reduce carbon foot print incurred while
travelling to work, optimal utilization of office and employee resources), leisure (engaging in any
activity for the sake of the wellbeing of the individual), or lifestyle (work-life balance, choosing a
lifestyle which allows proper prioritization between work leisure, and other non-work activities) .
This study focuses on the employees perspective more than the employers perspective. The
organization chosen to conduct the research was The Hindustan Times in New Delhi, India. Semi-
structured interviews were conducted within a sample of eight participants. The results suggested
that, the primary reasons for choosing flextime were a) leisure b) sustainability c) lifestyle d)
other (e.g. productivity, marital status and technology) . It was concluded, in order for flextime to
be sustainable; it has to be designed according to the nature of the job.

Innovation Movies

This year, the WLCE and the MA students produced a series of short 3-
5 minute videos of innovative leisure practices from around the world.
These short videos profile practices that range from sustainable
seafood, eco friendly farm practices, eco tourism in the wine industry
and sustainable building innovations. These are all accessible on the
WLCE website as learning tools for others.
Photo: The screen capture of a video produced by Michelle Harnett on the
Sustainable Seafood.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 23
Solution Series Lab: A Success Story

The City of Nanaimo Parks, Recreation and Environment staff and

VIU undergraduate and graduate students participated in an
Innovation lab on April 20th, 2016. This was planned and
implemented by a fourth year student, and facilitated by Joanne
Schroeder. The day kicked off with six short snap shots of hot topics
and trends presented by both students and faculty. This was
followed by a high energy idea jam, and an afternoon session by
Jacquelyn Oncescu on Leisure Education, Poverty and Recreation
Participation: A Case Study of a Community-Based Leisure Education
Delivery System. The session was co-facilitated by Chelsey Hiebert
and Moni Loewen joining through Skype.

The aim for the innovation lab was to invoke new energy and ideas, while supplying education highlights through both hot
topics and the Innovation Infusion Speaker Series.

Innovative Leisure Practices: Volume 2

The World Leisure Centre of Excellence at VIU is pleased to release the

second volume of Innovative Leisure Practices. This volume includes five case
studies ranging from cases on workplace wellness, to downtown
revitalization and food markets in Spain. These cases are valuable for those
teaching leisure courses or for practitioners to learn from what is happening
in other contexts.

The call for case studies will be released early in 2017 for volume 3 which
will be edited by Dr. Tom Delamere and Dr. Aggie Weighill.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 24
 SLM Student Awards and Scholarships
Diamond Jubilee Scholarship
SARAH HAIN
Vancouver Island University (VIU) will award more than $800,000 in prestigious
scholarships through the Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships (QES)
program. VIUs Canadian partners include Nanaimo Foundation ($20,000 financial contribution); Parksville-Qualicum
Foundation ($12,000 financial contribution), Commonwealth of Learning, Komoks First
Nation and the World Leisure Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Leisure Management at
VIU. Partners in Belize include the University of Belize, Belize Institute for Local
Development and the National Association of Village Councils.

With funding from the QES program, VIU will award scholarships to Canadian VIU
students at the undergraduate (12) and graduate (12) levels so they can participate in
internships or academic study for periods of three to six months in Belize. Scholarships
will also be available to students from Belize (7) to complete one of VIUs six Masters
degree programs. Both inbound and outbound students will be selected based on the
contribution of their work to strengthening the resilience of coastal communities.

SSHRC BOMBARDIER
JULIA FROESE
Research has shown that LGBTQ2+ youth often receive unprecedented amounts of
homophobia in forms of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. This undoubtedly impacts
their perception of safety in public leisure spaces. Often, these youth choose to negate
from leisure participation altogether to avoid sources of bullying and discomfort, or
they choose to conceal or conform to heteronormative expectations in such spaces,
which makes for an inauthentic and unsatisfying experience. Therefore, my research
aims to reveal what makes public leisure spaces safe for LGBTQ youth.

My thesis is important as it provides insight into the activities, infrastructure, and staff
behaviours that contribute to making public leisure spaces safe for LGBTQ2+ youth.
This information has the ability to change the way leisure professionals design and
deliver programs that are inclusive and supportive of these youth. These changes hopefully will create leisure opportunities
for LGBTQ2+ youth that are personally meaningful, reflective, and satisfying to them, and therefore positively influence the
sustainability of leisure in their lives.

Patricia Forbes & Emily Hammer Award

Sue Street: World Leisure Angelica Granja: Field experience

Michelle Harnett (MASLM)
Congress in Durban, South and thesis research in Ghana.
International Polar Tourism Research
Africa. Network Conference in Iceland.

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 25
Faculty and Staff in the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management
Pete Parker, Ph.D.
Suzanne de la Barre, Ph.D.
Email: Pete.Parker@viu.ca
Email: Suzanne.delaBarre@viu.ca
John Predyk, MBA
Tom Delamere, Ph.D. Email: John.Predyk@viu.ca
Email: Tom.Delamere@viu.ca
Rick Rollins, Ph.D. (Emeritus Professor)
Email: Rick.Rollins@viu.ca
Rob Ferguson, MA
Email: Rob.Ferguson@viu.ca
Dave Robinson, Ph.D.
Shelley Anne-Gajda Davies Email: Dave.Robinson@viu.ca
Administrative Assistant
Joanne Schroeder, MA
Email: Shelley-Anne.Gajda@viu.ca
Co-Director, WLCE at VIU
Email: Joanne.Schroeder@viu.ca
Ken Hammer, Ph.D. (Adjunct Professor)
Email: Ken.Hammer@viu.ca
Dave Twynam, Ph.D.
Dean, Faculty of Management
Amanda Johnson, Ph.D.
Email: Dave.twynam@viu.ca
Email: Amanda.Johnson@viu.ca
Nicole Vaugeois, Ph.D.
Sharon Kelly, MA Co-Director, WLCE at VIU
Email: Sharon.Kelly@viu.ca Email: Nicole.Vaugeois@viu.ca

Jacquelyn Oncescu, Ph.D. Aggie Weighill, Ph.D.

Email: Jackie.Oncescu@viu.ca Department Chair & Graduate Coordinator
Email: Aggie.weighill@viu.ca

Research Assistants

Yufan Yang, Communications Assistant

Jessyca Idi, Event Coordinator
M Anglica Granja, WLCE Ambassador
Thank you to our research assistants and the support of the Work Opportunities Fund at
Vancouver Island University. We could not do our work without you!

World Leisure Centre Of Excellence Vancouver Island University 2016 Annual Report 26