ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Case Study would not be possible with out the assistance of the Finnish National Ski Association, the Finnish Biathlon Association and the Snow Moves! Organising Team. FIS would like to express its appreciation to these organisations for their time and support.
www.snowkidz.com
INTRODUCTION
www.snowkidz.com
WHAT IS SNOWKIDZ? FIS SnowKidz is the first phase of the Bring Children to the Snow campaign. It is a unique program that supports snow sports stakeholders to stage events and actions to bring children to the snow. Events can occur at any time in almost any place around the world.
WHAT IS THE SNOWKIDZ AWARD? As part of the SnowKidz programme, the FIS Member National Ski Associations (full and associate members) are invited to submit projects to compete for the ‘SnowKidz Award’. The Award is presented every second year and aims to recognize and reward the best actions to bring children to the snow under varying circumstances. For more information visit www.snowkidz.com/award
WHAT IS THIS CASE STUDY? This case study has been developed in conjunction with the 2022 SnowKidz Award recipients. It is designed to give future SnowKidz Awards applicants an insight into why this Award recipient has been selected in the top three. It is the hope that this information will also inspire you to create new projects or improve existing events and actions in your country that bring children to the snow.
www.snowkidz.com
Introduction
For more information visit www.snowkidz.com
WHO IS THIS CASE STUDY ABOUT? Title of Event/Programme: Snow Moves! Location: Throughout Finland
National Ski Association Organiser Information: Address: Finnish Ski Association Valimotie 10 00380 Helsinki Finland Tel:
(+358) 400 668 130
Email:
sanni.koivuranta@hiihtoliitto.fi
Website:
www.lumilajitliikuttavat.fi
www.snowkidz.com
Introduction
Is the action from a National Ski Association or third party e.g. ski club, ski resort etc.?
PROJECT DETAILS
www.snowkidz.com
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Snow Moves! achieves these goals by working with local ski clubs to co-organise special kids events. At each event a fun cross-country skiing course is set up and local children from other sports clubs, schools or the general public are invited to try the course. To help the children equipment and lessons are provided. All the events combined are known as the Kidz Snowfun Tour. As well as the events various support tools are provided to the clubs, parents and coaches. These include event programs, guides, best practices and workshops. The documents are found on the Snow Moves! website and the workshops are conducted in parallel with the kids events. All the events and materials are free of charge for the participants. Membership to Snow Moves! costs between 0-125€ per club/host.
www.snowkidz.com
Project Details
The primary goals of Snow Moves! is to bring children and their families to snow, to support ski clubs to develop their organisation, produce educational products and tools and provide teachers the necessary materials to create snow sports programs.
PROJECT AIMS
TARGET GROUP
A video of the events was provided as part of the nomination.
•
To encourage children to try snow sports
•
To produce new products and educational materials to help ski clubs to develop their programs.
Kids, 5–12 (13) years, teachers, day care groups, families and ski clubs.
•
To give ski clubs the knowledge to create a path for children to enter snow sports and become regular members of their clubs.
•
To enhance the cooperation between associations representing different sports, cities and other volunteer organisations work with schools
•
To improve access by lowering the cost of entry into snow sports
•
To encourage disabled persons, children in particular, to the snow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn51xmXIlQM
www.snowkidz.com
Project Details
VIDEO
SPACER
PROJECT EVOLUTION
• Atria Foods - sponsorship, snacks for participants, equipment for children.
LIITO ry - Communication to teachers and teachers associations.
•
Audi - sponsorship.
•
Europcar - sponsorship, transport and equipment for children.
The Finnish Paralympic Committee - provision of disability sports equipment for participants.
The evolution of the project can be divided into two categories, programme support and the number of participants.
•
S-Pankki Bank - sponsorship and communications.
•
Pihlajalinna Health Services - sponsorship and snacks for children.
•
Protect Our Winters - climate change communications and support.
• Plan International - Support with immigrant participants. www.snowkidz.com
The Finnish Biathlon Ski Association - equipment support for events. Lions International - volunteer support.
PROGRAMME SUPPORT 2016 • Launch of the project in cooperation with the Finnish Biathlon association •
Kidz Snow Fun Tour starts
•
First Blizz Wintersport Schools and materials are launched for ski clubs
•
The mascot Blizz is created.
Project Details
ASSISTING PARTNERS
SPACER
2017 • 60 skill videos and suppot materials are published for ski clubs and teachers.
•
Rebranding of the programme including adding new Blizz characters.
•
•
New Teachers’ Workshop material created.
Ski school instruction plans for gym classes are published.
2018 • Blizz’ Games Guide is published. •
Blizz’ Snow Fun Playschool for 5 - 6 year olds is published.
2019 • Blizz’ Brave Jumper for ski jumping is launched. 2021 • Remote Kidz Snowfun Tour material for schools is launched Due to Covid-19 event cancellation many tour events). www.snowkidz.com
2022 • The Kidz Snowfun Tour is inlcuded in the Helsinki Ski Weeks event. A 30-day-long event in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium. •
Ski school material for adult skiers is launched for the use of ski clubs
•
Snow Moves video bank is renewed
SPACER
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS Year 1 - 6’000 participants Year 2 - 10’000 participants Year 3 - 12’500 participants Year 4 - 14’000 participants Year 5 - 7’000 participants (cancellations due to COVID-19) Year 6 - 11’000
Project Details
SPACER
PROJECT QUALITY
SPACER
The project is a high-quality event with good administration and planning. The products are developed annually based on the feedback given by the ski clubs, participants and sponsors.
•
Recruitment and agreement with the Kidz Snowfun Tour coordinator
•
Sponsor search and negotiations
A yearly schedule has been defined. It is as follows:
September - October
May - August
•
Purchasing of new brand material (installations) for Kidz Snowfun Tour
•
Opening of calendar applications to the Kidz Snowfun Tour.
•
•
Planning and building of event calendar with the ski clubs.
Publishing for tour calendar and the new/updated products
•
•
Updating of products based on the feedback given during the spring survey period.
Building and opening the school-registration system to the Kidz Snowfun tour
November - March
•
Development of new products (if needed)
•
Tour time!
•
Helping ski clubs in organizing events and ski schools
www.snowkidz.com
April •
Reporting the Kidz Snowfun Tour overall
•
Gathering and summarising the feedback of the season from all stakeholders
•
Surveys
Project Details
SPACER
SPACER
COMMERCIAL VIABILITY
Snow Moves! could be replicated in any other country (with snow conditions). The concept is complete and easily adjustable to the functions of other ski associations. The Blizz’ ski club materials used in Finland could be translated to any other language and the elements of the Kidz Snowfun Tour could be produced by using the visual look of the ski association in question. The Remote Kidz Snow Fun Tour videos could also be used directly in any other country only by changing the spoken and written text/language. Also, the teachers’ workshop materials could be replicated after checking the school standards in the specific country.
The project would require a designated person (e.g. a person responsible for the development and actions of the kids and youth) to manage the big picture and funding/ sponsors to enable the functions monetarily. After this the focus should be put into the cooperation between the ski association, ski clubs, schools and day care units. Also, the community offering the skiing areas is an important factor in enabling the functions and marketing the products and events for the target groups.
The Snow Moves! is nearly fully funded by private partners (sponsors). A minority of the income comes from government funds. As many companies involved in sponsorship are aware of the pros of active childhood, this project attracts the attention of conscious partners.
www.snowkidz.com
$
Project Details
TRANSFERABILITY
10/10 The main achievements annually are: •
Between 400 - 700 participants in the Blizz’ Schools organized by ski clubs.
•
7’000 - 1’5000 of children participating in the Kids Snowfun Tour
•
Ski teaching awareness and education to hundreds of teachers throughout Finland
•
Numerous ski clubs involved in organizing the events and ski schools
www.snowkidz.com
The project doesn’t only measure success in numbers but also the way it has been able to adapt to circumstances. An example of this has been the flexible way of quickly developing the concept to respond the needs of schools during the Covid-19 pandemics. A majority of the events of the Kidz Snowfun Tour (in 20-21) had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions stopping the schools in attending the events. That’s why a remote version of the event tour was created to help the schools to organize their own Kidz Snowfun Tour events in the school yards. The remote Kidz Snowfun Tour material was launched in the beginning of February in 2021 and it has been estimated to have brought an additional 5’000 children to the snow throughout Finland.
Project Details
SUCCESS MEASURES
FIS SnowKidz Award Case Study - Germany CH -3563 Oberhofen/Thunersee (Suisse) Marc Hodler Haus Blochstarsse 2 Tel +41 33 244 6161 Fax +41 33 244 6171 snowkidz@fisski.com www.snowkidz.com President Johan Eliasch Executive Editors Andrew Cholinski Photo and Picture Credits Shred Kids Germany Copyright No Articles may be reproduced without identification of the source (Copyright:FIS) The FIS Logograms and SnowKidz logo are registered trademarks of FIS FIS wishes to thank all its members and partners for the their contributions to this publication. Without them this would not be possible. www.snowkidz.com