Le Lézard
Subjects: CHI, SVY, CSR

IKEA Canada celebrates every child's right to play with Let's Play for Change campaign


IKEA puts play experiences at the heart of its good cause initiative with the IKEA Foundation, donates proceeds from SAGOSKATT collection to local children's charities

BURLINGTON, ON, Nov. 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, IKEA Canada announced the second year of its Let's Play for Change campaign, supporting children's development and learning, equal participation, sports, and of course, play. A new global Play Report by IKEA, finds that people around the world believe play is undervalued in modern day life. That's why IKEA and the IKEA Foundation are putting play at the heart of this year's Let's Play for Change campaign, encouraging everyone to play more for a better everyday life. From November 19 to December 31, IKEA Canada will incorporate playful experiences at its stores from coast to coast, with interactive games and activities sprinkled within showroom floors.

This year's campaign will continue to see IKEA and the IKEA Foundation support children's rights in some of the world's most vulnerable communities. Realizing that many children around the world lack safe spaces to play and develop, the IKEA Foundation will grant a total of ?45 million to Handicap International, Save the Children, Special Olympics, Room to Read, UNICEF and War Child.

"At IKEA, we believe every child has the right to play, and we know play is a critical part of a young child's development and emotional wellbeing," said Brendan Seale, Sustainability Manager, IKEA Canada. "Through the Let's Play for Change campaign, we want to build a movement to emphasize the importance of play, while alleviating the barriers to play and development facing vulnerable children around the world."

IKEA Canada will also support children locally through the Let's Play for Change campaign, donating the proceeds from its 2017 SAGOSKATT soft toy collection to children's charity partners across the country. Designed by kids for kids, the limited edition SAGOSKATT collection is the result of IKEA's annual global drawing competition for kids, where ten winners have their drawings turned into playful soft toys.

Having conducted some of the world's largest research on the role of play, IKEA released its third global Play Report in November, exploring the perspective of play from both a child's and adult's perspective in countries across the world. Findings show that people around the world believe play is undervalued in modern day life, forcing them to focus on "more important" things.

The study, which included a diverse group of people between the ages of 2 and 90, identified five universal motivators of why we play ? to connect, to express, to explore, to repair and to escape ? and the mental and emotional benefits inherent in them. It also discovered key inhibitors that prevent play, such as perceived notions that play is an activity (for children) rather than a mind-set that can bring joy in everyday life, or the belief that it's socially unacceptable to embrace a playful mind-set.

To learn more about the beneficiary partners of Let's Play for Change campaign, and how the campaign's funds will be used to support children's right to play, please visit https://www.ikeafoundation.org/campaigns/lets-play/

To view or download the full IKEA Play Report 2017, please visit http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/pdf/IKEA_PLAY_REPORT_2017.pdf   

ABOUT IKEA CANADA
IKEA Group is a leading home furnishing retailer with 357 stores in more than 29 countries worldwide, which are visited by 817 million people every year. IKEA Canada has 13 stores, an eCommerce virtual store, six Pick-up and order points and 13 Collection Points. The company also announced plans to open new stores in Quebec City and London, Ontario. Last year, IKEA Canada welcomed 28 million visitors to its stores and 88 million visitors to the IKEA.ca website. Founded in 1943, IKEA's business philosophy is to offer a wide range of products of good design and function at prices so low, the majority of people can afford them. For more information on IKEA Canada, please visit: www.IKEA.ca.

About IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation (Stichting IKEA Foundation) is the philanthropic arm of INGKA Foundation, the owner of the IKEA Group of companies. The IKEA Foundation aims to improve opportunities for children and youth in some of the world's poorest communities by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change. The IKEA Foundation works with strong strategic partners applying innovative approaches to achieve large-scale results in four fundamental areas of a child's life: a place to call home; a healthy start in life; a quality education; and a sustainable family income, while helping these communities fight and cope with climate change.

Learn more at http://www.ikeafoundation.org and www.facebook.com/IKEAfoundation

SOURCE IKEA Canada



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