Communities Choose Well 2014 Regional Forums Communities Choose

Communities Choose. Well 2014 Regional Forums

Communities Choose. Well: A Brief Introduction

What is Communities Choose. Well? • Choose. Well Supports, Empowers and Recognizes communities to promote and facilitate healthy eating and active living • Strategies: education, community capacity building, partnerships • Managed by the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association and funded by Alberta Health

History • 2005: Started by Alberta Health (& Wellness) – Formerly ‘Choose. Well Challenge’ • • • 2006: Management passed to ARPA 2009 -10: 18 month hiatus 2009 -2010 -15: Funding agreement 2013: Over 180 registrations 2014: Over 200 registrations

Becoming a Choose. Well Community • What is a community? – Mostly municipalities and urban community leagues/associations – Some schools, businesses, other organizations • Who registers? – Anyone! – Town offices, FCSS, Volunteers, CAOs,

Benefits of Being a Choose. Well Community • Resource Toolkit – Program information and resources – Educational resources – Promotional resources and videos – Swag • Funding Opportunities – Seed funding grants (20 x$2, 000 in 2014) – Prizes for participation in challenges and reports

Benefits of Being a Choose. Well Community • Challenges – Acts of Random Physical Activity Challenge (June) • Social media activity ideas • Flash mob contest • Promoting active classrooms in Alberta schools – 21 Days to Healthy Eating Challenge (Oct) • Challenges families to eat one healthy, home-cooked meal together a day for 3 weeks • To promote healthy eating and healthy child development • Families can register online to win prizes – Iron Chef Challenge (Differs) • Local champions are invited to the Provincial finals in Edmonton • Promotes healthy, local eating • Teams make 2 dishes, each with a mandatory ingredient in 90 minutes • Did not occur in 2014 – Winter Walking Challenge (Feb) • Choose. Well partnered with UWALK • Month long challenge to get outside and active • Walkability workshop and grant money for prizes.

Benefits of Being a Choose. Well Community • Education – Webinars – Newsletter • E-Tips, monthly – E-Blasts – Resources • Healthy U, website (online), toolkits. • Making connections – Regional Forums – Inter- and intra-community networking – Social media • Facebook: www. facebook. com/commu nitieschoosewell • Twitter: @ARPAChoose. Well

Benefits of Being a Choose. Well Community • Recognition – Recognition Ceremony at ARPA Conference in 2014 – Free or reduced cost registration for ARPA Conference, as well as other educational opportunities – Recognition categories: • • • Creating Healthy Environments Building Community Capacity Providing Health Education Developing Healthy Policies Most Significant Change (voted on by other communities)

Success Story: Building Community Capacity Coronation • Coronation partner with Silver Community Club a community kitchen for seniors • Coronation hosted their Second Annual Royal Turkey Trot on Oct 13 th this last year after a very successful first year of the Trot • Coronation Community Coalition

Success Story: Providing Health Education Red Deer • Adult Day Support Program • Partnered with Parkland Nurseries to create a garden to grow healthy foods for clients • Healthy Food choices at events • Implemented their “eat smart meet smart” policy at all Red Deer arenas and high school • Healthy vending machines

Success Story: Creating Healthy Environments Fort Mc. Kay • Choose. Well Random Acts of Physical Activity Challenge • Youth Chef Program which is offered to children age 16 -17 and teaches children healthy recipes • Healthy Supper Program which is offered to all children and youth in the community • Started a hockey team in their community for people of all ages • Arena utilized its space this past summer by putting in gym floor in to offer indoor soccer, badminton, hockey and other sports

Stories from Urban Communities • Edgemont (Calgary) – Breakfast program • Vista Heights (Calgary) – Resident-led fitness group & healthy food • Terwillegar-Riverbend (Edmonton) – Sprouts Program @ farmer’s market • Bridgeland-Riverside (Calgary) – Newsletter articles, community events, seniors

‘BRIDGELAND WALKS’ After the long winter, let’s get out and walk around the neighbourhood… Wed April 23 7 pm – Crocus walk Wed April 30 7 pm – Gardens walk If you’d like to be on the email list for future walks, contact us at bridgelandwalks@gmail. com Meet at the Centre Ave door of the BRCA community Hall at 917 Centre Ave NE

Program Evaluation • Qualitative and quantitative data – E. g. # registered communities, success stories, interviews and case studies • Requested from communities: – Initial report (with registration) • Goals, partners, plans to use Choose. Well – Awards and Seed Grant Applications and Reports • Working with professional evaluator

The Stats • Only 7% of youth attain the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) per day • Only 15% of Canadian adults accumulate the recommended 150 minutes of MVPA per week • Physical activity reduces the risk of over 25 chronic conditions • Declining fitness levels are forecasted to accelerate disease development, increase health care costs & decrease productivity • 7 out of 10 children aged 4 -8 and ½ of adults do not meet minimum recommendation of 5 vegetable & fruit servings per day

What Determines Health? • Income and Social Status • Social Support Networks • Education • Employment/Working Conditions • Social Environments • Physical Environments • Personal Health Practices and Coping Skills • Healthy Child Development • Biology and Genetic Endowment • Health Services • Gender • Culture

Social-Ecological Model

Contact Us Edmonton Calgary • Phone: (780) 415 -1745 • Toll Free: 1 -877 -544 -1747 • Patrick (Program Officer): • Lisa Mc. Laughlin (Manager): – pmacquarrie@arpaonline. ca • Sarah (Program Officer): – swildgen@arpaonline. ca – Phone: (403) 479 -2453 – lmclaughlin@arpaonline. ca • Janet Naclia: – Phone: (403) 237 -9722 – jnaclia@arpaonline. ca Web http: //arpaonline. ca/choosewell http: //communities. arpaonline. ca/

Group Questions • Introduce yourself • Based on what you see in your community, are your community members ‘better’ at healthy eating or active living? • What do you think is the biggest barrier to people in your community eating better and being more active? – Cost? Accessibility? Motivation? Time? Etc. • What are some potential solutions for overcoming that barrier?

Group Questions • What does a ‘healthy community’ look like to you? • What does ‘health promotion’ mean to you? • What can happen in your community to make it a healthier place? – My community NEEDS… – It would be nice to see… – It would be amazing to see…

Community Mapping • Layer 1: Assets – – Skills, knowledge and talents Physical structures Natural resources Human resources • Layer 2: Activities – One-time events – Ongoing or long-term activities (classes, camps, dropin sessions, etc. ) • Layer 3: Relationships – Libraries, Schools, Churches – Local businesses – Municipal services

Contact Us Edmonton Calgary • Phone: (780) 415 -1745 • Toll Free: 1 -877 -544 -1747 • Patrick (Program Officer): • Lisa Mc. Laughlin (Manager): – pmacquarrie@arpaonline. ca • Sarah (Program Officer): – swildgen@arpaonline. ca – Phone: (403) 479 -2453 – lmclaughlin@arpaonline. ca • Janet Naclia: – Phone: (403) 237 -9722 – jnaclia@arpaonline. ca Web http: //arpaonline. ca/choosewell http: //communities. arpaonline. ca/