Community Walking Program

...find fitness, friends and fun!

Starting a Community Walking Group According to the Canadian Community Health Survey, walking is the most popular

form of physical activity among adults in Canada!

This guide is a tool to support leaders of community walking programs.

One of the best motivators for getting into regular walking is to walk with a group. Neighbourhood walking groups have a number of benefits: - Get to know others in your community - Get active and improve your own health - Appropriate for all ages and abilities - Familiarize yourself with the resources and amenities of your neighbourhood - Appreciate vitamin “N”ature! - Reduces crime by residents being visible on the street

Getting started

If your community league has not started promoting your league’s walking program, now’s the time to start. Before beginning, determine who your walking program is aimed at. If you yourself are only able to lead a weekday morning session, you may want to target older adults, retirees or parents with strollers. Alternately, it could be an evening or Saturday morning session that’s open to every-one. Answering this question will dictate what you put down for program scheduling in your promotional campaign. Make sure to publicize the program on your league’s website, in your community newsletter and on the league’s social media channels to create as much awareness as possible and generate participation.

Walking Group Leaders’ responsibilities

Risk Management: While walking is generally a safe practice for everyone, it will be important to use the Par-Q form to ensure you are aware of any existing conditions people may have, and a waiver form to ensure that participants recognize the risks in any outdoor environment. Anyone with a chronic health condition should consult their physician before starting a new activity. With any outdoor activity, being properly prepared for the weather is important. Being properly dressed for the conditions will help. In warm conditions, watch for signs of heat exhaustion in the participants.

Leaders should have a small fanny pack with a first aid kit to address any small incidents, and a charged cell phone for any larger emergencies. Safety Issues: Ensure any polers in your group always walk in single file and with adequate space between themselves so they don’t create tripping hazards with their poles. Clothing: Instructors should wear bright or reflective clothing during early morning and evening hours for high visibility when crossing streets. Water: Always carry more water than you would for regular walking.

Responsibilities con’t

Part of the responsibilities of the program leader is to track who is using the league’s poles at each session (and ensuring they are returned), who’s *participating and their league membership num-bers. *Tracking participation is part of the EFCL’s grant application outcomes with the Alberta Government. A template is available through your league or on the EFCL website that will help you keep track. Other responsibilities include:: - Make sure to get waivers and Par-Q Questionairre filled out and signed by all participants (forms available from your league) - Determine what the goals are for the group, and keep them simple and clear - Set the rules for the group: does the group walk rain or shine? Some groups walk on the coldest days of winter, while others agree not to walk if the temperature drops below a certain point. These rules should be communicated clearly. - Share contact information (if all agree) so members can stay in touch. For example, changes in

schedule, or members can connect with each other for additional walks. - *Plan routes and distances to walk - Responsible to make sure that members don’t feel left out, and are responsible to ensure that

members are not left behind on the trail or route. Perhaps plan “out-and-back” or circular routes so everyone is “collected.”

- Matching walkers with others at their fitness level or walking pace will help all members feel comfortable and supported.

- Encourage other leaders to emerge. - Be respectful of starting times and planned walking times and distance. - Keep track of group participation and provide reports to EFCL Walking Coordinator and league

as requested - Keep it fun! Occasionally take photos and post them, along with comments, on twitter/facebook during a ses-

sion; this will help generate more interest in the program. Make sure to include your league’s twitter handle, @efcl and #LeagueWalk so your posts will be shared and retweeted.

*Make sure to have release forms signed first by your group. Available from your league or the EFCL.

Work with your league to create new opportunities with local businesses and/or other existing

programs your league may be running to expand the program or potential sponsorship.

*Finding Good Routes

Select, map and measure potential walking routes in your community. Keep walking distances appropriate for group. Routes that are “out and back” or circular allow you to collect the slower walkers on the return portion of the walk. These style of routes also allow the faster walkers to loop back around to the slower walkers. Walk Edmonton has created walking maps for 33 areas of the city. They are available through your community league, the EFCL Community Walking Coordinator, City Hall or your local library. If your community does not have a map, get a small committee together to create a Walk Edmonton map.

Have a little fun by creating a group challenge

By wearing a pedometer, studies show individuals increase their steps 2,000 steps per day. Start a step challenge for your group … there are several online platforms readily available to get community members moving and connecting! Steps can be tracked with ...

Pedometers Fitbit Mobile apps for phones track steps Edmonton Public Libraries have a pedometer loan program

Incorporate these online challenges ...

UWalk – online community challenges! Uwalk.ca Get Out Get Active (Primary Care Network) – Virtual Trek to Costa Rica, April 25 to June 5 Check out the Challenge at www.getoutgetactivePCN.com Neighbourhood Watch – “Walk Your Block” www.enwatch.ca

Jane’s Walks Consider collecting the history from your neighbourhood and offering annual Jane’s Walks. Jane’s Walk is an annual celebration of people and cities held around the world on the first weekend of May. Through the simple act of walking together and discussing what makes a neighbourhood, Jane's Walk helps knit people together into strong and resourceful communities.

Created in 2007 in Toronto by friends of the urban thinker, Jane Jacobs, the annual series of free, volunteer-led urban walks has grown from 27 to over 500 walks, from Calgary to Canberra and Sao Paulo to Saskatoon. Visit janeswalk.org/canada/edmonton for a listing of all the Edmonton walks and to learn more about how you and your league walking group can participate!

The City of Edmonton Hosts a Kick Off walk, Friday, May 6, 2016, Noon, City Hall Plaza (south steps) No registration is required.

(L-R) EFCL staffers - community walking program coordinator, Allyson Szafranski, planning and development officer, Bev Zubot, executive director, Allan Bolstand and community program, Habib Fatmi took part in Winter Walk Day in February 2015, and used the day to announce the EFCL Community League Walking Program. The EFCL is hoping to have a lot more community league members who are participating in their league’s walking program join them on May 6. Will your group be there?