Way2Go – enabling active choices in Nelson/Tasman:Way2Go programmes and initiatives
Way2Go programmes and initiatives
Way2Go programmes and regional initiatives include:
- Step to Health – a pedometer loan programme. Participants borrow a pedometer (device to count steps) from their local library, count their daily steps, and try and increase the amount of steps/activity taken over the day or week. It’s an accessible and fun way to get sedentary people more conscious of their physical activity levels and engaged in being more active.
- Ease into Activity – programme to support participants on the Step to Health initiative (as outlined above) to teach them how to use pedometers correctly. It assists with ideas for wet weather walking, huff & puff walking, goal setting, and what else is available in the community. Results from the pre and post questionnaires have shown that 73% of people using a pedometer have reported an increase in their activity levels. So the combination of Step to Health and Ease into Activity is a successful one.
- Baby and Buggy is a programme for those who need to get active but don’t have a babysitter. It is a 45min walk (or activity session) followed by playtime for the kids on gym equipment provided. It’s a great way to get social time with other Mums and Dads, and playtime for baby or toddler. There is also information sharing about nutrition and other areas of wellbeing.
- Spring Strut Stride (SSS) is a joint initiative of the Heart Foundation and Way2Go, and is all about encouraging the community to get active so they can feel good, stay healthy and have fun while doing it. SSS is a ‘game’ where family, neighbours, workmates, club members, or any other group of up to 10 people, (SSS team) set individual challenges (goals) of how far they want to walk. Then clocking individual distances/times on the team chart, set out to achieve the goal. There is no entry fee; however a donation can be made to the Heart Foundation. If you register your team early you go in the draw to win prizes.
- Way2Go Activities Trailer and In Your Neighbourhood – The Way2Go Activities Trailer was launched at the Richmond Action Expo in 2007. The Trailer is a mobile sports and physical activity unit that goes to parks and small reserves to help set up informal events. The Trailer aims to take affordable physical activity options to the community. The options are designed to be easy to use, cheap, and encourage families to play together. It is used mainly in collaboration with other ‘events’. For example, an outdoor movie event which predominately entails sitting and watching, now becomes an active opportunity, with the Activities Trailer providing the equipment and motivation.
- An ‘In Your Neighbourhood’ event is exactly that – an organised fun and games event in a local neighbourhood where families can play together. Planning an event requires a basic mail drop (marketing) to houses in the immediate area a few days prior, and then taking the Activities Trailer to the park for about 2 hours (evenings and weekends), setting up the games, and encouraging parents and children to join in (delivery).
The Trailer has been very successful and bookings have been consistent. People have been keen to connect with their neighbourhood and have found revisiting a game of Frisbee (for example) a breath of fresh air. Some common responses have been that “I haven’t played this for years, it’s so much fun”, and “I didn’t think this park was big enough to play games in”.
Updated | 17 Dec 2008.
Skip page tools.
