Feel the Power - Feel Fit! Girls Campaign

1. Feel the Power - Feel Fit! Girls Campaign Ashley Soetemans BA (Hons) Physical Activity Specialist Hamilton Public Health Services Alison Massey BPHE, BEd, MPH Candidate Physical Activity Specialist Hamilton Public Health Services

2. Work Shop Agenda • Background • Implementation • Sustainability • Resources • Experiences in the School • Wrap up/ Questions/ Evaluation

3. Workshop Objectives By the end of this session you should: • Have a better understanding of the Feel the Power Feel Fit Girls (FTPFFG) campaign and the rationale behind it. • Have the knowledge to plan, implement, and evaluate this campaign in the school setting.

4. Why do you need a physical activity campaign for female teens? • Female adolescents consistently engage in less physical activity than their male counterparts. (Irving, et al., 2003) • Decreasing levels of physical activity with increasing age (Stone et al., 1998)

5. Regular physical activity is positively associated with self-esteem and self-concept, and negatively associated with anxiety and depression (Annesi, 2005)

6. Physical activity increases academic performance (Keays & Allison, 1995) and reduces stress (Kull, 2003) • Girls who participate in sports are 92% less likely to use drugs and 80% less likely to have unwanted pregnancy (CFLRI, 1999)

7. Obesity leads to an increased risk for health problems • Between 15% and 25% of Ontario Youth are overweight or obese (CMOH Report, 2004) • Physical activity strengthens muscles, and stimulates bone formation, therefore reducing the risk of osteoporosis (Borer, 2005)

8. The Campaign • Developed by the City of Hamilton Public Health Services • Funded by Healthy Living Hamilton • Based on current research findings

9. FTPFFG Beginnings • Based on research conducted by John Dwyer et al. at U. Of T. and information from CAAWS • Review of successful PA programs for girls • Consultation with community partners • Developed program outline

10. Short Term Campaign Objectives • To increase awareness in the female teen community about the importance and benefits of physical activity for female adolescents • To plan, implement, and evaluate a health communication campaign targeted towards female teens living in the Hamilton area

11. Long Term Campaign Objectives • To work with community partners to promote physical activity opportunities for female teens • To increase access to those opportunities • To increase the percentage of female teens participating in physical activity

12. What is the FTPFFG Campaign? • A physical activity campaign for adolescent females in secondary schools • Encourages physical activity • All-inclusive, non-competitive • Supports continued activity opportunities

13. Implementing the Program

14. Who’s Involved? • Public Health staff • Teachers • Students (committee members and participants) • School Administration • Community partners

15. Role of PAS • Facilitate the 6-8 planning sessions • Provide guidance to youth advisors • Support sustainability

16. Role of Teacher Advisor • Link between Youth Advisors and school administration. • Recruit and motivate the girls, meeting reminders (i.e. announcements), and providing supervision. • Continue with the campaign in their schools after the launch. • Work with other school staff to encourage participation • An enthusiastic Teacher Advisor can make all the difference!

17. Role of Female Advisory Committee • Attend 6 to 8 meetings • Commit time and energy to campaign • Plan, implement and evaluate • Provide peer support to those interested in participating

18. Other Possible Public Health Staff/Community Support: • Public Health Nurses • Dieticians/Nutritionists • Culture and Recreation staff • Local YWCA or YMCA

19. The Information Session • School staff arrange for session • Overview of campaign • Youth are recruited to the advisory committee • Dates and times for committee meetings are set

20. Planning • Female Youth Advisory Committees are established • Teacher Advisors and Female Youth Advisors work together in planning and implementing a physical activity campaign • ~ 6-8, one-hour sessions

21. The Committee Meetings • Set Up • Agenda • Healthy Snacks • Information Package • Co-facilitated • Minute taker/recorder

22. Agenda Outlines • Reasons for campaign • Barriers to physical activity for adolescent females • Brainstorm physical activity opportunities • What’s realistic? – applying ideas • Plan program and launch

23. The Launch • A kick off event for the program • Unique to each school community • Try-it opportunities • Healthy snack • Door prizes/take away packages • Sign up sheets • Evaluation

24. FTPFFG • Continuing the campaign • Next steps

25. The Program • Weekly • Facilitated by advisory group and teachers • Varied activities • Sustainability • Evaluation

26. Youth Advisory Celebration at End of School Year • Thank the Youth Advisors • Provide them with a healthy snack • Discuss challenges and successes • Encourage continued commitment • Evaluation

27. Sustaining the Program • Administration and staff support • Student involvement • Financial or in-kind support

28. References Aarnio, M. (2003). Leisure-time physical activity in late adolescence. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2(S2), 1-41. Allison, K.R., Dwyer, J.J.M., & Makin, S. (1999). Perceived barriers to physical activity among high school students. Preventive Medicine, 28, 608 615. Annesi, J.J. (2005). Correlations of depression and total mood disturbance with physical activity and self-concept in preadolescents enrolled in an after-school exercise program. Psychological Reports, 96(3 pt. 2), 891-8. Borer, K.T. (2005). Physical activity in the prevention and amelioration of osteoporosis in women : interaction of mechanical, hormonal and dietary factors. Sports Medicine, 35(9), 779-830.

29. Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. (1997). Foundation for joint action reducing physical inactivity. CLFRI Project initiated in partnership with Fitness/Active Living Unit, Health Canada, and the Inter-provincial Sport and Recreation Council. Heart and Stroke Foundation (2003). The growing burden of heart disease and stroke in Canada. Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Irving, H.M., Adlaf, E.M., Allison, K.R., Paglia, A., Dwyer, J.J.M., & Goodman, J. (2003). Trends in vigorous physical activity participation among Ontario adolescents, 1997-2001. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 94, 272-274. Keays, J.J. & Allison, K.R. (1995). The effect of regular moderate to vigorous physical activity on student outcomes: a review. Canadian Journal of Health, 86(1), p. 62.

30. Kull, M. (2003). Physical activity and mental health: relationships between depressiveness, psychological disorders and physical activity level in women. Biology of Sport, 20(2), 129-138. Physical Activity Research Project (PARP) www.phs.utoronto.ca/activeyouth Stone, E.J., McKenzie, T.L., Welk, G.J. & Booth, M.L. (1998). Effects of physical activity interventions in youth. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 15 (4), 298-315. Tremblay, M.S., Katzmarzyk, P.T., Willms, J.D. (2002). Temporal trends in overweight and obesity in Canada, 1981-1996. International Journal of Obesity, 26, 538-543.

31. Wrap Up/Questions/Evaluation • Please complete one of PARC’s evaluation forms before leaving. • Thank you for coming and best of luck with your program! • If you have any further questions regarding the program or to provide updates, please email us at: asoetema@hamilton.ca Handbook will be available on Healthy Living Hamilton’s website. www.doitwell.ca Under the “schools” tab