| Short descriptor of good practice |
| The ActivU project addresses the topic of, encourage participation in physical activity (PA), supporting the implementation of the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing, following EU Guidelines. In this line, ActivU aims to increase awareness and behavioral change in former active citizens with and without disabilities toward a healthy active lifestyle through enrichment of counselling and prescription procedures to effective use of physical activity and other health behaviors. The project aims to increase awareness and behavioural change in former active citizens with and without disabilities toward a healthy active lifestyle through enrichment of counselling and prescription procedures to effective use of physical activity and other health-related behaviours. ActivU is aligned with scientific evidence showing that former active citizens are a particular population of the elderly. Thus, the ActivU will be a pilot programme to develop online communities of practice for awareness, knowledge and behavioural change about healthy active lifestyle among former active citizens’ in participants’ organizations and countries, which could ultimately be scaled-up across the EU. Thus, ActivU is bringing together 8 sport, senior and education European organizations to certify practitioners (trainers) and promote healthy active lifestyle among former active citizens (trainees). In total, 32 Trainers and 64 trainees worked together in each 8 partner countries in a traineeship programme. Before traineeship programme started, former active citizens were profiled and screened using a short-form measure, and trainers have been trained and certified to intervene with former active citizens through a e-training programme that runs in 8 European countries. |
| Type of setting where good practice is delivered |
| NGO / Adult education Non-formal / Lifelong learning |
| Time Frame for delivery of good practice |
| It consists of online training program for trainers and online learning platform for participants. Training for trainers takes approx. 6 sessions in duration of 12 hours. Online learning is estimated to take approx. 20 hours. |
| Type of learner the best practice is supporting |
| Seniors and trainers working with seniors. |
| Resources used as part of good practice |
| Research: https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO1-Wellbeing-and-retirement_review.docx Senior’s profile: https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO2-Former-active-citizens-profile.docx Training-for-trainers program; https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-1_TrainingForTrainers.docx https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-2_TrainingForTrainers.docx https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-3_TrainingForTrainers.docx https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-4_TrainingForTrainers.docx https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-5_TrainingForTrainers.docx https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO4-Module-6_TrainingForTrainers.docx Handbook: https://activuproject.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IO7-Handbook-Best-Practice.pdf |
| Aims and objectives of good practice |
| The specific project objectives are: 1. Develop communities of practice for awareness and knowledge about active lifestyle among former active citizens, practitioners, academics, and sport/labour stakeholders; 2. Empower knowledge sharing and best practices with an emphasis on former active citizens’ behavioral change for healthy active lifestyle using e-learning material and traineeship monitored by specialized trainers; 3. Informing the target groups about the specific condition of the healthy active lifestyle among former active citizens; 4. Design and develop self-report measurement and e-learning content packaged in healthy active lifestyle to support former active citizens assessing their healthy active lifestyle; 5.To increase sport stakeholders and policy makers’ awareness about the benefits of using online healthy active lifestyle resources for behavior change of former active citizens. |
| Evidence as to why this was considered good practice |
| Trainers are focusing to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the online course to guide trainees from different participants’ countries. Each partner managed the work and involvement of members of the Technical Committee, trainers and trainees from its own country. In general, counselling and prescription was defined in a ratio of 1 trainer to 2 trainees. The relationship has been personal and the goal was trainee’s behavioural change in relation to their physical activity and other health-related behaviours (defined by the specific needs; e.g., smoking, alcohol consume, nutrition, overweight). The relationship was personal and the purpose was to activate the trainees mainly outdoors, activating the trainee in green contexts (e.g., city parks, outdoor sports circuits, open sports facilities) associated to physical activity and behavioural change adherence. |
| 3 Key learning Principles that were used in this good practice to support senior learners |
| 1. Motivation and engagement 2. Collaborative learning 3. Transfer of learning |
| Any additional learning that we can take from this good practice example |
| The literature points out that two dimensions also contribute to the value of the impact of the transition from active life to retirement, and readiness to retire (Ryan, Newton, Chauhan, & Chopik, 2017; Schwaba & Bleidorn, 2019). Consequently, the retirement can be experienced more positively if a preparation and a plan are in place, and in cases of early retirement, these are decisions taken by the initiative of the worker and not forced for health or social reasons. To create the figure of trainer of former active citizens as new certification, with a well-defined set of skills, knowledge, and attitudes, along with the basis for a high-quality training programme, that would open up opportunities for sport professionals to gain a new qualification as well as to broaden the range of job opportunities. |
| Any Additional Information |
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