Defining Partnership
The Centre has formal and informal partnerships with many organizations both provincially and nationally. Examples of these are formal partnerships with Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, which is the provincial government department responsible for physical activity, and with the Public Health Agency of Canada. Both of these organizations require physical activity knowledge and expertise in order to carry out their work in this area.
Important informal partnerships exist with member organizations of the Alberta Active Living Partners, all of whom work to advance the recommendations in the Alberta Active Living Strategy. For example, the Be Fit for Life Network organizations serve the needs of the public and help distribute centre information and resources to their clientele. These organizations in turn receive information and services from the centre.
The knowledge that chronic disease prevention (including obesity) is better achieved through an integrated approach, rather than through action on a single risk factor or specific disease, has resulted in partnerships with many different stakeholders. In Alberta, integrated action on chronic disease prevention and health promotion is coordinated through the Alberta Healthy Living Network (AHLN), formed in 2002. Partnerships for integrated and collaborative action are now a key focus of the Centre, whose role is to provide expertise in physical activity. The World Health Organization has more information about using an integrated approach to chronic disease prevention (www.who.int/chp/about/integrated_cd/en/).
