About the Project
Identifying the NeedIdentifying the Need
Before this project began, our Centre staff had been approached by and spoken with a wide range of practitioners (e.g., exercise physiologists and others) over a significant period of time. Collectively, the practitioners clearly identified a real and increasing need for appropriate resources or tools that would help them do physical activity counselling, especially in health care settings.
Some examples of the key issues that practitioners have encountered include:
- many available resources are not evidence- or behavior-based;
- many available resources are not suitable for different audiences (e.g., for people with chronic conditions) or do not have appropriate content or messaging;
- many (or most) resources are not written in plain language (for easier readability by the public, and by people with low literacy or whose first language is not English); and
- most resources are not written in other languages.
The lack of appropriate (or quality) resources is a problem shared by many practitioners who play a direct role in promoting physical activity. Although practitioners do have access to quality resources such as the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, such resources are not always the most appropriate tool for different clients.
The resources that have been developed for the Physical Activity Counselling Toolkit are written in plain language, and are intended to widen the choice of resources available to practitioners. We hope that practitioners will find some or all of the resources to be of practical, day-to-day assistance when working with clients. The resources are also available in French and Punjabi.
The Alberta Centre for Active Living led the development of resources included in the toolkit. An advisory committee of Alberta-based practitioners provided guidance, helpful inputs and expertise. The project is funded by the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation.
Developing the Resources
Each resource in the toolkit:
- reflects the current literature and research;
- has a focus towards behaviour change (not just an educational focus);
- is written in plain language;
- is formatted to ensure high standards of readability are met; and
- meets the needs of practitioners working with clients who have a chronic condition(s) or are at risk of developing a chronic condition(s).
During the development process, each resource was evaluated to improve the readability and suitability for the general public. In addition, the resources were field-tested and evaluated by practitioners and their clients, throughout the province.
Each resource has been reviewed and endorsed by the Alberta CSEP (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology).
Project Team
Centre staff:
Angela Torry, Project Coordinator and Content Developer
Don Buchanan, Editor
Betty Lee, Graphic Design
Advisory Committee members:
- Marni Armstrong - Exercise Physiologist, PhD candidate, University of Calgary
- Nancy Becker Hallford - Health Literacy Consultant, Chronic Disease Management, Alberta Health Services
- Taniya Birbeck - Exercise Specialist, Chronic Disease Management, Alberta Health Services
- Steven Cheetham - Exercise Specialist, Edmonton North Primary Care Network
- Judith Down - Director, Alberta Centre for Active Living
- Katherine MacKeigan - Director, Provincial Fitness Unit of Alberta
- Janice Patterson - Active Living Specialist, Health Promotion, Disease & Injury Prevention, Population & Public Health, Alberta Health Services
- Dr. Ron Sigal – Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine, Cardiac Sciences and Community Health Sciences, Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology, University of Calgary
- Dr. Lorian Taylor - Dietitian, PhD (health literacy expert)
- Lisa Workman - Kinesiologist/Exercise Specialist, Edmonton Oliver Primary Care Network
Acknowledgements
The Alberta Centre for Active Living thanks the advisory committee members for their hard work, dedication and involvement in this project. As well, thanks to the practitioners and their clients who participated in evaluating the resources. Thanks also to the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks & Wildlife Foundation and the Government of Alberta for funding of this project.
Use the Toolkit – View and/or print the plain language resources. |
