ASSESSING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE "JUST WALK IT" PROGRAM MODEL: IS IT EFFECTIVE AND WILL IT ENHANCE PROGRAM SUCCESS?

It has been reported that Queensland is one of the least active states within Australia, has the lowest rate of regular walking and the highest percentage of the population doing no walking. The "Just Walk It" (JWI) program is a community-based program, developed by the National Heart Foundation (Queensland Division) and the School of Human Movement Studies at the University of Queensland. The program aims to increase the community's participation in physical activity by encouraging individuals to walk together in groups in their neighbourhood. JWI may provide a sustainable framework for implementing walking as a suitable physical activity within communities and is the only program in Queensland developed with the capacity to be adopted and implemented within communities across Queensland. Detailed data were collected from 50 program stakeholders and participants in regional and city areas of Queensland, through interviews, focus groups and a survey to determine whether the JWI framework was an effective and sustainable model to engage local organisations and communities to participate in walking. Factors identified as important in implementing JWI included: 1) inter-agency collaboration, 2) strategic program planning, 3) targeting local coordinating agencies with strong community links and experience in implementing programs, 4) frequent support for local coordinators implementing the program, 5) program ownership in the local community and, 6) continued promotion and support from the Heart Foundation. The findings suggest that the JWI model is an appropriate framework for disseminating walking programs throughout the state. However, recommendations were made to improve the program's operation and sustainability. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E204599.

• Corporate Authors:

  WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT

  441 MURRAY STREET
  PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA  Australia  6000
• Authors:
  • FOREMAN, R
  • BROOKES, L
  • ABERNETHY, P
  • BROWN, W
  • STONEHAM, M
• Conference:
  • AUSTRALIA: WALKING THE 21ST CENTURY, INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 2001, PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, VOL 3
• Publication Date: 2001-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 3-15

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Conferences; Evaluation and assessment; Health; Pedestrians; Planning; Public participation; Questionnaires; Recreation; Sustainable development
• Geographic Terms: Australia
• ITRD Terms: 8006: Australia; 8525: Conference; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 2144: Health; 9147: Interview; 1733: Pedestrian; 143: Planning; 142: Public participation; 9142: Recreation; 2427: Sustainability
• Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00937217
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 5 2003 12:00AM