Volunteer walk leader trainingAims of the day

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Understand Walking for Health

Understand the benefits of walking

Getting to know the role of walk leader

Gain confidence and knowledge needed to lead a health walk and complete the required paperwork

Overview of the day

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9.30 Registration 10.00 Icebreaker10.15 Walking for Health10.55 The benefits of walking11.45 Coffee break11.55 Your role as a walk leader12.50 Demonstration walk1.35 Lunch2.10 Managing walks and walkers2.30 Paperwork, insurance and the database3.15 Coffee break3.25 Walking and health conditions4.05 The walk leader experience4.10 Next steps4.30 Close

Ice breaker

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600 schemes3,400 walks10,000 volunteers

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Your local scheme (edit here)

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Our partnership

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A new era for Walking for Health

Our partnership

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The RamblersWorking for walkers from 1935....

....to today

...and protecting the places where you walk

Helping people to go walking...

Our partnership

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One in three of us will get cancer

2 million2 million of us are living with it

1.6 million cancer survivors aren’t active enough

“Cheryl, my walk leader, encouraged me to walk, which greatly improved my mind set and fitness when I was recovering from cancer.” Catherine, walker

Macmillan Cancer Support

What is a health walk?

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Activity

Why Walking for Health?

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The benefits

I felt really proud of myself at the end of the walk. No one will ever know just what a big deal it was for me to get there in the first place but I’m so glad I did.

My confidence has grown immensely.. I felt so much better after every walk

It was great to be doing something active while making new friends.

Who we are

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The Walking for Health team

Who we are

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Support for youScheme coordinators

Walking for Health website

Newsletters

Fellow leaders

Accreditation

Helps us to maintain some common standards across our schemes, creating a strong, consistent offer. It also helps us to keep our brand strong, raise our profile and secure added confidence from funders, partners, volunteers and participants.

To find out more go to - http://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/running-health-walks/walking-for-health-accreditation

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Physical activity

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How much do you know?How much physical activity does the government recommend we should be doing every week?

What percentage of men and women currently don’t meet the government’s physical activity guidelines?

By how much can being inactive shorten our lifespan? a) 0 years b) 1-2 years c) 3-5 years d) 5-7 years

Which of these health conditions does keeping active reduce the risk of? a) coronary heart disease b) stroke c) type 2 diabetes d) depression e) colon cancer f) Alzheimer’s

What’s better for you? a) ironing for 30 minutes a day? b) walking briskly for 30 minutes a day? c) running for 15 minutes a day

Walking for Health volunteer walk leader training

Physical activity

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Benefits and barriers

I don’t have time

It makes me happier

Why walk?

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The physical benefits

If a medication existed which had a similar effect to physical activity, it would be regarded as a ‘wonder drug’ or a ‘miracle cure’.

Former Chief Medical Officer of England

Only a third of adults in the UK are active enough, but it doesn’t have to be this way...

Why walk?

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The mental benefits

“Walking for Health has been one of the best things I’ve ever done, I feel like I’ve found the real me again. I’m healthier, fitter, happier and more confident.”

Sandra, walker with Walking for Health

It’s not just about physical health, walking is great for body and mind...

Why not walk?

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Common barriersYou can find responses to these in your manual...

I haven’t got time

Exercise isn’t safe – I might get injured

Exercise is boring

I can’t afford it

I’m overweight and don’t have the confidence

You have to be fit to exercise

I don’t know how or where to get active

A friend who was taking part said don’t walk on your own, come and join us. It is a very sociable group, so a lot of people have made quite good friends through the walks…

Walking for Health

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Motivation to take part

Physical activity and mental health

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The benefits

Walking has always been there for me, my confidence has grown immensely. I'm a totally different person now than I was ten years ago and I owe so much of that to walking.

Walker with bipolar disorder

23 ½ hours

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Another view point

Coffee break

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What makes an ideal walk leader?

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Activity

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The walk leader’s role

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Looking after yourself

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Because your health is important too!

Leading a safe walk

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Recces and risk assessments

ReccesGive you knowledge and confidence

Risk assessments-For safety-For insurance

Components of a health walk

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Activity

Before

At the start

During

After

Leading a health walk

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Top tips

Knowledgeable

Equipped

Welcoming Friendly

Observant

Empowering

Demo walk

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Lunch

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Managing a group of walkers

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The practicalitiesIf a group of strangers turned up at the same place, at the same time, in unfamiliar surroundings and decided to go on a walk without a leader, what would happen?

Dealing with difficult scenarios

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Activity

I’m going to shout at people if we don’t do what I want to do

I’m wearing flip flops

I don’t want to fill out the health questionnaire

Paperwork and the database

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What we all need to know

Insurance

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What it is and what it covers

Walking is one of the safest outdoor activities

Civil liability NOT personal accident

Trained walk leader on Walking for Health activities

First aid

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Our advice

We recommend walk leaders receive training

It’s not an insurance requirement for us

Individual schemes will have their own policies

British Red Cross advice

Route planning (optional)

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Finding the right way

Coffee break

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Walking and mental health

What words would you relate to someone with a mental health problem?

How could you tell if someone has a mental health problem?

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Activity

Walk and Talk

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Relax

Listen

Present

Reflect

Human

SignpostAvoid judgement

Nod and smileAllow them to finish

Be in the momentAvoid rehearsing a

response

Summarise and repeat back to show

you have listened

Connect as a person“That must have

been difficult”

Give contact details of relevant

organisations

Adopt an open body posture

Understanding learning disabilities

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Activity

What does ‘learning disability’ mean to you?

In small groups, come up with your own definition of what a learning disability is

How do you know that someone has a learning disability?

Mental health & learning disabilities

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The differences

Mental health problems... Learning disabilities...

...can occur at any time

...affect the way you think, feel and behave

...can be treated with therapy or drugs, which can help some

people

...you have from birth

...affect the way you learn, communicate & understand

...cannot be treated medically and are lifelong

Communication tips

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Speaking to someone with learning disabilities

The right place

Check you’ve understood

Open questions

Watch body language

Take your time

Use visual aids

Break down information

Your next steps

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Working towards your certificate

Your manual

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Let’s take a look

Training summary

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Review of the aims of the day

Understand Walking for Health

Understand the benefits of walking

Getting to know the role of walk leader

Gain confidence and knowledge needed to lead a health walk and complete the required paperwork

Thank you!

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