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People in Public health. Stella Goddard, Natural England’s Healthy Walking Project Manager. Volunteers, why do we involve them?. Reach: it increases the number of schemes we can support Sustainability: schemes can have a longer life with volunteers involved
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People in Public health Stella Goddard, Natural England’s Healthy Walking Project Manager
Volunteers, why do we involve them? • Reach: it increases the number of schemes we can support • Sustainability: schemes can have a longer life with volunteers involved • Influence: target audiences recognize volunteers as being like them and trust them • Logistics: it’s the only realistic way to be able to support so many walks and walkers
Advantages to the Programme • Volunteers can become walking champions • Volunteers can mentor participants • Volunteers can root the scheme in their community • Volunteers make the walks possible • Volunteers make the walks sociable and enjoyable • Volunteers make volunteers feel safe on the walk
Advantages to Participants • Participants have a friend to show them where to walk • The walk will be safe, enjoyable and friendly • The walk will be local, regular and accessible • The walk will be non-threatening • The walk will not feel medicalised • The walk will feel like a social activity • The walk will feel like their walk
Advantages to Walk leaders • It is an opportunity to progress as a walker • It is a way to sustain something they like doing • It is a way to champion something they enjoy • It is a chance to be part of something • It is a way to help their community
Needs of Volunteers • To know what is expected of them • To know who can help them • To know how to do it • To have the equipment to do it • To feel valued • To be protected • To have their costs reimbursed
Support WHI offers volunteers • Walk leader training • Public liability Insurance • Advice • Materials • Networks • Website • E/paper newsletter • Reward events
Numbers involved • 33,900 walk leaders trained • About 2/3 active at any time • 327