At the start, think about what you want to achieve and why; and how you will go about it
Reflections and learning log
It’s always good to think at the start of a project about what your purpose is, in this case who you’re trying to help and why; so that you can plan how you’re going to be able to help them and what you’re going to do and when. It can be helpful to write this down.
We designed a Reflections and Learnings Log where you can set out your aim and refer to it as you go along, recording:
- What you’re actually doing – does this still align to your purpose at the start?
- What’s working well and why? What, who, how and when are people/things helping and supporting you?
- What isn’t working so well and why? What are you finding difficult, why is it difficult, who/what is making it difficult?
- What’s helping people to get more physically active? How/why is this happening or not happening?
- So that you can think about how you can adapt things as you go along or work out how to do things differently next time
- And it’s also good to think about what your plan is going forward with the project – do you want to keep it going as it is; change it a bit; grow and develop it or finish it? And what support do you need to help make this happen?
Along the way, think about what’s working well and why and what’s not working so well, and why
Liberty Leisure
The Social Prescribing Link Workers had asked for the chair based exercise classes but then no one was referred into them and so there were few attendees initially. The leader spoke with her contact at Active Notts who then linked her up with the local movers and shakers in the community along with local physios. The physios started referring people to the classes and attended with them. The classes were advertised by a couple of local community partners on the community Facebook pages and also at the flu jabs at the surgery where one community partner worked.
If necessary, think about how you can change things to help support your community as effectively as possible
Just Good Friends
Wanted to enable their attendees to move more. Suggestion of getting off the bus stop one stop earlier didn’t work so bought pedometers, JGF branded them an eEach member was given a branded pedometer – made them feel part of the JGF club. They then were given the challenge of counting their steps each day and adding them to a map of John O Groats to Lands End so they could track their progress. Something they could do from their front door They also used their pedometers on trips out eg to Eyam. Competition to see which community hub got most steps and also a competition between staff and attendees at each hub. Having a challenge gave everyone a goal and something to aim for making it slightly competitive increased interest. When they have completed the JOGLE challenge they want to do more eg walking across Italy – learning about the language, history and food which they can then cook in the community hub, walking across the Sahara, London to Paris etc..
