Active For Life
101
What is Active For Life?
• Flexible, 10-week team-based worksite physical
activity program
• Team-based approach, with ability to set
individual goals
• Receive a point for each minute of physical
activity – counts toward individual and team goals
• Participants, Team Captains, and Directors
provide encouragement to succeed
• Based on the Stages of Change Theory and the
American Cancer Society (ACS) Guidelines for
Physical Activity
Evidence Base
•
Five stages of change:
1. Precontemplation - No physical activity
2. Contemplation - Not active, but intends to start in a few months
3. Preparation - Participate in some physical activity, but not regularly
4. Action - Have been active regularly for less than six months
5. Maintenance - Regularly active for more than six months
•
Individual Goal Setting, Social Support, Tracking/Journaling
•
ACS Recommendations for Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention
• Adults: Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical
activity, above usual activities, on 5 or more days of the week; 45 to 60
minutes of intentional physical activity are preferable.
• Children and adolescents: Engage in at least 60 minutes per day of
moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week.
• Moderate activity is anything that makes you breathe as hard as
you do during a brisk walk. During moderate activity, you will notice
a slight increase in your heart rate and breathing, but you probably
won’t break a sweat.
• Vigorous activity is performed at a higher intensity. These activities
produce an increased heart rate, sweating, and breathing rate.
AFL Structure with Exec Director
Executive Director
Program Director
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Program Director
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Executive Director Role
• Highest role in the Active for Life (AFL)
program
• Suggested for companies running
multiple AFL campaigns with multiple
Program Directors (PD) (i.e., an
organization composed of a corporate
office and two satellite offices, the
organization will need an ED to oversee
the AFL campaign and PDs to
implement the campaign at each
satellite office)
Executive Director Responsibilities
• Invite Program Directors
• Work with Program Directors to
coordinate your company’s overall AFL
program
• Determine incentives and activities
• Access reports for all campaigns
• Provide program analysis
• Wellness Planning Committee
AFL Structure with a Program
Director
Program Director
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Team Captain
Participant
Participant
Participant
Participant
Program Director Role
• Manages a single AFL campaign
• May be the highest role in the AFL
campaign if Executive Director level
is not needed
• Works closely with Executive
Director if applicable
• If no ED, PD determines campaign
dates, bonus points, incentives and
activities
Program Director Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Determine logistics of campaign
Communicates with management
Selects and invites Team Captains
Creates program news
Monitors team reports
Distributes incentives and plans activities
Chair the campaign’s Wellness Planning
Committee
Team Captain Role &
Responsibilities
• Provides program information and
support directly to the program
participants
• Essential part of keeping the
Participants motivated
• Selects the team name and team logo
(logo is optional)
• Invites the employees to participate on
their team
• Monitors team and Participant reports
Participant Role & Responsibilities
• Participates in the activities
• Encourages other participants
• Enjoys the benefits of using the AFL
program
• Commits to being physically active
• Logs their points and keeps their activity
log up-to-date
Role Recap
Executive Director:
• Highest role in AFL program
• Suggested for companies with multiple
worksites
Program Director:
• Manage AFL Campaign within worksites
Team Captain:
• Provide program information and support to
participants
Participant:
• Participates in the activities
• Invite Program Directors
• Develop Reports
• Provide Program Analysis
• Selects campaign logistics
• Selects/Invites Team Captains
• Creates program news
• Monitors team reports
• Selects team name and logo (optional)
•Invites employees to participate on their team
•Monitors team and participant reports
Active For Life Support Tools
• AFL Best Practices
• A document that shares ideas and suggestions from other
companies or organizations who have implemented Active
For Life in their environment
• Training presentations available for each role
within Active For Life
• Campaign Tips within the AFL site
• Section of the site that houses role specific tips and
resources
• Active For Life Help section
• Details step by step directions by role to assist in navigating
the AFL site
• ACS Relationship Manager Support
Home Page
www.activeforlife.org
Participant Dashboard
Optional Nutrition and Weight Tools
For more information about
Active For Life,
contact your ACS Relationship Manager
Or
activeforlife@cancer.org
©2010 American Cancer Society, Inc. No.0052.21