Network for a Healthy California African American Campaign Advocate for Fruits, Vegetables, and Physical Activity in Your Community

Advocate for Fruits, Vegetables, and Physical Activity in Your Community  Overview  This lesson teaches participants to identify barriers to eating fruits and vegetables and being physically active in their community.

Learning Objective 1: Identify and discuss at least four barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption Ask participants to list barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption in their community. Examples of barriers: There are too many fast food restaurants in my community. There is a lack of quality fruits and vegetables in my neighborhood grocery store. There is a lack of fruits and vegetables where I work.

Learning Objective 2 : Identify and discuss at least four ways to overcome barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption Ask participants to identify solutions to fruit and vegetable consumption in their community. Examples of solutions: Advocate for fast food restaurants to serve more fruits and vegetables. Urge my local grocery store to sell quality fruits and vegetables. Ask my employer to provide fruits and vegetables in the vending machines where I work.

Learning Objective 3 : Identify and discuss at least four barriers to physical activity Ask participants to work with their groups to identify barriers to physical activity. Have participants focus on barriers in their community. Examples of barriers: My neighborhood is not safe for walking. My community does not have bicycle lanes. The walking paths in my community parks are poorly maintained.

Learning Objective 4 : Identify and discuss at least four ways to overcome barriers to physical activity Ask participants to work with their groups to identify solutions to the barriers. Examples of solutions: Work with local law enforcement to provide safe walking zones. Work with the Department of Transportation to construct bicycle lanes. Work with the Department of Parks and Recreation to restore walking paths.

Learning Objective 5: Summarize six steps to advocate for fruits, vegetables, and physical activity at the community level. 1.Bring together a group of 5 to 10 people who are interested in advocating for fruits, vegetables, and physical activity in your community. 2.Determine what you want to advocate for in your community. 3.Work with your group to create a clear and concise problem statement for your fruit, vegetable, and physical activity issues.

Learning Objective 5 continued: 4.Work with your group to list the steps that will be taken to solve the fruit, vegetable, and physical activity problems in your community. Once the group has completed the steps, make sure all group members agree with the solutions. 5.Bring other people into your group who can help solve the fruit, vegetable, and physical activity problems and help advocate for your solutions. 6.Let appropriate decision-makers know about the fruit, vegetable, and physical activity problems that your group would like to solve.

Conducting the Class MATERIALS Paper and pencils A dry-erase board or large sheets of paper Markers (Timer) HANDOUT The Easy Steps to Advocate for Fruits, Vegetables, and Physical Activity in Your Community handout (p. H - 22)

Conducting the Class PREPARATION Photocopy the Easy Steps to Advocate for Fruits, Vegetables, and Physical Activity in Your Community handout for each participant. Divide class into groups of 4-6 people Identify a note taker for each group

Conducting the Class INSTRUCTIONS: Divide the class into groups of 4-6 participants. Distribute paper and a pencil to each group. Ask the groups to identify a note-taker who will record the responses. The groups will have a total of 40 minutes to: Identify and create a list of barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Identify and create a list of solutions, and share those lists with the class. Closely monitor your time.

Conducting the Class Ask the groups to identify a list of BARRIERS to fruit and vegetable consumption. Ask the note-taker to share the results with the entire class. Write the list of barriers on the dry-erase board.

Conducting the Class Ask the groups to identify a list of SOLUTIONS to fruit and vegetable consumption. Ask the note-taker to share the results with the entire class. Write the list of solutions on the dry-erase board.

Conducting the Class Ask the groups to identify a list of BARRIERS to physical activity. Ask the note-taker to share the results with the entire class. Write the list of barriers on the dry-erase board.

Conducting the Class Ask the groups to identify a list of SOLUTIONS to physical activity. Ask the note-taker to share the results with the entire class. Write the list of solutions on the dry-erase board.

Conducting the Class Distribute the Easy Steps to Advocate for Fruits, Vegetables, and Physical Activity in Your Community handout to each participant. –Describe each step to the participants. –Take 10 minutes to demonstrate how they can apply the Easy Steps by using one fruit and vegetable solution and one physical activity solution. –Allow the group time to apply the Easy Steps to one fruit and vegetable solution and one physical activity solution.

Key Messages Make sure participants are able to identify four barriers to fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity. Make sure participants know how to develop solutions to each of their barriers. Make sure participants can summarize and apply the Easy Steps to advocate for fruits, vegetables, and physical activity in their community.