1. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia We love (Heart Foundation) Walking!

2. largest free walking network Michelle Wilson National Manager - Walking and Community Engagement © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia Does incentivising participation increase ongoing walking behaviour? Benefits and challenges from Australia's

3. Outline -About Heart Foundation Walking -Program model -Participant snapshot -Walker Recognition Scheme -Incentivised Recruitment Campaign -How, what, why, when -Retention rates -Barriers and challenges -Recommendations -Conclusion Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 3 © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia

4. About Heart Foundation Walking Australia’s largest free walking network A social, fun, free and easy way for people to walk and be active Based on the successful Heart Foundation Just Walk It program Important for health and community cohesion Helps participants meet the National PhysicalActivity Guidelines Over the last 20 years, more than 80,000 Australians have participated in the Heart Foundation’s walking groups stepping out on over 4 million walks! © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Heart Foundation Walking Slide 4

5. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Work in partnership with Host Organisations to establish walking groups Volunteer Walk Organisers led walking groups Individuals can join our online virtual walking community Aims to make regular walking enjoyable and easy, especially those not used to being active. Groups can be any size, and walk at various times, days, places, durations and levels of difficulty.

6. undation of Australia Heart Foundation Walking Program Model Slide 6 © 2011 National Heart Fo

7. Snapshot of participation Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 7 © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia Heart Foundation Walking is Australia’s largest FREE walking network! National Total Participants 23,463 Walkers 21,352 Local Coordinators in local government and community settings 322 Volunteer Walk Organisers 1,789 Walking groups 1,270 Local government areas have HFW groups 271

8. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Average group walks 49 mins once a week and has been active for 3.4 years Longest running group - 20 years Largest group has 362 participants

9. HFW is fun, social and transferrable © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia I HeartV. Foundat1on Heart Foundation Walking Slide9

10. © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 10 47% 51-70 years 23% over 71 years – oldest walkers are in their 90’s 80% Female 41% with annual household income < $40k 2% Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 60% of participants report as being overweight or obese on the BMI scale HFW successfully attracts population groups least likely to be active

11. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Over 74% of HFW participants undertake sufficient levels of physical activity to obtain health benefits. HFW participants met the National Physical Activity Guidelines

12. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Typical community based physical activity programs have a six month retention rate of 50%. HFW consistently demonstrates retention rates well above this – even at the three year mark.

13. © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 13 HFW is sustainable

14. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Walker Recognition Scheme provides support, motivation and goal setting Average 66% of participants opt in at registration

15. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

16. HFW Website - Participant Dashboard © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Walking.heartfoundation.org.au

17. My Walking Groups SALC Earlybirds EditEdit ====------------ ------------- Add Group Add Walker Manage Walkers Announcements New HFW merchandose available for Pfe-ord< Walking VflfVe polo shirts are OON avaiable ' ewYeats Resolution Recruotmenl Campaog Record Attendance 02 M rch 2015 Year's Resolubon ReciUIImenl Campa gn.aD Next Walk Fmd a New Group SA Hean Foundation (Privale WO lace ) 13 Upcoming Walks Record IndiVIdual Walk T1me Walks Attended My Walkmg Groups SA He rt Found tion (Priv t Worllpl ce) )( 0 2MAR2015 SAHeanFoundallOn Local Sn,apshot WalkersGroupsTotal Walks Ac Find a New Group Record IndiVIdual Walk Tome - Find a New Group Record Individual Walk Time Onty 12 more walks untilyou reach your next ac hievement of 25 walks! WakSummary SA Heart Foundation (Private­ Workplace) 1313 Otheresources Walker Handbook Become a Walk Organiser

18. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

19. 78% of Walkers and Walk Organisers rated the Walker Recognition Scheme as important. 70% of Walk Organisers and Area Coordinators agreed the Walker Recognition Scheme motivates their walkers. Events and trial walks are successfully used for recruitment and retention. HFW Resources support recruitment and longevity

20. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Incentivised recruitment campaign -10 week campaign -increase participants -investigate effectiveness of using incentives to engage new participants on an ongoing basis.

22. What did we do? New members were rewarded after registering and achieving a minimum level of activity within the campaign period. Existing groups were rewarded with a prize for: - Greatest percentage increase - Greatest participant number increase © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

23. Prizes were sourced from a National sponsor (Medibank Community Fund) Promoted campaign nationally through low cost avenues –Radio, –Facebook, –Digital advertising –Public relations activity –Existing member networks –New group launches and local events Walk Organisers submitted activity data to verify walks had taken place How did we implement the campaign? © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

24. Group launches and events © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

25. What did we find? Recruitment 1,508 new participants were recruited from September 1 st – November 30 th 51% increase from 2013 Heart Foundation Walking Slide 25

26. 37 new groups (100% increase from 2013) Increase in new registrations was expected….. But would walking behaviour be maintained post campaign. What else did we find? © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia

27. © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia 362 new participants (24%) were eligible for the incentive prize after completing a minimum of six walks with a HFW group within 8 weeks. 3 months – 17 of 362 (4.7%) no longer active. 6 months – 36 of 362 (9.9%) no longer active. 9 months - 43 of 362 (11.8%) are no longer active. 12 months – 59 of the 362 (16.3%) are no longer active. Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 25 But… Did our new recruits maintain participation?

28. Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 26 © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia How did this compare? Participants recruited in the campaign General HFW Participants After 3 months95.3%97% After 6 months90.1%85% After 9 months88.1%82% After 12 months*83.8%75% After 2 years-62% After 3 years-59% * Preliminary data – not all participants are 12 months from registration as the campaign ended in November 204.

29. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia HFW is important for health and community cohesion 90% of walkers surveyed reported HFW important for social and mental wellbeing. 80% of walkers surveyed reported HFW important for their health and fitness. Majority of members (80%) join for health reasons but stay for social reasons. Main reasons for staying with HFW Fun and friendship Safety Group motivation “I have made new friends, we socialise outside of HFW. My health improved, I can walk safely and always have a laugh, so I feel good when I come home. I tell all my friends and neighbours about HFW - the best club I have ever joined. Everyone is so friendly.” “As a widow living alone, I find the morning walk and chat uplifts me.” The camaraderie of our walkers is absolute tops. We have had three social functions for our members - walking has filled a void in life.”

30. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia Administration (time, postage) Reliance on volunteers returning attendance logs within timeframe Local promotion Technical support following the campaign! Barriers and challenges

31. oundation of Australia Heart Foundation Walk Walker Recognition Scheme continues to be an important program element Increase in new recruits when incentives offered Slight increase in retention rates Members join for social and health benefits Social benefits and friendships are the reasons people stay. Conclusion ingSlide 30 © 2011 National Heart F

32. More information Michelle Wilson National Program Manager P+618 8224 2888 Ewalking@heartfoundation.org.auwalking@heartfoundation.org.au Wwalking.heartfoundation.org.au w w.facebook.com/HFWalking @heartfoundationwalking Heart Foundation WalkingSlide 32 © 2011 National Heart Foundation of Australia

33. © 2010 National Heart Foundation of Australia