Identifying the role of community partnerships in creating change to support active living.

BACKGROUND: Active Living by Design (ALbD) partnerships were established to change environments and policies as well as support complementary programs and promotions to increase physical activity in 25 communities across the U.S. PURPOSE: This paper summarizes the structural and functional aspects of partnerships identified as having a substantial influence on these initiatives. METHODS: A mixed-methods evaluation included qualitative (e.g., key informant interviews, focus groups) and quantitative (e.g., survey, web-based tracking) methods. Data were collected from 2003 to 2008, systematically analyzed to identify influential factors, and triangulated for model development. RESULTS: The partnerships identified a number of structural and functional factors that were important to their success, including multisectoral partners, flexible governance structures, leadership, group management, action planning, and assessment/evaluation. Three types of partnership models-utilitarian, lead agency, and collaboration-emerged across the community partnerships. Most partnerships reported challenges with engaging community members and ensuring equitable distribution of resources at the local level. CONCLUSIONS: The ALbD community partnerships utilized several structural and functional factors to enhance the success of their multisector collaborations. Yet, the varied types of lead agencies, partners, and partnership structures suggest that there is no one best way to bring partners together.

The Active Living by Design national program: community initiatives and lessons learned.

Public health advocates have increasingly highlighted the importance of implementing comprehensive physical activity interventions that use an ecologic framework. Such a framework can broadly address physical activity barriers, such as the lack of opportunities, social support, policies, built environments, and community awareness. The Active Living by Design (ALbD) was a community grant program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), which was established to help 25 communities create environments that support active living. Each funded site established a multidisciplinary community partnership and implemented the 5P strategies: preparation, promotions, programs, policy, and physical projects. The community partnerships worked within neighborhoods, schools, worksites, and other organizations to increase physical and social supports for physical activity. Ten community examples illustrate the 5Ps. Throughout the 5-year grant, the ALbD national program office provided community partnerships with group and individualized learning opportunities. Technical assistance and peer-to-peer learning was facilitated by ALbD project officers, who also coached each community partnership via site visits, regular phone calls, and electronic communications. The ALbD grant program provided valuable lessons for communities, technical assistance organizations, and funders. Community partnerships experienced success in a variety of settings and their collaborative approaches encouraged multiple organizations, including funders, to participate in improving conditions for active living. Strong local leadership was a key to success and community partnerships benefited considerably from peer-to-peer learning. The 5P model, while challenging to implement comprehensively, proved to be a useful model for community change.

Transforming a small midwestern city for physical activity: from the sidewalks up.

BACKGROUND: Jackson, Michigan (population 36,000) started active living interventions to help solve residents' low physical activity levels. Jackson's experience can serve as a case study for beginning similar efforts in smaller communities. METHODS: In 2003, Jackson began a 3-prong community intervention utilizing the 5P model to increase safe physical activity opportunities and encourage walking and biking for short trips. The focus included work on projects at 1) elementary schools, 2) worksites, and 3) city-wide networks. RESULTS: Evaluation results show changes in attitudes toward active transportation (8% increase in children who thought walking to school was "safer" postintervention), intentions to try active transportation (43% of Smart Commute Day participants "would" smart commute more often postevent), and increased physical activity (the percentage of students walking to school more than doubled at 3 of 4 intervention schools). In addition, a community level observational study was conducted at 10 locations in the city in 2005 and 2006. The number of people seen using active transportation increased from 1,028 in 2005 to 1,853 people in 2006 (a 63% increase). CONCLUSIONS: Local community-driven projects to increase walking and biking can be effective by utilizing a variety of interventions, from the individual to the policy level.

The Promoting Active Communities Program: improvement of Michigan's self-assessment tool.

BACKGROUND: This project updated and improved the Promoting Active Communities Program (PAC), a Web-based assessment that enables communities to scrutinize their programs, policies, and environments related to physical activity, generating ideas and community commitment for improvements. METHODS: A literature review, focus groups, and expert review guided PAC improvements. RESULTS: Over 150 articles and audit measures in the fields of transportation, public health, and urban planning were reviewed. Indicators were identified, categorized, and evaluated for use in the PAC. Focus-group participants communicated motivations, processes, and obstacles for completing the PAC and developing an action plan. Participants requested technical information to guide them in achieving active-living environments. CONCLUSIONS: Information gathered was used to improve the PAC Web site. A technical assistance document, Design Guidelines for Active Michigan Communities, was created to aid communities in creating active-living environments. The new PAC and Design Guidelines are available for public use at www.mihealthtools.org/communities.

Shape up your community.

Looking for a new way to strengthen your community's health? Active community environments (ACEs) is a new approach to public health, which also serves to boost economic vitality in communities and is being used by some companies to attract a great employee team.