Active SWV recognizes the importance of being active on a regular basis to manage and prevent chronic diseases.
Active SWV Community Captain volunteers are trained to lead others in safe physical activity and be the social support needed to increase positive behavior changes. These peer-to-peer interventions offer free activities across many locations to remove common barriers specific to southern West Virginia; fee based activities, drive time, lack of knowledge about an activity, and lack of peer motivation.
Active SWV has been in partnership with the New River Gorge National River and other regional parks since 2015. These partners provide safe places for events and additional support from park staff. In honor of our park resources, we would like to jointly celebrate Park Rx Day with a group hike on the Glade Creek Trail in Fayette County on April 28th at 9am. Community Captain Pat Gagan, a retired park superintendent, will be welcoming and leading the group along this winding creek to enjoy the spring wildflowers and fresh air. Additional free programs can be found year round on this website calendar.
There are great health benefits to being in nature.
Providers are needed!
Health care providers, social workers, and pharmacists are invited to get involved! Your referral can go a long way. Here are some tools for you to use in waiting rooms, as handouts, and for giving prescriptions to be active. Active SWV is also in partnership with the WV Health Connection, a software tool connecting primary health care providers with community bases programs addressing chronic disease prevention and management.
Why participate in referring Active SWV programs?
The link between human health and ecological health is not new knowledge, but the burgeoning movement of the health care sector prescribing parks to highlight this link is. This growing movement shows that park prescriptions have the potential to shift human health care to include nature-based interventions. The peer-to-peer approach offered by the Active SWV Community Captain volunteers provides a welcoming, nonjudgmental, supportive, and safe experience to keep participants engaged in physical activity. Success is measured in a number of ways; participants are successful in just showing up to a program, recognition is given for repeat participation, and there are many rewards to becoming a volunteer yourself.
