Active SWV is committed to providing free physical activity opportunities to kids and families in our region through Kids Run Clubs and other youth programming initiatives. Covid-19 has made it necessary to limit in person interactions with Kids Run Club coaches and groups, so we have reformulated the program to include more virtual support and some added perks for participating groups. Active SWV is excited to introduce the Spring 2021 Kids Run Club Grant!
Kids Run Club Grant
Active SWV is now offering a Kids Run Club Grant as a starter or stimulus package to schools, PE teachers, and others to implement in their school or community group. The goal of the Kids Run Club program is to teach kids the benefits of exercise while giving them lifelong skills and building their confidence in physical activity. The program is free so that all children have an opportunity to learn and benefit. The grant allows schools and community cohorts to deliver the program independently with online technical support from the Active SWV Youth Program Director.
Kids Run Club Program History:
The Kids Run Club program began in 2015 and has a history of success. Every season, we conduct pre and post surveys with participants using surveys designed by the WVU School of Public Health.
Our 2019 data about the Kids Run Club program shows the following:
- *The percentage of participants that achieved the recommended 60 mins of PA a days 7 days a week increased from 29.5% to 35.9%
- *By the end of the program, participants’ average daily screen time decreased from 3.64 hours a day to 3.3 hours a day, which equals about 22 minutes.
- *From the beginning of the program to the end, the percentage of participants who met the recommended 2 hours or less of screen-time per day increased from 43.4% to 49.7%.
- At the end of the program, 66.2% of participants said they could definitely be active for the recommended 60 minutes a day, compared with only 60.6% who expressed that at the start of the program.
- 70.1% of kids indicated that since participating in a 2019 Kids Run Club, they had gotten a friend or family member to increase their physical activity as well.
Kids Run Club Program Structure:
Kids Run Clubs typically run for 6-8 weeks in the fall and spring seasons. Volunteer teachers and parents facilitate the club and hold practices according to what works for their schedule. Most groups practice for about an hour once a week after school, and some clubs even practice before the school day begins. During each practice the participants build on what they learned the week before, and the last practice is structured as a ‘Fun Run’ where the kids run a designated distance and receive their end of season participation shirts and medals. There is plenty of freedom with the structure of the final practice Fun Run – you can do whatever works for your Club and space!
Before the club begins, volunteers meet with an Active SWV staff member to receive their Kids Run Club manual and undergo a coaches training to get them fully prepared to lead the club. The manual is a resource guidebook with a suggested curriculum for how to structure practices. It also contains warm up, cool down, exercise and game guides to use in each practice. In the Kids Run Club Coaches training, an Active SWV staff member will go over the manual step by step, and help volunteers plan their Kids Run Club start to finish. Active SWV is also available throughout the whole duration of the club to provide technical assistance and support.
Kids Run Club Program Grant Includes:
Any school or community group may apply for the grant, regardless of whether you’ve had a Kids Run Club before. The Kids Run Club Program Grant includes:
- Online Kids Run Club Coaches training to volunteers
- Manuals mailed to all coaches
- ASWV provides end of season shirts and medals
- Technical support from Active SWV throughout
- $250 Funding to spend on exercise equipment and/or other healthy items for the club
Kids Run Club Grant requirements:
To receive the full benefits of the Kids Run Club Grant, you must:
- Offer the program for free to participants
- All participants fill out the Active SWV waiver
- Volunteers keep a roster and weekly attendance sheet to share with Active SWV
- Administer the pre and post surveys to the participants
Active SWV tracks program participation numbers and keeps track of new participants each semester in order to measure program growth. The pre and post surveys provide us with valuable information on how the program impacts participants and their families. The insights we gain from participation records and the survey data allow us to secure funding for future seasons of the program by sharing it with partners and funders so we can continue offering the program for free.
Active SWV is able to offer $250 to help you get your Kids Run Club started, or to augment your existing Kids Run Club! This funding can be used for the following:
- Fitness equipment for the club (mini hurdles, cones, jump ropes, agility ladders, etc)
- Water/water cooler, and reusable water bottles
- Healthy snacks
If you have questions about what to use the funding for, please contact [email protected] to discuss what you have in mind.
How do I apply for the Kids Run Club Grant?
To apply, please fill out this form here. You’ll receive a notification that your application was submitted successfully, and someone from Active SWV will contact you shortly after regarding your request.
