American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance - AAHPERD

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Family and Community Involvement

Family and community involvement in school-based physical activity provides numerous benefits. Research shows that youth participation in physical activity is influenced by participation and support of parents and siblings. When families are active together, they spend additional time together and experience health benefits.  Families can support a comprehensive school physical activity program by participating in evening/weekend special events and parents/guardians serving as physical education/activity volunteers. Community involvement allows maximum use of school and community resources (e.g., facilities, personnel) and creates a connection between school- and community-based physical activity opportunities. Joint-use agreements are an example of a formal school-community collaboration.

Alignment with National Public Health Campaigns 

National Physical Activity Plan

  • Promote programs and facilities where people work, learn, live, play and worship (i.e., workplace public, private, and non-profit recreational sites) to provide easy access to safe and affordable physical activity opportunities.
  • Develop partnerships with other sectors for the purpose of linking youth with physical activities opportunities in schools and communities.
  • Provide access to and opportunities for physical activity before and after school.

 

White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President 

  • Federal, state, and local educational agencies, in partnership with communities and businesses, should work to support programs to extend the school day, including afterschool programs, which offer and enhance physical activity opportunities in their programs.
  • "Active transport" should be encouraged between homes, schools, and community destinations including to and from parks, libraries, transit, bus stops, and recreation centers.
  • Increase the number of safe and accessible parks and playgrounds, particularly in underserved and low-income communities.
  • Local governments should be encouraged to enter into joint use agreements to increase children's access to community sites for indoor and outdoor recreation.
  • The business sectors should be encouraged to consider which resources, such as fields and gyms can be used in increase students' access to recreational venues. Corporations, for example, may have large grounds that they can make available for children in the community to play soccer or engage in other activities.

 

Healthy People 2020 Objectives

  • Increase the proportion of the Nation's schools that provide access to their physical activity spaces and facilities for all persons outside of normal school hours, including weekends, summer and other vacations.
  • Increase the proportion of adolescents who meet current Federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic physical activity and for muscle-strengthening activity.
  • Reduce the proportion of adults who engage in no leisure-time physical activity
  • Increase the proportion of adults that meet current Federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic physical activity and for muscle strength training.
Expert Organizations/Agencies/Websites

National Standards and Guidelines

Practical Resources

Cross-Cutting Expert Organizations/Agencies