Green Prescription Active Families is a free 6 month community-based programme that supports children / young people and their families to get active and learn about healthy eating in a fun and affordable way.
The goal of the programme is for the whole family to be actively involved in regular physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day.
The Active Families Coordinator’s aim is to work with all active families participants and their whanau / families to set realistic goals to encourage regular activity that is fun and interactive through support, education and encouragement.
Who is eligible
To be eligible for the programme you will need to meet the criteria:
- Aged between 5-18 years
- Inactive / overweight and benefit from being more active
- Benefit from healthy eating education
- Be supported by the whanau / family
- Children aged 4 years are eligible if referred through B4 School Checks
How can I refer
There are no restrictions on who can refer to the programme. We encourage self-referrals, referrals from health professionals, community groups, family members and schools who feel the child / young person would benefit from being more active.
Referral forms can be found on our website and be sent to our office.
Please ensure you receive the families consent before referring.
If we receive a referral with no referral form, this will be completed during the first appointment with the family. Once you have completed the programme we will provide discharge information to your referring agency, unless the family referred themselves.
Why is the family involved
The Active Families programme is more successful when there is dedicated support from family members, especially when there are young children involved and because of this, we encourage the family to be actively involved in the programme.
How does the programme work
Once a referral is made to the programme you will be contacted to arrange your first appointment. During your appointment we will discuss:
- goal setting and how we monitor your achievements and stay in contact
- healthy eating ideas and ideas of how you will become more active
- what changes you would like to make and what support you will need
- workshops we offer during the 6 months
- how to get involved in the group activities
Appointments are usually held at our office however we are flexible to meet whanau / family at a place you feel comfortable. There may be one appointment in your home so we have an opportunity to see what activities we could structure around your home and neighbourhood. Appointments can take up to an hour.
We provide basic nutrition advice however if you require more in-depth information you may be referred to the Community Dietitian.
As part of the programme you will be invited to attend workshops with other Active Families participants and you will be invited to all group activities.
At the end of the programme
You can leave Active Families at any stage, however to get the full benefits of what the programme offers we recommend you commit to the 6 months.
At the end of 6 months, all active families participants will have a better understanding about physical activity and healthy eating and can independently sustain an increased physical activity level and therefore graduate from the programme.
For families that would benefit from taking part in a further 6 months, you are able to continue with the programme.
All participants that graduate from Active Families receive a certificate.
