What is OneStep?

Heart&Stroke OneStep is an extra-curricular and community resource featuring pedometers and activities for girls ages 10-12. It was developed by the Heart and Stroke Foundation for community groups, elementary schools, and junior high schools in Nova Scotia to support girls to become more physically active.

Research indicates that only approximately 20% of females in Grade 7 meet the recommended physical activity levels for youth and, by Grade, 11, less than 1% of females report meeting the standard. OneStep is one resource that schools can use to complement existing activities to encourage and support activity among youth.

Be a OneStep Leader!

The purpose of OneStep is to help youth become more aware of how active they are and to build more activity in their daily lives in a supportive environment. This resource is available for grades 5-7 and community groups. It can also be used by any leader in the school or community.

The OneStep resource contains:

• General information on how to start and maintain the program.
• Tools, resources and suggested activities for youth.
• Pedometers for children and youth.
• Suggestions for linking the resource to existing programming and curriculum in schools to support existing activities.

To find out more about the OneStep program, or if your school or community group would like to receive a OneStep kit, complete the OneStep Leader information form and fax to 902-492-1464 or email [email protected]

Supporting school curriculum

We have also created a OneStep Curricular Supplement based on Nova Scotia curriculum guidelines to help teachers integrate walking and walking activities in the classroom, which we hope to see in classrooms in the fall of 2012.

School Zone safety

“On September 1, 2012 roads are going to get safer around school zones. The government of Nova Scotia announced last fall that effective September 1, 2012, speed limits in school areas will be reduced from 50 kilometres per hour to 30 kilometres per hour.”

Click on the link below for details.

http://www.gov.ns.ca/tran/roadsafety/schoolzonesafety.asp

Youth Walkabout Pilot Project

This project received funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada and Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness and can provide schools with enough pedometers for half their Grade 7 students. The resource is based on the results of research and pilot testing in sixteen schools in winter 2010-2011.

In 2013, the OneStep resource was revised to be appropriate for recreation and community groups. The objectives of the revisions were to enhance the OneStep resource to:

– Make appropriate for community group use.
– Emphasize supportive policy development.
– Emphasize the importance of engaging parents.
– To reach youth ages 10-12