Issues affecting recruitment and retention | Potential solutions stated by participants or implied by findings | Potential challenges relating to solutions |
---|---|---|
Cost | Low cost/free sessions | Unsustainability. May mask other barriers |
Childcare | Low cost, accessible childcare | Unsustainability. May mask other barriers |
Low confidence | Use of friends/contacts as support. Recruit via pre-existing group, venue or target friendship groups | Difficult to reach more isolated individuals |
Low perceived competence | Provide clearly branded beginners session | Participants will become more competent - may disincentivise those who join later |
Lack of time | Accessible sessions at times to suit the target group | May require provision of activities at a wide range of times |
Enjoyment | Consumer research into, and provision of, preferred activities | May require provision of wide variety of activities |
 | Focus on those associated with enjoyment and sociability |  |
Session awareness | Investment in good communications strategies | Up front and on-going investment, expertise and commitment required |
Initial health and weight related motivations | Initial recruitment to include appeals to these motivations, sessions to deliver enjoyment and sociability to aid retention | On-going challenge to maintain enjoyment as initial enthusiasm declines - and across a mixed ability group |
Targeted interventions | Research and Segmentation. Low income groups are not amorphous - an understanding of key sub groups is required to underpin effective interventions | Time consuming and expensive |