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Table 5 Potential barriers and solutions for GLAMA intervention using the RE-AIM health promotion evaluation framework [32]

From: The GLAMA (Girls! Lead! Achieve! Mentor! Activate!) physical activity and peer leadership intervention pilot project: A process evaluation using the RE-AIM framework

DIMENSION

POTENTIAL BARRIERS

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

Reach

Future implementation of a school intervention of this design must consider the following to best target individual participants and school settings:

S

Implementation during school curriculum time.

Engage schools in program implementation during curriculum PE or Sport Education or potentially as an adjunct to 'Peer Support' Year 7 mentoring programs that many schools already provide. Students may not want to participate during their own free time such as lunchtime.

S

Have support and develop knowledge of the program with all teaching staff.

Develop support from school and staff by providing appropriate professional development and handout information prior to implementation. Must highlight benefits to staff and students of their own participation.

S

Ensure program is not competing against other school based programs for time.

Consult school calendar and highlight benefits of program for school transition, school connectedness, and psychosocial development.

LT

Recruitment of leaders may need a different approach.

Program needs to be promoted as an opportunity not a right; therefore incentives may not be needed. Leaders need to be aware of benefits. Link to community service programs such as Duke of Edinburgh is possible. There also needs to be consideration of recruiting leaders who are not already involved in similar opportunities and who sit outside the traditional 'leader' mould.

LT

Return of consent forms may be an issue.

If considered a 'compulsory' program by the school and fully supported, there may be a higher return rate of consent forms.

Effectiveness

/Efficacy

Consideration of the following will be needed to ensure leader competency, confidence and preparedness:

LT

Training protocol.

OUTCOME 1: Leadership training and leader preparedness.

1. Training programs should be clearly designed to meet appropriate outcomes to ensure that it will enable successful implementation of the interventions. Leaders should gain knowledge in the five key areas established in this pilot.

LT

Training duration.

An intervention that is implemented over a longer duration would require more training to be able to conduct more 'challenges' and greater understanding of group dynamics, leadership skills and how to problem solve. Refresher training just prior to the first implementation should be undertaken to help check for understanding and address any concerns or apprehensions.

LT

Length of time between sessions.

'Challenges' should be completed weekly to ensure a consistent team oriented approach otherwise leaders lose momentum and also understanding of tasks and their role.

LT

Reading and comprehending instructions for each activity.

Provide a booklet with all 'challenges' for leaders to take home and use to prepare. Ensure activity cards are clear and concise with diagrams and that leaders have opportunities to clarify before implementation.

LT

Opportunities to evaluate training and verbal feedback.

Leaders should be given the opportunity to provide both written and verbal feedback to help direct support they require to develop their leadership skills.

 

The following issues need to be addressed when providing activities for Year 7 students:

A

Sequencing activities correctly to engage students.

OUTCOME 2: Activity suitability and participation

The first task completed should be challenging, engaging and provide an opportunity for students to contribute to team success.

A

Removal or adaptation of racetrack.

The racetrack element should be carefully considered in terms of its: length, application in more cognitively based activities to encourage activity, its benefits to leader organisation, its location and participant understanding of its purpose, how frequently it is used and the primary outcomes of the program challenge.

A

Adding competitive elements.

Scoring should be consistent between activity 'challenges', easy to use and fully explained in the activity cards and booklets leaders have.

A

Grouping of students in teams

Appropriate grouping of teams and also leaders to teams is paramount to intervention success and should be considered carefully. If leaders are working with other leaders, this should also be considered. Teams should be small, between 4 to 6 students if possible.

LT

Leader interest and understanding of activities and ability to motivate students.

Leader motivation and interest will be critical to Year 7 activity participation. All leaders should apply for positions of responsibility and potentially demonstrate they have the capacity to undertake this role. Leaders must complete training that promotes positive relationship building, communication skills, problem solving and ability to work with others in groups.

A

Disappointment in team/grouping.

Inappropriate grouping may lead to decreases in participation. Year 7 groups and students should be monitored throughout the program with groups confirmed as early as possible if changes are required.

A

Concern about being part of a losing team.

Bonus points can be given by supervising staff to leaders and teams for assisting with equipment, organization and appropriate 'team work' to reward desirable team related outcomes.

A

Time to complete the activity.

Time periods must be designated for each challenge and be consistent throughout the program. This will allow scoring to also be consistent between activities.

Adoption

The following issues need to be addressed to promote setting adoption:

S

Teacher knowledge and support of the program.

See REACH 1.

S

School culture including previous lack of success with students, motivational issues with students and negative experiences with physical activity.

The program should be promoted to all students, with leaders comprehending the importance of the role they will play. Motivational issues and negative experiences with physical activity can be negated by limiting racetrack lengths, careful team selection, ensure leaders are motivating and encouraging and appropriate challenge activity selection to meet student needs.

S

Too many extra curricula activities already offered by the school.

1. See REACH 3.

Implementation

To encourage successful implementation of this intervention, the following components need to be considered:

S

Leader availability for each session.

A consistent time every week needs to be provided for both leaders and students to ensure they attend, can plan for and contribute to each session. If leaders are absent, it impacts greatly on their peers and also other teams.

S

Participant contribution to team each

session.

All participants should be held accountable for their team success after each challenge. This could be in the form of contributing individual points or overall team points. Teams crossing the finish line together and presenting to leaders together is also an important component in achieving this.

S

Consent.

See REACH 4.

S

Length of program and training within

the school program.

The training duration provided for leaders has to equate to the period of implementation.

S

Team Selection.

See EFFECTIVENESS Outcome 2, 4.

S

Time and cost.

The outlay for equipment is minimal. The time taken for leaders to leave their classes to conduct the program is the most costly aspect of the program. Potentially timetabling a Year 10 and Year 7 class together for PE, Sport Education or Peer Support may alleviate this. Otherwise, classroom teachers need to be informed of when leaders will be missing and provide appropriate avenues for them to make up class time.

S

The time of year to deliver program the program to Year 7 students (weather, transition, exams, sport).

One of the aims of the program is to assist with Year 7 transition and therefore the optimum time for delivery is Term 1 or Term 2 of the school year. Optimal training time for leaders also needs to be taken into consideration, with exams and other commitments sometimes filling senior students' diaries. Weather will also impact on location/facility requirements.

Maintenance

For a school to maintain a program and embed it within the school, the following parameters should be addressed:

LT

The duration of training and when to deliver the training.

A comprehensive training program should be undertaken to ensure leaders are competent and capable in leading their Year 7 teams. Provision of training periods should be included within the school day. The timing of training should also be considered otherwise refresher training will need to be provided. If the program is to be delivered at the start of a year, consideration needs to be given to leader selection and training beginning at the end of the previous year (see also EFFECTIVENESS Outcome 1, 2).

S

Impact on school having both year 7 and year 10 students participating in program.

All Year 7 students should have opportunities to partake in the 'challenges'. The biggest impact will be on Year 10 students who will have to miss classes if classes are not timetabled concurrently.

S

Staff required.

Staff training is required for those staff that will be assisting Year 10 leaders when the program is actually running. This will enable them to provide valuable feedback while the student leaders implement the program. Recruitment of key staff that will help drive and oversee the intervention is crucial to its success. Ongoing training of new staff to a school setting is necessary.

  1. Potential barriers include those relevant to: S staff and school, LT Leadership training, A Activity/program design, selection or participation