What is an Activity Coach?
Activity coaches are the heart of the Choose to Move program. They work directly with participants to develop personalized physical activity plans and provide ongoing support throughout the program.
Activity coaches guide participants through one-on-one consultations and group meetings, helping them set goals, overcome barriers, and build sustainable activity habits. They create a supportive environment where participants feel motivated, connected, and empowered to make lasting lifestyle changes.
Identify/Hire an Activity Coach
Once the funding agreement is finalized, you will identify or hire an activity coach(es) to lead Choose to Move for your organization. Activity coaches have varied backgrounds. All activity coaches have experience working with people over 55 and are aware of supports and services available in their community and have strong communciation and facilitaiton skills. For ethno-cultural programs, language and cultural competencies are an asset. A fitness background is not required, but is an asset.
We will provide you with an Activity Coach job description for your use when posting for the position.
Click here to access Activity Coach job description
Organizations are responsible for hiring and selecting the activity coach. Sometimes the activity coach is internal to the organization , in other instances the activity coach is hired from outside the organization.
Activity Coach Training Overview
All activity coaches complete Choose to Move training prior to delivery. The Active Aging Society provides access to the online training materials and facilitates a post-training Q&A and debrief session. Training is self-paced, and takes approximately 8-10 hours to complete. We recommend that activity coaches complete the training within a two-week time frame, at least one month before their first program.
The Five Core Training Modules Are:
Module 1: Choose to Move Program Overview
Understanding the core principles and evidence base of Choose to Move.
Module 2: Choose to Move Delivery
Practical guidance on running one-on-one and group sessions effectively. All materials required for delivery are provided and available to download (e.g., group meeting slides, participant materials, administrative materials such as attendance records and delivery checklists)
Module 3: Facilitation Skills
Learning techniques to support behavior change and motivation in participants.
Module 4: Promotion Jumpstarter
Practical guidance on creating a promotion and recruitment plan.
Module 5: Choose to Move Evaluation
Learn about the evaluation, conducted by our partners from the Active Aging Research Team at the University of British Columbia.
For those requiring additional training to support their role as an activity coach a number of optional training modules are avaialbe.
Suggested Program Schedule:
Meet with your team to decide your Choose to Move program schedule. Consider: spacing of meetings, time most suitable for those 55 and older and room availability.
