With the all the excitement and activity in our office surrounding the UnitedHealth HEROES grant, I’ve been thinking a lot about healthy behaviors, in particular my healthy behaviors (or lack thereof).
I take dance classes regularly, but at class, my body reminds me that I need to be in better shape to dance well. Outside of dance, exercising is not something that I’m eager and willing to do. So I asked myself, “If I were to apply for the UnitedHealth HEROES grant, what type of project would I propose?”
I began to think about my interests and things I am motivated to do.
Running and doing sit-ups: No, thank you!
Getting to know my neighbors and improving my community: Yes, please!
It was an “a-ha moment”: I can use the things that I am interested in (service) to motivate myself to do something I’m not so interested in (getting in shape). Service could be my means to getting fit.
Incentives and motivation might seem like a very mundane idea (I’m picturing the “carrot on a stick” scenario), but for me it was an “a-ha” moment. It added another dimension to the power and versatility of service. So many youth are eager and willing to serve and improve their communities. So why not tap into that motivation and interest and use it in one of the following ways:
1) Encourage youth to adopt healthy behaviors
Ex: Plan a bike-/walk-/dance-a-thon to raise funds for a cause. They will get fit while supporting a worthy cause.
2) Enable youth to be advocates of healthy behaviors
Ex: Older youth can be fitness role models. They can develop a fitness program for younger youth or senior citizens and guide participants through the program.
3) Ask youth to investigate barriers that prevent them from living healthfully and develop projects to lower those barriers
Ex: Analyze the school lunch menu selections for nutritional value, and then suggest healthy options to the school administration.
Since this past spring, I’ve been volunteering with DC Street Soccer, an organization that promotes social change through soccer. I attended weekly practices, but instead of practicing with the team, I chatted with the players, cheered them on, brought oranges. Some joked that I was the “soccer mom.”
This thought process helps me answer my original question: If I were to apply for a UnitedHealth HEROES grant, my project would certainly focus on this soccer team. But since I’m not eligible, I’ve decided that as an act of solidarity with the UnitedHealth HEROES applicants and grantees and the DC Street Soccer team players, I will begin to practice with the team. And I bet that I won’t even think of it as exercise. For me, it will just be a great way to hang out with my friends and support a worthy cause.
UnitedHealth HEROES applications are due today, October 22. If you are still interesting in applying, visit http://youthserviceamerica.org/grants/programs/unitedhealth-heroes.
Sarah Guy is Youth Service America’s Education Manager. She will be presenting at the Up2Us National Conference on October 23, 2009.
