WVPAP History

The History of the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan

2010 West Virginia Physical Activity Symposium

The initial step in developing a statewide physical activity plan was the 2010 WV Physical Activity Symposium held in Charleston, WV. The Symposium brought together a diverse collection of practitioners, organizations, agencies, and policy makers to share ideas about increasing opportunities for regular, health-enhancing physical activity in the communities where West Virginians live, work, and play. The goals of the Symposium were to: (a) educate participants about the National Physical Activity Plan and its implications for all sectors of the population, (b) build awareness and support for a statewide strategic plan for physical activity in WV, and (c) showcase physical activity programs and initiatives that model best practices. The Symposium attracted more than 250 professionals representing all societal sectors and geographic regions within WV. Sector- and region-specific working sessions were moderated during the Symposium to facilitate collaboration among participants and initiate the process of drafting the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan. Several themes emerged across those working sessions that proved critical in identifying the necessary steps for plan development and the common barriers to physical activity in West Virginia communities. Furthermore, a number of key individuals, programs, and organizations were recommended as important contributors to the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan’s development, implementation, and evaluation.
In the months that followed, capacity building efforts based on the findings from the Symposium led to the acquisition of additional funding to support plan development and marketing. Furthermore, state government officials and health policy leaders were asked for their advice and recommendations for plan development moving forward. The positive momentum generated during the Symposium and networking efforts that followed resulted in the identification of an impressive list of organizational partners and representatives who comprise the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan Sector Teams.

ActiveWV 2015: WV Physical Activity Plan Development

Based on the findings of the 2010 WV Physical Activity Symposium and the capacity-building efforts over the following year, the Coordinating Committee facilitated a group decision-making process in the summer of 2011 with the intent to establish a conceptual framework for the Plan. This multi-phase concept mapping process included brainstorming ideas (Phase I), structuring ideas through expert rating and sorting (Phase II), and interpreting results by key stakeholders (Phase III). The concept mapping data was collected using a web-based format that allowed for the asynchronous participation of individuals from diverse geographic locations across the state.
 
A total of 154 West Virginians contributed to the brainstorming activities in the first phase representing all societal sectors and geographic regions within WV. The participants generated a total of 240 initial ideas or statements in response to the prompt, “One specific thing that needs to happen to increase or promote physical activity in West Virginia is…” 
A final list of 61 ideas or statements were formatted and used in Phase II of the concept mapping process. Within Phase II, 32 experts representing the societal sectors completed: (a) sorting similar ideas into piles or groups based on self-identified themes; (b) rating each idea based on importance to statewide physical activity promotion; and (c) rating each idea based on feasibility or the likelihood that it could be implemented in the next five years. Data aggregation and analysis were completed using multi-dimensional scaling and cluster analysis to determine the relationships among ideas. A variety of maps were then developed to graphically display these relationships for the purpose of interpretation. The structuring of ideas resulted in the identification of five priority areas that provide the conceptual framework for the Plan.
 
In Phase III, a Sector Team meeting was held October 5, 2011 with a total of 72 sector representatives in attendance. These Sector Teams were enlisted to develop sector-specific calls to action and strategies/tactics within each of the priority areas that could be realized within the next five years. The Sector Teams were encouraged to use multiple sources of information including the National Physical Activity Plan strategies and tactics, the concept mapping findings (including sector-specific analysis), and WV Physical Activity Symposium work group results.
 
As a final step in the plan development process, a preliminary draft was available November 8– 22, 2011 for public comment. The Coordinating Committee used the resultant comments and feedback to finalize the written report and prepare it for wider dissemination in multiple formats (e.g., technical report, executive summary, fact sheets).

ActiveWV 2015: WV Physical Activity Plan Release

The launch of ActiveWV: 2015 was celebrated across the state, and the date of its release – January 19, 2012 – was officially declared “West Virginia Physical Activity Day” by the governor. The all-day event involved sector-based displays, organizational demonstrations, as well as addresses from state and national physical activity advocates and statements of support from local legislature and policymakers. Additionally, communities across the state hosted local celebrations, and 44 of 55 county commissioners signed resolutions to prioritize increasing physical activity on the local level. A total of 313 schools were also coordinated to simultaneously perform a line dance via a partnership with the West Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools Let’s Move! WV initiative. Following the launch, ActiveWV: 2015 has been showcased on national and international levels, and a formal dissemination plan was created, encompassing social marketing, brand equity, and a second Symposium.

2015 WV Physical Activity Symposium

In June of 2015, the second symposium was hosted in Charleston, WV to showcase and celebrate successful programs, policies, and initiatives that promote physical activity in a variety of sectors. The 2015 WV Physical Activity Symposium aimed to forecast future directions for physical activity in West Virginia as well as build awareness and support for a statewide Physical Activity Network to promote implementation at the community level. The program boasted engaging sessions led by national and state leaders, who shared their insights and strategies aimed at cultivating a healthier and more physically active West Virginia. The event further included a poster session, featuring innovative ideas and research related to the obesity epidemic and other physical activity areas of study. The 2015 Symposium was also a crucial platform for the evaluability assessment of the plan. Thus, it further featured a 4-hour sector team meeting where state and local leaders worked collaboratively to review the strategies, tactics, and measurable outcomes outlined in the plan. Each sector team was given the task of 1) deciding whether to keep, revise, or remove the strategies and tactics for each priority area and 2) identifying which measurable outcome(s) each strategy would work toward. This effort led to the formation of recommendations guiding future revisions, implementation, and evaluations.

ActiveWV 2030: WV Physical Activity Plan Revision

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coordinating Committee initiated regular meetings to delve into the latest literature surrounding physical activity promotion, initiatives, and programs. These meetings were also aimed at strategically orchestrating the revision process over the course of 2022. In the spring of 2023, the first draft of the revised strategies/tactics was circulated to 32 experts representing the societal sectors to enlist their feedback and recommendations. Their input in combination with key recommendations from national- and state-level resources were invaluable in finalizing the sector-specific calls to action and strategies/tactics within each of the priority areas.

2024 WV Physical Activity Symposium

As you may remember, the first WV Physical Activity Plan was released in January 2012, followed by the first WV Physical Activity Symposium in June 2012 in Charleston, WV. Now we are gearing up for the release of a new revised WV Physical Activity Plan – ActiveWV 2030!

We, the WV Physical Activity Plan Coordinating Committee, are now writing to invite you to an important event that again aims to bring together organizations passionate about promoting physical activity.

The event, “2024 WV Physical Activity Symposium – Uniting Leaders for an Active WV” is set to be a groundbreaking gathering of like-minded individuals and organizations striving to significantly impact physical activity and health promotion through collective efforts.

For any questions or comments related to the West Virginia Physical Activity Plan, reach out to us at wvphysicalactivity@mail.wvu.edu