Registration is open for the Faith, Activity, and Nutrition (FAN) Train the Trainer on March 15 in Columbia. Eat Smart Move More South Carolina and the Prevention Research Center at the University of South Carolina Columbia is teaming up to train community coalitions and state-level technical assistance providers on FAN training for churches. Participants will be able to train local church leaders on how to make healthy change happen in their church.
A one-day in-person FAN Train the Trainer training is being offered to community coalitions from across the state. FAN will train two Community Health Advisors from community coalitions who will be able to deliver a full-day, interactive FAN workshop to churches. The FAN training is $25 per person, and congregational associations and other state-level technical assistance providers are invited to attend as well. Participants will leave prepared to train church committees in FAN.
FAN is a community-based, physical activity and healthy eating program, previously found to be effective, that seeks to help churches create a healthy church environment that supports physical activity and healthy eating. More than 200 South Carolina churches of all denominations have participated in FAN, and ESMMSC wants to positively impact even more churches.
FAN is not an exercise program or a cooking class. Instead, the goal of FAN is to reach the entire congregation by creating a church environment where members regularly see and hear health messages and have healthier options available.
FAN encourages churches to increase physical activity and healthy eating among members using four key strategies:
• Increase opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating in the church setting (e.g. tasty, healthy meals & snacks for church events)
• Create healthy church guidelines and practices
• Keep the Pastor engaged and excited about FAN goals
• Get health messages out to church members through familiar channels (e.g., bulletin inserts, announcements, messages during worship service)