Become A Health Messenger!
- Are you a Special Olympics athlete who is passionate about fitness, nutrition or health?
- Are you a Special Olympics athlete who is interested in helping others learn how to live a healthy/fit lifestyle.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider applying to be trained as a Special Olympics Massachusetts Health Messenger!
Athletes will be trained to:
- Be representatives and advocats on councils and Boards
- Motivate peers on maintaining good nutrition, hydration and physical activity
- Deliver Fit5 lessons to other athletes
- Lead other Special Olympics athletes to establish healthy lifestyles and set personal health and fitness goals
Health Messenger Qualifications:
- Active Special Olympics athlete
- Interested in fitness/health and committed to putting the training into action in your community and SO Program
- Participate in a Health Messenger Practicum
Practicum Information
- It is very important to do more than just receive a certificate! At the end of the Health Messenger training, you need to practice what you’ve learned. Each athlete who is certified as a Health Messenger is required to do one health and wellness focused practicum in their communities within one year of receiving training.
What is a Practicum?
- Athletes will receive guidance when picking a practicum and will also receive any help needed through out their practicum by our staff member Vicky DiNatale
- Practicum Examples
Fall Research Opportunities For Health Messenger!
We have teamed up with Boston University to provide a co-research opportunity for our athletes who are health messenger. This is the FIRST opportunities for athletes in Massachusetts to be apart of a research group. These athletes will learn about the importance of research then as a group conduct a researh study. This group will be lead by a Boston University student that will help and guide them through the course.
About the program:
- There will be 6 classes this fall (currently scheduled to be held at Special Olympcis MA headquaters).
- Each participate will receive a gift card for their participation
- Limited spots availble! We cant guaratnee a spot for this fall’s research group but completing the health messenger training means you can sign up for the next research group!
** If you cant make the health messenger training but would like to take part of this study please email Vicky at Vicky.Dinatale@specialolympicsma.org
Virtual Health Messenger Training
Date: Tuesday, August 24th & Thursday, August 26th
Where: Zoom
A zoom link will be sent out 1 week prior to the training’s.
Time: 5:30-7pm on both Tuesday and Thursday. Training may not go for the full time slot. There will be breaks built in to the training.
**For those that cant make both session email Vicky at Vicky.Dinatale@specialolympicsma.org