Motivate

- The Early Years
(1973-1979)
- Don't Just Think About it - Do It
(1983-1984)
- Body Break
(1989-1991)
- Vitality
(1991-1995)
- Sharing A Healthier Future
(1996-1998)

Mobilize

- ParticipACTION Saskatoon
- CrownLife ParticipACTION Challenge

Educate

- Healthy Active Living
(Older Adults)
- Fitness: The Facts
(Workplace)
- Project APEX
(Children)
- Promotions
(1972-79)
- Promotions
(1980-86)

Impact

- International Involvement
- Canadian Public Health Association Supplement

Structure

- Historic Timeline
- People
- Sponsors

International Involvement

From 1972 ParticipACTION was one of the initial members of the international group of countries who established national programs to promote a more physically active lifestyle. European countries, especially Norway, Germany and Switzerland were the initial pioneers and the movements were identified as “Sport for All.”

Meetings were held every two years to share experiences, strategies and program resources. Canada (ParticipACTION) and Australia (Like. Be In It.) were two of the early year, non-European participants, with the USA (President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport) joining a few years later.

The generally recognized leader of the international Sport For All movement was the head of the then West Germany program “Trimm”, Dr. Jurgen Palm. Dr. Palm was invited to Canada by Mr. Cor Westland (head of Recreation Canada – Health Canada) in 1971. His visit and information proved to be highly influential in Canada’s decision to initiate ParticipACTION (originally called Sport Participation Canada).

This international gathering of countries (Trim and Fitness Conferences), in 1991 established a more formal international organization, “Trim and Fitness: International Sport For All Association” (TAFISA), with Dr. Palm as the president. ParticipACTION staff members (including Russ Kisby, Ebbe Marquardsen, François Lagarde and Nanci Colbeck) were active participants in these meetings over many years, with Russ Kisby serving on the international Executive Board for 12 years.

Over three decades, many countries sought to learn from the ParticipACTION experience and success. With funding from External Affairs Canada, Kisby was asked to travel to and share these experiences with some 25 countries, from the USSR to Malaysia to South Korea. It would be fair to state that ParticipACTION was generally considered one of the leaders in the effective use of the mass media to promote physical activity and sport participation.