Conference Agenda
Overview and details of the sessions of this conference. Please select a date or location to show only sessions at that day or location. Please select a single session for detailed view (with abstracts and downloads if available).
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WR3_2_3: Symposium: Inclusive methods and methodological approaches for engaging disadvantaged groups in HEPA
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Inclusive methods and methodological approaches for engaging disadvantaged groups in HEPA Background and aim: As a HEPA Working Group we seek to further knowledge around tools and methods approaches to promote HEPA in disadvantaged groups. This symposium will provide case study examples of accessible and inclusive methods in design and implementation of physical activity (PA) projects with LGBTQIA+ young people living in areas of disadvantage, autistic children, older adults, and individuals with severe mental illness. Summary of contributions: Caroline Dodd-Reynolds will present an interdisciplinary case study of equitable and experiential co-production and unmethods with LGBTQIA+ children and young people living in areas of disadvantage in England, showing how researchers can work with communities at-risk of marginalisation to reframe PA. Sharon Kinsella will provide findings from a Delphi study with international experts which considers best practice around inclusion of autistic children in community-based physical activity programmes. Subsequent STARTS recommendations will support organisations working with autistic children. Zsofia Szekeres will consider how inclusion of systems mapping within process evaluation can aid peer-volunteer led healthy ageing interventions, via the 3-year Active, Connected Engaged multisite RCT with older adults across England and Wales Tara Coppinger and Aisling Forde will speak about use of PPI to co-design and subsequently refine ‘Active Ease’, an accessible digital platform for individuals living with severe mental illness in Ireland. Added value: This symposium will consider a range of methods and approaches: from co-production and unmethods through to adaptation of more formal approaches, such as Delphi and systems mapping which can aid research with, rather than just about, disadvantaged communities. Conclusion and Key Take-Home Messages: We expect that attendees of this symposium will:
As per the mission of the HEPA Working Group, this symposium will contribute to the field by showcasing a range of inclusive methods for working with communities at-risk of marginalisation and experiencing disadvantage. Presentations of the Symposium Moving to meet joy in physical activity: Critical reflections of a co-production process with young people at-risk of marginalisation Background and aim Given its origins in grassroots activism and emancipatory traditions that challenge power hierarchies in under-represented groups (Smith and McGannon, 2024), we offer through a case study, ways to remain true to equitable and experientially-informed research co-production principles, as well as supporting resources. The Joyful and safe physical activity project (JASPA) aimed to build trust and ensure safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ young people to share experiences without exacerbating existing worries and fears. Methods With LGBTQIA+ youth groups in northern England, we followed an ‘unmethods’ back-and-forth iterative, creative design and analysis approach (mapping, collaging, consensus-building, zine-making). Co-production enabled us to ‘go with the flow’; creative methods and iterative analysis provided a means for self-expression whereby joy and vibrancy surfaced. Results and lessons learned PA was reimagined in non-conventional ways, as fun, holistic and natural movement, not confined to distinct settings. On their own terms, young people thought of when they were able to be themselves (dancing in the kitchen, listening to music, quiet spaces to retreat). This meant taking time and care to build trust, gently probing through layers of inequality and allowing young people to re-visit times when PA was challenging, but also times when it was joyful. Conclusions Through shifting our awareness and attending to ontological power imbalances that persist in PA research, young people showed that PA can be reframed as joyful and safe. We showcase a suite of JASPA online resources which offer learning for academics, policy-makers, and practitioners seeking to co-produce with marginalised groups. Recommendations for the Inclusion of Autistic Children in Community-based Physical Activity Programmes: A Delphi Study Background and aim of the study: A range of barriers to Physical Activity (PA) participation contribute to autistic children being less physically active than their non-autistic peers. While these barriers have been well documented, further research is needed into methods of overcoming these barriers. This study aimed to create a series of best practice recommendations for the inclusion of autistic children in community-based PA programmes. Method: A Delphi Method involving the opinions of international experts in the area of inclusion of autistic children in PA was used to carry out the aims of the study. Three rounds of questionnaires were distributed to the panel aiming to reach consensus on a series of topics related to the inclusion of autistic children in community-based PA programmes (consensus ≥67% agreement). Topics included coaches and volunteers, programme characteristics, and bridging-sessions. Results: Sixteen consensus statements were established which were then used to create the ‘STARTS’ recommendations, which centre around: (1) Skill development, (2) Training for coaches/volunteers, (3) Aims for sessions, (4) Resources to improve children’s experiences, (5) Transitioning from bridging-programmes to mainstream programmes, and (6) Supports to improve inclusion. Conclusions: The STARTS recommendations will assist clubs/organisations when setting-up or modifying community-based PA programmes which include autistic children. Funding Source: SETU Presidents PhD Fellowship award Systems Mapping in the Process Evaluation of Active, Connected and Engaged (ACE): A Peer Volunteer Active Ageing Intervention Active, Connected, Engaged (ACE; ACTIF in Wales) is a multisite randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost‑effectiveness of a peer‑volunteer led intervention designed to improve mobility in older adults. Implemented between 2022–2025, the programme supported engagement in community‑based physical, social and meaningful activities. As part of the process evaluation, system mapping explored perceived system changes, shifts in stakeholder practices, and the ways ACE/ACTIF addressed systemic barriers to participation. Methods: Post-intervention, ten system‑mapping workshops were conducted with participants, volunteers and stakeholders across the three trial sites. Pre‑trial system maps were used as prompts to guide discussion on motivators, barriers, and system‑level factors shaping engagement. Audio recordings were transcribed and analysed inductively through a critical realist lens. Results: System‑level changes, restricted transport, limited access, and post‑lockdown effects continued to constrain participation. Stakeholders’ shifting ways of working, including rapid digitalisation reduced local provision, while rising costs, further hindered engagement. ACE/ACTIF features helped address these barriers: volunteer/participant pairing increased motivation and ability to navigate local systems; clear information enhanced awareness of local initiatives. Volunteers’ supportive attitudes helped participants find practical solutions to overcome challenges such as transport and cost. Conclusions: Using system mapping ensured a systems perspective throughout the process evaluation. It highlighted that despite adverse shifts in the wider system, the system‑informed, peer‑volunteer ACE/ACTIF model supported participants to engage with available community assets and increase their mobility. These findings have important implications for system-informed process evaluation in community-based research and for the development and implementation of peer-volunteer led healthy ageing interventions. The Design and Evaluation of a Digital Physical Activity Intervention to Support Individuals with Severe Mental Illness in an Irish Mental Health Residential Setting Background and aim of the study: Individuals living with severe mental illness (SMI) typically have a shorter life expectancy and engage in less physical activity (PA) than the general population. Regular PA can play an important role in improving their physical health and easing certain psychiatric symptoms. Although digital tools have been developed to encourage PA in this group, few have succeeded in helping people maintain regular PA independently over time. Method: ‘Active Ease’, a web‑based digital PA platform was co‑designed with service users and clinicians in Irish mental health residential settings. Using a Public and Patient Involvement approach, the platform incorporated accessible PA visuals and educational content to support both independent and clinician‑assisted engagement. The intervention was delivered across two phases in two residential settings, using a mixed‑methods design that included accelerometry, body mass index measurements, and semi‑structured interviews collected at multiple time points. Phase One (July–October 2024) involved researcher‑led digital navigation to support platform use, followed by co‑design‑informed interviews that guided refinements. Phase Two (July–August 2025) introduced visual prompts and enhanced clinician involvement to strengthen sustainability. Follow‑up data collection assessing maintenance of platform use and PA engagement was completed in December 2025. Results: Phase One results indicated no significant changes in physical activity levels, though trends showed reductions in sedentary behaviour and increases in light PA. Conclusion: Analysis of Phase Two and Follow-up data is currently being finalised and will be completed by Summer 2026. Funding Source: ADVANCE CRT | ||
