MHealthy is recruiting volunteers to serve as Wellness Champions for their work units. Wellness Champions are ambassadors for MHealthy, sharing program information and encouraging healthier habits within their work area.
Currently, more than 400 faculty and staff volunteer as Wellness Champions. MHealthy’s goal is to have at least one volunteer in every university department/unit on all campuses.
“We credit much of MHealthy’s success to the hundreds of Wellness Champions across our campuses who help spread the word and generate excitement about our programs and services,” says Alisa Morningstar, associate director for MHealthy Wellness and Risk Reduction Services.
To become a Wellness Champion, go to www.mhealthy.umich.edu/involve by Sept. 18 and complete the membership application and register to attend one of MHealthy’s fall Wellness Champion Regional Meetings. The commitment is for two years, through December 2011. Current Wellness Champions who want to continue serving in their role must also complete the application and register for a meeting.
The regional meeting is required and will focus on preparing and motivating volunteers for their Wellness Champion role. A variety of meeting dates, times and locations are available.
Although Wellness Champions are vital to MHealthy, the time commitment is minimal, Morningstar says. “We ask that they attend two Wellness Champion meetings a year, inform their co-workers about health and wellness activities on campus, and promote healthy practices by organizing activities like lunchtime walks or healthy potlucks.”
Wellness Champions have a variety of resources available to them: an online portal exclusively for them; MHealthy Wellness Coordinators that help plan and execute activities; and a monthly e-newsletter that includes program updates and health information to share with co-workers.
Any full-time faculty or staff member can sign up to become a Wellness Champion.
“Wellness Champions don’t have to be the most athletic or healthiest person in the department,” Morningstar says. “A great candidate is someone who’s enthusiast about improving their health, likes to motivate and share information with others, enjoys organizing office activities, and supports and participates in MHealthy programs.”
E-mail questions to [email protected].
