Active Start for an Active System (ASAS)
A multidisciplinary consortium aimed at developing healthy exercise habits for young children aged 0 to 3 years.
Centre of Expertise Health Innovation
Centre of Expertise Mission Zero
The age of 0 to 3 years old is crucial for the development of healthy exercise habits. This concerns not only the quantity of exercise, but also the quality, specifically motor development. However, little is still known about the exercise system in this young age group. The Active Start for an Active System (ASAS) project maps how the exercise system works in the young child. In this context, both the child as well as the family are central.
Work packages
For the ASAS project, a multidisciplinary consortium is investigating early childhood exercise. Four work packages have been drawn up for this purpose:
1 The first work package maps the early childhood system through existing data and best practices. Together with experts and stakeholders, key levers for system change are identified.
2 The second work package identifies families' perspectives. The focus is on the needs, opportunities, and barriers experienced by parents in the context of exercise and motor development of their young child.
3 In the third work package, recommendations will be drafted and approaches will be developed in line with practice. This is done in collaboration with all relevant parties.
4 The fourth and final work package brings together all the parties involved in order to work together on a structural basis. It looks at how networking and partnerships can help scale up and sustain project results and policy-making.
The focus of The Hague University of Applied Sciences is mainly on the second and fourth work packages.
Target group
The project focuses on the early childhood system (children aged 0 to 3 years). This includes parents and other family members, the nurseries, and general practitioners.
Duration
The project started in 2024 and will continue until 2027.
Team
- Wendy Scholtes - Bos
- Katja Bel
- Anja Overdiek
Collaboration
This project involves collaboration with several partners:
- Maastricht University
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
- Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Fontys Sport and Exercise
- University of Applied Sciences
- Alfa College
- Landstede MBO
- Summa College
- VISTA College
- The Mulier Institute
Funding
The project is funded by ZonMw from the programme ‘MOOI in Beweging’.
Contact
Wendy Scholtes - Bos ([email protected])