• People over 18 and under 60 years of age,
• People in precarious situations,
• The long-term unemployed,
• People who are overweight or obese,
• Socially isolated people,
• People who are motivated,
• People attending the following structures: CCAS, PLIE, social centres,
• People receiving minimum social benefits.

The criteria for exclusion from the ASPIRE

• People with dementia, severe mental health problems, severe learning difficulties that may interfere with participation in activities or assessments, terminal illness or receiving palliative care.
• People planning bariatric surgery or planned weight loss surgery.
• People with severe psychosocial or behavioural problems that could impede participation in interventions (e.g. substance abuse, severe psychiatric disorders, aggressive offending behaviour).
• Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

• Contact with social economy structures: meeting with the staff in order to present the project to them and so that they can position people from their client portfolio (CCAS, social centres, etc.).
• Communication campaign on social networks: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube…,
• Campaign to distribute promotional flyers presenting the ASPIRE programme in the city’s shops and in the residents’ mailboxes.
• Campaign to display ASPIRE posters in A3 format in popular places in the city (CCAS, town hall, bakeries, etc.).

ASPIRE ambassadors

Use “word of mouth” to promote the programme through “expert participants”: programme ambassadors. Successful experiences make people want to try it themselves.
The creation of ambassadors – people who have been through the ASPIRE programme – is a way of recruiting more participants by showing the effectiveness of the programme. It is easier for the potential beneficiary to relate to the content of the programme by seeing that it works for people in the same situation as him/her, as illustrated in the video below. Sharing experiences is therefore a very relevant recruitment lever.

Organisation of events for the general public

• Participate in forums already set up in the cities (forum of associations), this allows to discuss with the potential future participants of the cohort, and to contact them later to participate in activities.
• Organise events on world days: World Health Day, World Wellness Day, World Sleep Day, etc.
• Create specific events: “sports festival”, “walks”.

Success factors

The keys to successful recruitment are in-depth discussions with potential future beneficiaries of the programme. If the programme is described by people who have themselves benefited from the programme, the impact is all the stronger. Involving families in the workshops is a real lever that encourages the adoption of health-promoting behaviours. It can be interesting to invite families to workshops (cooking for example) so that all family members participate in this positive dynamic.

Communication

Communication is essential to the project. The choice of words is decisive and conditions the target group’s adherence to the programme. It is important to be benevolent and to put people at ease, so that they feel respected and listened to during their participation in the programme.

• Do not stigmatise participants.
• Use appropriate vocabulary: job seekers, people looking for professional opportunities, overweight people, making positive and sustainable changes.
• Adopt an appropriate posture during the interview. For example, during the first interview, use the health kiosk in a playful way to bring up the subject of weight.