community health news

This Month’s Feature:

Jan 22-March 25: Join the 12^th Annual UBC Walkabout

Walkabout is an annual nine-week health and wellbeing challenge that promotes regular exercise in social settings. Everyone at UBC is welcome to create teams of five or register as an individual. Cost is only $10 per person, and registration is now open. This is a great opportunity to achieve a personal or team fitness goal at the start of a new year! For more details, visit the UBC Walkabout website.

Other Events and Activities:

January is Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is filled with events and messages that aim to raise awareness and understanding about sexual assault, and what we, as individuals and the UBC community, can do to help prevent it. Join the conversation and explore ways to become involved.

Participate in a Standing Desk Study

Many office workers spend a high proportion of their work day sitting, often in prolonged unbroken bouts. The Population Physical Activity Lab in the School of Kinesiology at UBC is conducting a workplace intervention aimed at reducing employee sitting time through the provision of a low-cost standing desk.

If you are interested in trying out a standing desk, aged 18-65 years old, and sit at a desk at least three days a week, then you are invited to participate.

This study involves wearing an activity monitor and completing a few surveys – three times over a six-month period. You will receive $60 for your participation and be offered the standing desk to keep.

Click here for more information or if you’d like to sign up for this study, please email Dr. Guy Faulkner, CIHR-PHAC Chair in Applied Public Health, or Katie Weatherson, the Research Assistant at pop_pa.lab@ubc.ca.

January 8-14: UBC Recreation Free Week

It’s that wonderful time of the year when you can check out UBC Recreation classes – for free! Drop in for a fitness, yoga, Pilates, dance, martial arts, boot camp or aquatics class. No experience required. Try as many classes as you like, and register for your favourites!

January 14: UBC Opera Tea Series

Enjoy a concert of opera arias and song favourites in a casual setting. Coffee, tea and light refreshments served. Advanced reservation required.

January 18: Reawakening Ancient Salish Sea Basketry

Participate in an inspirational evening with Suquamish Elder and Master Basketmaker Ed Carriere and wet site archaeologist and ancient basketry researcher Dr. Dale R. Croes. Ed and Dale will present a richly illustrated talk about ancient basket making and invite visitors to interact with the ancient basket replicas they make.

January 19: UBC Winter Classic Hockey Game

This popular annual event sold out last year, so get your tickets to watch the UBC Thunderbirds Men’s Hockey before they’re gone! Family pack and student rate tickets available.

January 20: First-Year Educators’ Symposium

This free symposium will provide opportunities to network and share research and resources related to teaching, learning and community building with a focus on first-year students at UBC. This event is supported by Student Development & Services, Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology.

January 26: Arts in Health Research Community of Practice

The Arts in Health Research community of practice aims to be a vibrant collegial space in which members share their work, engage with and learn from the approaches of others, discuss challenges and successes of their research, and explore emerging trends and innovations in arts-based methodologies.  All researchers who are currently working at the intersection between the arts and health research are welcome to attend.

January 31: Suicide Awareness Day

Reach out. Help is available. Reaching out early and preventing suicide requires everyone’s support. On Suicide Awareness Day, January 31, show your support for awareness and prevention. Visit ow.ly/bDae30gVnx4

To request free Suicide Awareness Day stickers for your group, department or faculty, please click here to place your order.

February 1: Wear Your Active Wear Day

On the first day of Move UBC month, you are invited to wear clothes that encourage you to move throughout your entire day. We want to see your lulu’s or your bright running shoes– anything that encourages you to move!

February 1: Bridging the Gaps in Healthcare Practice and Policy

PhDs Go Public Research Talk Series returns in 2018 with the first of six dynamic events, where doctoral students tell their community-engaged research stories in just under seven minutes.

Save the Date: May 4, 2018 – Staff and Faculty Sports Day

Mark your calendars now to ensure that you are available to participate in this year’s event.

Photo credit: Martin Dee/UBC Communications and Marketing