A team from the University of British Columbia (UBC) is looking to evaluate the use of a socially connected physical activity program for military veterans and currently serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Funded by a grant from Veterans Affairs Canada, Professor Mark Beauchamp and his team are conducting the study at 9 locations across Canada (Esquimalt, Edmonton, Shilo, Borden, Petawawa, Kingston, Montreal, Valcartier, and Gagetown). The program is called ”Purpose After Service through Sport (PASS)”, and it is being evaluated as part of a randomized trial (see www.passprogram.ca for details).
Previous research indicates that the transition to civilian life can bring about substantive challenges for military veterans, with men particularly reluctant to seek help. The PASS program brings together men who are veterans and currently serving members of the Canadian military to play in a weekly game of ball hockey. The program is designed to provide opportunities to improve health and fitness, socially connect, blow off some steam in a (semi) competitive environment, and for those who might be interested, access various transition resources and services (e.g., employment, education, counseling).
While the PASS trial focuses on men, a parallel pilot study being run by the same team (called Purpose After service through Connectedness and Exercise; PACE) is designed specifically for women veterans. The PACE program is similarly designed to support the physical and mental health of women veterans and enables women veterans to become (and stay) active and socially connect. The pilot study is initially being evaluated in Ontario and Quebec, although it is anticipated that this program will similarly be available across the country. The PASS trial was developed on the back of a successful pilot study in Vancouver right before the pandemic, and it is anticipated that the PACE program will similarly be scaled up across Canada after the current pilot evaluation has been completed. If readers are interested in taking part in either study please contact the UBC team at pass.trial@ubc.ca (for the PASS trial for men) or pace.study@ubc.ca (for the PACE study for women).