Volunteer FAQs - Database

Below are answers to some frequently asked questions about the database. For more information please consult our database section.

If you have any other queries that are not answered below please get in touch.

What is the Walking for Health Database?

A national online database which holds information on walkers and walks, as input by walk schemes. It is managed by the Walking for Health national centre, and is provided by BTCV (formerly known as the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers). It was developed in conjunction with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in order to provide high quality evidence with which to evaluate walk schemes.

Link to the database: http://database.walkingforhealth.org.uk

Who is it for?

It is for organisations that deliver walk schemes (Local Authorities, NHS bodies, County Sports Partnerships, Voluntary Groups etc.) to monitor and evaluate their schemes; and for the national centre to evaluate Walking for Health as a public health intervention and report the findings, helping to secure future national and local funding and support from government and other organisations.

What information does it hold?

It stores information about walkers taken from completed Outdoor Health Questionnaires, and information about walks and walk schemes as entered by you. Finally, joining it all together is the information from the walk registers that you collect, which provides a ‘walk history’ that can tell you such things as:

  • Who is walking, by age band, gender, ethnicity, health condition etc.
  • How many people are walking, how often, and for how many hours
  • Total attendance over time
  • Number of new walkers joining over time

And much more.  See our database page for more information and a user guide.

I use the Emergency contact information on the database. What’s happening to that?

Because we don't need this information the emergency contact fields will eventually be removed from the database.

But we understand the reassurance that having this information can give to walk leaders. So we’ve provided a template for an ICE (In Case of Emergency) card in our leading a walk kit that schemes can give to walkers instead.  It will be the responsibility of the walkers to carry this information with them if they wish to.

Why should walk schemes use it?

The information and reports available from the database provide you with evidence that enables you to:

  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of your Walk Schemes – are you achieving what you set out to achieve?
  • Promote the success of your schemes using robust data.
  • Report to funders and stakeholders.
  • Track your progress, e.g. in targeting priority groups in your community.

Kelly Massey, a scheme coordinator based in Derbyshire, tells us: “The database is worth its weight in gold and allows us to pull off accurate data as and when required.”

Who uses it?

Since it went live in mid-2008, the database has been used by over 500 walk schemes.

Is it easy to use?

It certainly is, though like anything it may take you a short while to get used to how it works.

Mike, a Walking for Health walker who volunteered to help his scheme with entering data, says “it takes just a few minutes to enter the register after each walk; likewise entering the details of a new walk or walker. It’s very simple. Once you’ve logged in and reached the main menu the system does most of the work; it’s largely a question of ticking boxes.”

Is there any training or support available?

A comprehensive guide with tips on how to use the database to help in your monitoring and evaluation is available in PDF and PowerPoint format.  You can find this, on our database page.

Otherwise contact us if you require further support or training.

How does it work?

There are five main steps to using it:

1.        Add details of your walk scheme

2.        Add details of your walks

3.        Add details of your walkers from their OHQs

4.        Add your walk registers (on an ongoing basis)

Once all the above are done, you can run your reports

How often should we add our walk registers to the database?

This is up to you, but we recommend you do them as soon as you can after the walk, or perhaps set a time aside each week – it only takes a few minutes. This will prevent them stacking up, and will ensure your data is up-to-date and accurate.

How do I become a user?

Download the database permission form, complete part 1, pass it to your Scheme Coordinator for approval, and then simply wait for your login details to be emailed to you.

Is personal data held on the database secure?

Yes – walker records can only be accessed by

  • Database users from the walker's own walk scheme
  • A limited number of staff at the Walking for Health national centre who work with the database.

Walker contact details (address, phone number etc.) are further protected - access to these is limited to those who need to view them, e.g. those responsible for inputting and editing walker details.

What other security features are there?

  • Access to the database is by login only, and all new users must have their access approved by their Scheme Co-ordinator or Walking for Health national centre member of staff.
  • All user activity on the database is traceable in the event of misuse.
  • The national centre regularly reviews and removes the login details of inactive users.

What can I do to help with the security of the database?

  • Protect your login details – never share them, never let others use them, and never leave yourself logged in if others can access your computer.
  • Let us know if your requirements of the database change.
  • Let us know of any walkers that need to be deleted from the database.

The database doesn’t provide me with the reports/functions I need – can they be added?

One of our key areas of work in 2013 is a full review of data collection and management. We believe there are opportunities to make the process simpler and more streamlined for walkers, walk leaders and schemes, while retaining the robustness of the evidence base, which has clearly made a vital contribution to the longevity of Walking for Health and reputation as a project.

Any new systems will be developed and implemented in close consultation with schemes and with other stakeholders both to ensure that it meets practical needs and retains credibility as an evaluation tool. If you have any comments or suggestions please contact us.

Who do I contact with questions, suggestions, comments or feedback on the database?

For all matters regarding the database please contact the Walking for Health national centre.