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Project Overview
VicHealth’s TeamUp app is a physical activity connection tool that allows users to search for and participate in a range of physical activities with others.
Since its launch in March 2013, TeamUp has been downloaded by more than 22,600 users. More than 900 sports and activities across Victoria have been listed on the app, and users have sent more than 100,000 messages to each other through the app.
TeamUp allows Victorian adults to find physical activities and sports that fit their busy lifestyles – whether they’re looking to join a social soccer team, competitive cycling, or a one-off badminton game.
Organisation
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth)
Team
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation
Project Brief
TeamUp is a free physical activity app created by VicHealth to help Victorian adults find and share local sport and physical activities to take part in. It takes a unique approach that harnesses the increasing popularity of smartphone and social media technology, to promote engagement in physical activity and in turn, promote good health and prevent chronic disease.
The app helps people overcome some of the common barriers to participation in physical activity - including lack of time, money and social connections. Users can find activities that suit them by filtering activities by location, skill level, time and day, or activity type.
TeamUp provides a list of hundreds of sports and activities across Victoria, from organised club-based sport to social and one-off activities. Many activities listed on the app are free or low-cost, making it easier for people to find low-cost activities and opportunities.
Individuals can list their own activities too, to invite others to join them - for a social game of tennis on the weekend, to cycle to work, or to train for an upcoming fun-run.
The app is available on smart phones and as a Facebook app, making it easy to access anywhere, anytime.
Project Need
The development of TeamUp was informed by research indicating that while participation in structured sport is flat-lining (and in many cases, declining), unstructured, casual and social sport participation is increasing.
This is particularly highlighted by the joint CSIRO and Australian Sports Commission report released in 2013 into the future of Australian sport. It found that people are fitting activity into their busy lives to achieve health goals. ‘Participation rates in aerobics, running, walking, along with gym membership, have all risen sharply over the past decade while participation rates for many organised sports have held constant or declined.
While TeamUp’s core purpose is to increase participation in physical activity, the app’s innovative approach also delivers a range of other benefits for the sports sector, stakeholders and app users, as outlined below.
TeamUp supports the sustainability of physical activity provision in Victoria by offering a new way for sports organisations to promote and connect with club, commercial and social activities across sporting codes.
TeamUp drives club membership, as well as catering to people interested in unstructured participation: it suits the occasional user, as well as people looking for ongoing participation.
Data collected through TeamUp can identify trends in participation. User profiles can provide clear demographic markers around age, gender and location.
Analysis of TeamUp data offers the potential to inform investment and the development of new physical activity products, pricing structures and participation models that meet the needs of users with busy lives and limited interest in structured participation – while still offering a vehicle for promoting structured sport to thousands of users.
By identifying these trends, VicHealth may in time be able to produce information for a range of providers and promoters of physical activity: from state sports associations, to local councils, to government agencies.
Social media allows TeamUp users, clubs and other stakeholders to engage and connect with others when and where it suits them. TeamUp social media activity leverages social media networks of partner organisations such as elite sports teams to achieve a broad reach and strong levels of engagement.
User Experience
The design of TeamUp’s user interface has a strong emphasis on a clean layout built for ease of use. The app’s sleek design allows users to easily sign up, and start getting physically active in their community by browsing activities or adding their own activities for others to join.
Common barriers to participation in physical activity – including lack of time, money and social connections – were major considerations in the TeamUp design phase. Based on this, TeamUp allows users to nominate whether they are looking for ongoing participation, or just want to attend a single event. Users can search by area to find activities close to them, and many of the activities listed on the app are free or low cost.
For event organisers, TeamUp’s design is flexible enough to cater to those holding a one-off, completely social event; those who are running an ongoing team or competition and want participants; and everything in between.
Project Marketing
TeamUp’s design and intent (to offer a range of both structured and unstructured physical activity options) was informed by evidence that indicates that participation increasingly takes place outside the club or organised sport environment: 60% of Victorians do not take part in organised sport and only 25% take part in club- or association-based sport (Exercise Recreation and Sport Survey 2010).
VicHealth conducted qualitative market testing to establish that TeamUp would be a useful tool that would encourage participation. This research was also used to hone and refine messaging around the tool, to ensure that consumers understood its purpose and value. The digital platform offers an innovative way to drive participation in physical activity on a social, casual or club membership basis for Victorian adults.
TeamUp channels the majority of promotional activity through sponsorship of high-profile Melbourne-based elite sport teams, large sports participation events, local governments, universities, and other partnerships which target relevant audience segments, including the Australian Open 2014 and the AFL Players Association 20 Day Challenge.
The project engages well-known ambassadors who have taken part in off-field promotional events: taking part in activities organised on TeamUp by users, or inviting TeamUp users to join them for a social game or training session. These events generate video and other social media content, as well as media coverage.
VicHealth also pursued promotional opportunities through existing partners and free and paid media channels.
From the TeamUp launch in May 2013 until June 2014, social media activity attracted 4,067 Facebook likes, 463 Twitter followers, and 22,600 app downloads – far exceeding the 12-month objective of 15,000 downloads.
Project Privacy
VicHealth is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information in compliance with the principles set out in the Victorian Information Privacy Act 2000. Before downloading the TeamUp application, every user is required to agree to Terms and Conditions, including Privacy: any personal information that VicHealth obtains about users through their use of the app is treated in accordance with our privacy policy which can be accessed here: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Privacy.aspx.
Protecting users’ personal information is an important aspect of the way VicHealth creates, organises and implements its activities. Personal information is only collected if it is necessary to perform these functions. Personal information is only provided for the purposes for which it was collected. VicHealth ensures that personal information is not disclosed to other bodies without consent, except if required by law.
VicHealth has implemented technology and security policies, rules and measures to protect the personal information under its control from unauthorised access, improper use, alteration, unlawful or accidental destruction and accidental loss.
Tags
Government Services
This category recognises applications developed for all levels of government services.
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