NWANA Nordic Walking Groups

Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License

Purpose of the License

The Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License is an NWANA group license intended to support the creation and gradual development of Nordic Walking Groups serving older adults.

The license applies to the group as a separate group within the NWANA system. It is not an individual participant license, a healthcare or rehabilitation license, or an athlete competition license.

The license does not establish a universal minimum age for participation. Senior living communities, active adult communities, senior centers, and independent groups may use different age guidelines based on the populations they serve.

Two Available Group Formats

The Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License supports two possible group formats.

Organization-Authorized Group

A group may be created within a specific:

senior living community;
55+ or active adult community;
retirement community;
senior center;
residential community serving older adults;
other organization or program serving older adults.

A group associated with a specific organization may be created only by that organization or with its permission.

Independent Local Group

An independent group may be created for older adults and other interested participants in a local community without being affiliated with a particular senior living community, senior center, or other organization.

An independent group may not use the name, logo, facilities, communication channels, or other resources of a specific organization without its permission.

Authorization from an Organization

An individual may propose the creation of a Nordic Walking Group within a particular senior community or organization. However, obtaining an Individual Senior Community License does not, by itself, authorize that person to:

represent the organization;
use its name, logo, facilities, resident lists, internal communication channels, or other resources;
establish a group as an official program of the organization;
make commitments or collect funds on behalf of the organization.

NWANA may request confirmation that the organization has authorized the creation of the group and the use of its identity.

How a Licensed Group Is Created

For an organization-authorized group, formation may begin when at least one Individual Senior Community License holder proposes the group and the selected organization authorizes its creation.

For an independent local group, formation may begin when at least one Individual Senior Community License holder expresses interest in developing Nordic Walking for older adults in the corresponding community.

After the appropriate authorization or local group request is confirmed, NWANA creates the Senior Community Nordic Walking Group, provides it with a group license, and creates a dedicated page within the NWANA system.

The first registered participant becomes the first licensed participant associated with the new group. This person does not automatically become the group’s owner, leader, instructor, or official representative and is not required to organize its activities.

Who the Group May Serve

An organization-authorized group serves the audience selected by the participating organization. Depending on the organization’s authorization, this may include:

residents or community members;
senior center participants;
employees and volunteers;
family members and caregivers;
other participants approved by the organization.

An independent local group may primarily serve older adults while also welcoming family members, caregivers, volunteers, and other people interested in supporting its activities.

What the Group License Provides

The Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License allows the group to:

operate within the NWANA system as a Senior Community Nordic Walking Group;
have a dedicated page for information, registration, news, programs, and events;
welcome Individual Senior Community License holders;
introduce Nordic Walking opportunities for older adults;
organize walks, meetups, social activities, and community initiatives;
invite appropriately qualified instructors and other professionals;
participate in NWANA programs and events;
organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions;
establish authorized partnerships, sponsorships, and fundraising initiatives;
develop gradually toward RECOGNIZED status.

Obtaining the group license does not require the organization or group to begin any activities immediately.

Cost of the Group License

The initial Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License is provided free of charge.

Creating the group and its dedicated page is also free. During the initial stage, the group does not pay an annual NWANA fee.

The $200 annual group license fee applies only after the group voluntarily receives RECOGNIZED status.

No Initial Requirements

Obtaining and maintaining the initial group license does not require:

a minimum number of participants;
the immediate appointment of a group leader;
an instructor, coach, healthcare professional, or judge;
regular walks or training sessions;
organized events or competitions;
the collection of membership fees;
an immediate application for RECOGNIZED status.

The group may begin with one interested participant and develop at its own pace or at a pace approved by the participating organization.

Possible Areas of Development

Depending on the interests and needs of its participants, the group may gradually develop:

introductory Nordic Walking activities;
group walks and social meetups;
programs supporting physical activity and mobility;
active lifestyle and community engagement programs;
intergenerational activities;
educational events and workshops;
sessions conducted by appropriately qualified professionals;
participation in NWANA competitions and other events;
its own in-person and virtual competitions;
volunteer, partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives.

None of these activities is required for the group to maintain its initial license.

Health and Program Responsibility

The Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License is not a medical, treatment, therapy, or rehabilitation license.

NWANA does not diagnose medical conditions or create medical, treatment, rehabilitation, or fall-prevention programs through this group license.

If Nordic Walking is incorporated into a medical, therapeutic, rehabilitation, fall-prevention, or other healthcare-related program, that program must be developed and supervised by the responsible organization and appropriately qualified professionals.

NWANA may provide Nordic Walking education, technical standards, and professional expertise related to Nordic Walking.

Qualified Activities

The group license does not, by itself, authorize any participant to teach Nordic Walking technique, provide professional instruction, coach participants, deliver healthcare services, or serve as a judge.

A person must have the appropriate training, license, qualification, or authorization to perform these activities.

The group may exist and develop before it has an instructor, coach, healthcare professional, or judge. Professional qualifications are not required for ordinary participation, organizational assistance, sharing information, or volunteering.

Activities conducted under the name of a participating organization must also comply with that organization’s authorization and internal policies.

Group Events and Competitions

A Senior Community Nordic Walking Group may organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions as it develops.

An organization-authorized group must conduct such activities with the permission of the participating organization. An independent local group may conduct them as activities of that independent group.

If the group wishes to obtain separate designation for a competition as an official NWANA competition, that designation must be arranged separately in accordance with NWANA rules.

Financial Structure

During the initial stage, payments associated with group programs and events and collected through the NWANA-created page are processed through NWANA.

After NWANA operating expenses, these funds may be used to support the group’s page, events, programs, and continued development.

Any fundraising, sponsorship, collection of fees, or other financial activity conducted under the name of a participating organization must be authorized by that organization.

If the group later receives RECOGNIZED status, it may be provided with expanded administrative capabilities and its own payment structure within the NWANA system, subject to any applicable arrangements with the participating organization.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the group and its group license, not to an individual participant.

Obtaining this status is optional. The group may remain at the initial stage for as long as necessary.

The requirements and application process for RECOGNIZED status will be published separately at the appropriate stage of the program’s development.

After the group receives RECOGNIZED status, the annual cost of its NWANA group license is $200.

Difference from the Individual Senior Community License

The Senior Community Nordic Walking Group License applies to the group and is initially provided free of charge.

The Individual Senior Community License applies to a specific person and costs $20 per year. RunSignup automatically prorates the fee based on the time remaining in the current license year.

The Individual Senior Community License is open to anyone who wants to support Nordic Walking opportunities for older adults. A person does not have to live or work in a senior living community to obtain the individual license.

An Individual Senior Community License holder may:

join an existing group;
help propose an authorized group for a senior living community, senior center, or other organization;
become the first licensed participant connected with the creation of an independent local group.

The individual license does not authorize its holder to represent a specific organization or create a group under that organization’s name without permission.

Individual license holders may register for and participate in NWANA in-person and virtual competitions in accordance with the rules of each event. They receive a 5% discount on NWANA competition registration fees.

Neither the individual license nor the group license is an athlete competition license. If a separate athlete license is required for a particular competition, this requirement will be stated in the event rules. The athlete license can be obtained through https://license.nwaofna.org/.