Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License

Purpose of the License

The Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License is an NWANA group license intended for the creation and gradual development of a Nordic Walking Group within a specific fitness center, gym, fitness studio, health club, wellness center, active lifestyle organization, or another fitness or wellness business.

The license allows a participating business to develop its own authorized Nordic Walking Group within the NWANA system and with access to NWANA Nordic Walking education, standards, methods, and professional expertise.

The license applies only to the Nordic Walking Group. It is not an individual participant license, a business license, accreditation of the fitness or wellness organization, a professional teaching or coaching credential, a medical license, or an athlete competition license.

Available Group Formats

A Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group may operate as:

• a program operated directly by the fitness or wellness business;

• a program conducted by an employee or instructor with the business’s permission;

• a program conducted by an authorized professional or community partner;

• a Nordic Walking program incorporated into the business’s existing fitness or wellness services;

• another format approved by the owner or authorized administration of the organization.

In every format, a group connected with a specific fitness or wellness business may be created only by that business or with its permission.

Authorization from the Business

An owner, employee, instructor, member, client, authorized partner, or another eligible person may propose the creation of a Nordic Walking Group within a particular fitness or wellness business.

However, obtaining an Individual Fitness & Wellness License does not, by itself, authorize that person to:

• represent the business;

• use its name, logo, facilities, client lists, internal communication channels, or other resources;

• establish a group as an official program of the business;

• provide professional instruction or coaching without the appropriate qualifications;

• make commitments or collect funds on behalf of the business.

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

An independent group that has not been authorized by the business may not use the business’s name or present itself as one of its programs. It may instead be created under the appropriate Community Nordic Walking Group License.

How a Licensed Group Is Created

The formation of a new Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group may begin when at least one eligible Individual Fitness & Wellness License holder proposes the group and the selected business authorizes its creation.

After the business’s authorization is confirmed, NWANA creates the Fitness & Wellness 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, coach, or official business representative and is not required to organize its activities.

The participating business determines who is authorized to represent it and who may perform leadership, instructional, supervisory, or administrative functions within the group.

Who the Group May Serve

The participating business determines the intended audience for its Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group.

Depending on the approved format, the group may serve:

• members and clients;

• employees and instructors;

• participants in fitness, wellness, or active lifestyle programs;

• families or invited guests;

• authorized community participants;

• other individuals approved by the business.

The group license does not independently provide access to the business’s facilities, clients, programs, communication systems, equipment, or other resources.

Role of NWANA

NWANA’s role is to provide the Nordic Walking foundation for the group.

NWANA may provide:

• Nordic Walking education;

• technical standards and methods;

• instruction in Nordic Walking technique;

• professional development opportunities for eligible instructors;

• sport, training, and competition expertise;

• support for the gradual development of the group;

• guidance toward possible RECOGNIZED status.

NWANA’s group license and any future RECOGNIZED status apply only to the Nordic Walking Group. They do not approve, license, accredit, or endorse all other services, programs, instructors, methods, or business activities offered by the participating fitness or wellness organization.

What the Group License Provides

The Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License allows the authorized group to:

• operate within the NWANA system as a Nordic Walking Group connected with the participating business;

• have a dedicated page for approved information, registration, news, programs, and events;

• welcome eligible Individual Fitness & Wellness License holders;

• introduce Nordic Walking opportunities through the fitness or wellness organization;

• organize approved walks, classes, training sessions, and wellness activities;

• invite appropriately qualified instructors, coaches, and other professionals;

• participate in NWANA programs and events;

• organize its own approved in-person and virtual events and competitions;

• establish authorized partnership, sponsorship, and fundraising initiatives;

• develop gradually toward RECOGNIZED status.

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

Cost of the Group License

The initial Fitness & Wellness 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 NWANA Requirements

Obtaining and maintaining the initial group license does not require NWANA to impose:

• a minimum number of participants;

• the immediate appointment of a group leader;

• an instructor, coach, or judge;

• regular walks, classes, or training sessions;

• organized programs, events, or competitions;

• the collection of membership or program fees;

• an immediate application for RECOGNIZED status.

The group may begin with one interested and eligible participant and develop at a pace approved by the participating business.

The business may establish its own operational, staffing, professional, safety, facility-use, scheduling, pricing, and program requirements.

Responsibility of the Fitness or Wellness Business

The participating business determines and oversees:

• the approved program format;

• permitted participants and membership requirements;

• group leadership and administration;

• use of facilities, equipment, and business resources;

• requirements for instructors, coaches, employees, volunteers, and external partners;

• program schedules, services, and pricing;

• participant registration and communication;

• safety, insurance, emergency, and operational procedures;

• financial accounts, sponsorships, fundraising, and collection of fees;

• branding and use of the business’s identity;

• other policies applicable to the group.

The Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License does not replace business authorization, professional qualifications, facility requirements, insurance, or other requirements applicable to a particular program or activity.

Possible Areas of Development

Depending on the interests of the participants and the authorization provided by the business, the group may gradually develop:

• introductory Nordic Walking activities;

• group walks and social meetups;

• fitness, wellness, and active lifestyle programs;

• technique instruction provided by appropriately qualified professionals;

• endurance, mobility, recreational, or competitive training;

• educational events and workshops;

• member and community events;

• participation in NWANA competitions and other events;

• its own approved in-person and virtual competitions;

• partnership, sponsorship, volunteer, and fundraising initiatives.

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

Qualified Activities

The group license does not, by itself, authorize any participant to teach Nordic Walking technique, provide professional instruction, coach participants or athletes, supervise programs requiring professional qualifications, or serve as a judge.

A person must have the appropriate training, license, qualification, business approval, and any other required authorization to perform these activities.

The group may exist and develop before it has an instructor, coach, or judge. Professional qualifications are not required for ordinary participation or authorized organizational and volunteer assistance.

All activities conducted under the business’s name must comply with its authorization and policies.

Health and Medical Boundaries

The Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License is not a medical, treatment, therapy, or rehabilitation license.

NWANA does not diagnose medical conditions, prescribe treatment, or create medical, therapeutic, treatment, or rehabilitation programs through this group license.

If Nordic Walking is incorporated into a program involving medical conditions, treatment, physical therapy, or rehabilitation, that program must be developed and supervised by the responsible organization and appropriately qualified professionals.

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

Group Events and Competitions

A Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group may organize its own in-person and virtual events and competitions as it develops and with the authorization of the participating business.

The business determines the permitted participants, location, supervision, format, use of facilities, and other conditions for each activity.

An event may be presented as a competition of the group or participating business only to the extent authorized by that business.

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 approved 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 pricing, fundraising, sponsorship, collection of fees, or other financial activity conducted under the business’s name must be authorized by that business.

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 the applicable arrangements with the participating business.

RECOGNIZED Status

RECOGNIZED status applies to the Nordic Walking Group and its NWANA group license, not to an individual participant or to all operations of the participating business.

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

Authorization by the fitness or wellness business and RECOGNIZED status from NWANA are separate designations. Neither designation replaces the requirements for obtaining the other.

The requirements and application process for NWANA 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 Fitness & Wellness License

The Fitness & Wellness Nordic Walking Group License applies to the authorized group and is initially provided free of charge.

The Individual Fitness & Wellness 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 Fitness & Wellness License is intended for owners, employees, instructors, members, clients, authorized partners, and other eligible people interested in developing Nordic Walking through a specific fitness or wellness business.

An applicant must have an appropriate connection with the selected business or authorization to participate in proposing or supporting the initiative. A person with no connection to the business may not register an Individual Fitness & Wellness License under its name without permission.

An Individual Fitness & Wellness License holder may join an existing authorized group or help propose the creation of a new group. The individual license does not authorize its holder to represent the business, create a group under its name, use its facilities, or provide professional services without permission and the appropriate qualifications.

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/.