# Inspiration and role models > Seeing someone like you become more active, or being guided by a peer, can help you get started and keep going. Choose people whose lives are close to yours, and look first at local walks, gentle classes and buddy schemes. - Type: Guide - Topic: Habits & Motivation › Motivation - Reviewed by: Andrew Schox, BSc(Hons) PGradDipPod MPod, Podiatrist (2026-10-21) - URL: https://twikka.com/learn/inspiration-and-role-models - Updated: 2026-10-21 - **Peers can help:** programmes led by people like you have tended to increase activity. - **Choose someone close to your own life,** not an elite athlete. A neighbour or a beginners' group member may suit you better. - **Being part of a group helps people stick with it.** - **Start local:** council walks, gentle classes and buddy schemes are good places to look. - **Protect yourself:** use trusted sources and share only the details you're comfortable sharing. ## Can role models and other people's stories help? Probably yes, though how much is not fully clear. Programmes led by peers (people like the participants, rather than professionals) have tended to increase physical activity [1]. Older adults guided by peer mentors have made similar fitness gains to those guided by young professionals [2]. Who you look to matters. Someone whose age, ability and daily life are close to yours tends to work better than someone very different from you [3]. A neighbour who started walking last year may do more for you than a champion runner. Watching someone cope with the same hurdles you face, and getting encouragement from others, is thought to build confidence in your own ability [1]. Whether peers reliably build confidence is not clear yet, so treat a good story as a nudge, not a promise. Being part of a group also seems to matter. Social connection is one of the things older adults link with sticking to group exercise [4]. A role model can be someone you meet regularly, not only someone you read about. > **Try this:** Think of someone you know who has become more active. This week, ask them what helped them get going. Then book a beginner-friendly session and go along. ## How do you find a mentor in an active community? Start close to home. Being active is easier with company and a familiar place to go [5]. Your council's leisure or wellbeing pages often list walks and classes, and libraries and community centres sometimes host free sessions [5]. Good options for a first visit include: - **Free community walks** led by trained volunteers [5]. - **Gentle classes,** such as chair-based sessions, beginners' circuits, or strength and balance classes [5]. - **Buddy schemes.** Some councils match you with a like-minded buddy in an activity of your choice. The aim is to help you be more active and build your confidence in a friendly, safe atmosphere [6]. A coordinator does the matching, and buddies can help you try activities you haven't tried before [6]. Not every area runs the same schemes, so check what yours offers. Walk leaders, class instructors and buddies can all act as mentors. Peer mentors have worked well for older adults [2]. For a first visit, choose a gentle or beginner session. You could take a friend or family member with you. A few simple habits keep you safe from scams: - Use your council's own website, or visit in person. - Be wary of unexpected messages or links offering groups or mentors. - On any sign-up form, share only the personal and health details you're comfortable sharing. ## When to check with a health professional If you're starting exercise after a long break, it's always a good idea to see your doctor first. For an injury or a health condition, see a health professional, such as your doctor or a physio. A mentor, buddy or group leader can help with planning and keeping going. They can't diagnose problems or advise on your health conditions. Call your local emergency number for chest pain or pressure (or pain spreading to the arm, neck, jaw or back, especially with sweating or feeling sick), severe breathlessness, fainting or collapse, signs of a stroke, a serious injury, or someone who isn't safe. For a sore muscle or joint, ease off. See a doctor or other health professional if it persists or gets worse. Unusual tiredness isn't something to push through, so get it checked by a doctor. ## Quick answers ### Can I use a friend or family member as my mentor? Yes. A friend or family member can be good company, especially at a first session. Taking someone along to a gentle or beginner class or walk is a simple way to start, and they can help you plan and keep going once you've begun. ### Do I need to be tech-confident to join a local group? No. Some council schemes let you sign up online, by text message or WhatsApp, or on a library computer if you don't have one at home. You can also ask at your library or community centre, or visit in person. ## Sources 1. Martin Ginis KA, Nigg CR, Smith AL (2013). Peer-delivered physical activity interventions: an overlooked opportunity for physical activity promotion. Translational Behavioral Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-013-0215-2 2. Dorgo S, King GA, Bader JO, Limon JS (2011). Comparing the effectiveness of peer mentoring and student mentoring in a 35-week fitness program for older adults. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2010.04.007 3. Rowland SA et al. (2020). Vicarious Experience to Affect Physical Activity in Women: A Randomized Control Trial. Western Journal of Nursing Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945919856575 4. Farrance C, Tsofliou F, Clark C (2016). Adherence to community based group exercise interventions for older people: A mixed-methods systematic review. Preventive Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.02.037 5. Staffordshire County Council. Find local ways to be active. https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/health-and-wellbeing/nhs-services/move-more-simple-ways-get-started/find-local-ways-be-active 6. North Northamptonshire Council (2025). Get more active, meet people and explore new activities in 2025 with North Northamptonshire Council's Active Buddy scheme. https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/news/get-more-active-meet-people-and-explore-new-activities-2025-north-northamptonshire-councils --- Source: Twikka (https://twikka.com/learn/inspiration-and-role-models). General information about physical activity, not medical advice.