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Friday
07 February 2003
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| Schools
encourage healthy lives |
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In
Armagh on Friday 31 January, Principals from schools
throughout the Southern Education & Library Board
area attended the inaugural meeting of the ‘Southern
Area Health Promoting Schools’ Initiative.
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The
Health Promoting Schools Initiative aims to enable schools
to provide an environment where the physical and mental
well being, health and safety of staff and pupils is
supported, in partnership with family, community and
external agencies. It also aims to support schools in
developing good practice in the development of policies,
practices and structures that will underpin a sustainable
health promotion programme. |
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The
Regional Initiative is supported jointly by the Department
of Education and the Department of Health, Social
Services and Public Safety, along with other partners
from the long-established Health and Education Liaison
Group. This brings together the five Education and
Library Boards, Health Promotion representatives from
each of the Health and Social Services Board areas
and representatives of the Health Promotion Agency
for Northern Ireland, along with the NI Council for
Integrated Education, the Council for Catholic Maintained
Schools and the NI Council for the Curriculum, Examinations
and Assessment. Local Principals and representatives
from a range of Nursery, Primary, Post Primary and
Special Schools throughout the board area were welcomed
by SELB Chief Executive, Mrs Helen McClenaghan, and
SHSSB Chief Executive, Mr Colm Donaghy.
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Both
Chief Executives pledged their support for the partnership
working of all the organisations involved as well
as for the schools in the first cohort of the Initiative.
SELB Chief Executive Helen McClenaghan welcomed local
Principals to the inaugural meeting, she commented,
“The programme on which we are focussing today
builds on the good practice that already exists in
schools as delivered through their pastoral care arrangements.
What is especially exciting about the Health Promoting
Schools Initiative is that it is province-wide and
operates through a collaborative programme of school,
home and community links.” Colm Donaghy, Chief
Executive of the Southern Health and Social Services
Board commended all of the organisations that are
working together to deliver the scheme. Speaking at
the event he said, “If we are going to make
a real difference to the health of our young people,
we must all work together and also work with young
people themselves. I think that this Health Promoting
Schools initiative is an excellent example of this
type of approach. I know that I can look forward to
some very innovative and interesting schemes as part
of the whole Health Promoting Schools Programme."
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| Mrs
Eileen Donnelly, who has responsibility for Personal, Social
and Health Education at the SELB, informed Principals that,
“Through the process of auditing, action planning, monitoring
and self-evaluation, schools will build on existing good practice
and become healthier settings”. She added, “The
Initiative supported the objectives of both the proposed curriculum
and the Investing for Health Public Health Strategy”.
Funding has secured the appointment of a local Co-ordinator
for a two-year period. Mary Loughran, who took up this post
in September 2002 commented, “This is a very exciting
Initiative, not only because it will build on the health of
the whole school and the wider school community, but also
because it will strengthen the existing partnerships between
education and health in the Southern Board”. The programme
for the in-service training day outlined the processes involved
and facilitated discussion on current practice and possible
initiatives. The Health Promoting School was defined as one
in which a broad health curriculum is supported by the environment
and ethos of the school. Such a school recognises the important
role it has in the community and develops appropriate links
with the family and wider community to support and develop
this role. Participants are supported in developing policy
and practice to ensure that a whole school approach is adopted
and that young people are encouraged to develop positive and
responsible attitudes towards their physical, emotional and
intellectual development. Further workshops and meetings are
planned where schools will network and disseminate good practice
throughout the Board and Northern Ireland.
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