To school...to learn about health

To school...to learn about health

A programme developed within the Prevention Plan 2014-2019 of the Abbruzzo Region, and assigned to the AUSL (Local Health Centre) of Teramo. Cooperation Agreement with the National Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Centre (CNaPPS). 

This Programme implemented a number of initiatives to improve the lifestyles of children and their families. One of these envisages a Cooperation Agreement with the (CNaPPS) to set up training courses, in-person and remote, for health care workers, paediatricians and the primary school teachers of the Region. 

Target: primary school students and teachers. 
Products: Distance Training Course (FAD); an interactive educational product.

Healthy lifestyles in school-age children

The Distance Training Course (FAD) is addressed to primary school teachers. It aims to strengthen and leverage the skills of the professional figures involved in promoting healthy lifestyles among children and their families. In this perspective, teachers, especially in nursery and primary schools, are key reference points for the children and their families. Therefore, through integrated educational projects on healthy eating habits and regular physical activity, they can be the promoters of evidence-based informative events oriented to improve knowledge as well as of educational and training activities aimed at developing individual skills (life skills). The Distance Training Course (FAD) is designed as a pathway structured into sections, which are in turn broken down into several cards. The first section illustrates healthy lifestyles, also providing a quantitative picture of the key aspects involved and suggestions for the prevention and health promotion strategies to be adopted. The second section is devoted to life skills, to communication and relational aspects and to the presentation of the principal methods implemented, with a view to improving teachers’ skills and to leveraging their competence in raising awareness and healthy behaviours among children and their families. The last section is made up of teaching units containing games dedicated to specific subject matters to play together with nursery and primary school children. 

Resource developed in 2018 and already used by approximately 700 primary school teachers in the Abruzzo Region.

Availability: the Distance Training Course (FAD) can also be promoted nationally under the National Prevention Plan, concertedly with the school sector.

 
A in Health

“A in Health” is an interactive teaching product (currently being developed) destined to primary schools (2nd and 3rd grade) that teachers can use in the classroom with the children to promote correct eating habits and physical activity by developing life skills. Family, school and community are systems that can facilitate the implementation of strategies to promote protection against behavioural risk factors. In particular, the promotion of life skills is an effective strategy to favour the development of individual wellbeing and highlights the strong bond that exists between school and health: the sense of belonging to the school community is associated with a great emotional wellbeing, pro-social behaviours, and commitment to and involvement with school achievement. To feel good at school does in fact reduce the probability of performing risky behaviours.

Organization of reference: National Centre for Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Contact person: Barbara De Mei