Health Promoting Schools
All kids deserve the opportunity for a healthy start. Become a Health Promoting School today with support from Ballarat Community Health (BCH).
Health Promoting Schools are committed to implementing a framework that’s designed to help your school bring together and enhance current health and wellbeing initiatives to support a whole of school approach to health and wellbeing.
The Health Promoting Schools Framework is based on the World Health Organization’s Health Promoting Schools model and aligned to key policies and guidelines including the Victorian Curriculum, Framework for Improved Student Outcomes and School Improvement Framework.
“BCH takes a deep dive into these topics to give more insight and expertise than could be garnered from a one-off lesson on any given theme” – Health Promoting Schools participating teacher.
Are you ready to:
- Engage leaders and school staff, students, their families, health providers and the wider community to make the school a healthier place?
- Provide a healthier environment, engage in school/community projects and outreach, and take opportunities to share health promotion programs with your staff?
- Address health and safety in the school, value nutrition and food safety programs and give more opportunity to introduce physical education, recreation, counselling, social support and mental health promotion programs into the school environment?
- Implement policies and practices that will help enhance wellbeing?
Acknowledge good efforts and intentions as well as personal achievements?
Ballarat Community Health offers Health Promoting Schools:
• A step-by-step approach, including access to toolkits, templates and review checklists for policy and procedure development, newsletter articles, social media content, and website information, engagement and feedback surveys
• Supported access to health professionals, secondary consults, referral pathways for students, their families and staff
• FREE access to our eNews, canteen menu assessments, in-classroom health education sessions from the Healthy Communities and Creative Learning Teams
Download the Health Promoting Schools Toolkit pdf
Tobacco (e-cigarettes), Alcohol and other Drugs
Harms associated with tobacco (e-cigarettes), alcohol and other drugs (TAOD), including accidents, injury and violence, are particularly high for young people. Drugs and alcohol can also interfere with adolescent developing brains. Evidence-best practice for schools and health services in this area is to promote harm minimisation education and health resources to empower young people increase their knowledge and skills to make the best decisions for themselves and their peers.
Tobacco (e-cigarettes), alcohol and other drugs education is a key health priority area of the Health Promoting Schools Framework. This is an exciting opportunity for students, families and staff to become key partners in planning and implementation of school policies, procedures, and best practice in this area.
We can help your school achieve best practice in the Alcohol & Other Drug priority area by:
• helping develop an TAOD policy for the school
• providing newsletter articles + social media and website content
• providing smoke-free and vape-free signage for display in high traffic areas
• providing resources for your offices & referral pathways to local health services at BCH and/or headspace Ballarat
• professional development and support for school staff
• providing FREE access to a suite of health education sessions & resources
Download the Health Promoting Schools Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs pdf
Sexual Health and Relationships (including puberty)
The goal of sexuality education is to build on knowledge, skills and behaviours, enabling young people to make responsible and safe choices. Developing protective factors such as resilience and social and emotional competencies will enhance the potential for children and young people to resist risky behaviours.
Relationships and Sexual Health (including puberty) Education is delivered in comprehensive curriculum, across all year levels Foundation-12. Student learnings about respectful relationships and sexuality is complemented by opportunities to share their knowledge with peers, parents, and the community.
We can help your school achieve best practice in the Sexual Health priority area by:
• helping you develop a Sexual Health (including puberty) & Relationships policy
• providing newsletter articles + social media and website content
• providing resources and referral pathways to local health services at BCH and headspace Ballarat
• professional development and support for teaching staff
• providing FREE access to a suite of health education sessions & resources
Download the Health Promoting Schools Sexual Health pdf
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness; it is a state of wellbeing where people can meet their learning potential, can cope with normal stresses & feel connected to community and friends. Promoting mental health & wellbeing in education settings helps students take advantage of opportunities & choices, flourish in their education journey, build resilience and develop life skills.
When a culture of wellbeing is prioritised across the whole school community, positive social norms and behaviours are built between leaders, school staff, teachers, educators, students and their families, and a sense of belonging and inclusivity is woven through everything the school already does.
We can help your school achieve best practice in the Mental Health & Wellbeing
priority area by:
• helping you develop a Mental Health & Wellbeing policy for the school
• providing newsletter articles, social media and website content
• providing resources and referral pathways to local health services at BCH and headspace Ballarat
• professional development and support for teaching staff
• providing FREE access to a suite of health education sessions & resources, including: positive well-being: respect, resilience and looking out for one another
Download the Health Promoting Schools Mental Health pdf
Safe Environments
Schools should be a safe place for everyone including students, teachers and other staff, families and members of the local community. The involvement and commitment of the whole school community is required to achieve a culture in which safe and respectful schools are everyone’s concern and responsibility.
Students have a fundamental right to learn in a safe, supportive environment and to be treated with respect. School staff also have the right to teach, work and participate in an environment that is safe and supportive. Similarly, parents and other local community members have a right to feel safe, supported and respected in the school context.
We can help your school achieve best practice in the Safe Environments priority area by:
• linking with Child Safe Standards
• helping you develop a safety policy for your school
• providing newsletter articles + social media and website content with stats, strategies & referral pathways to services
• providing referral pathways to local health services at Ballarat Community Health and headspace Ballarat
• professional development & support for teaching staff
• providing FREE access to a suite of health education sessions & resources
Download the Health Promoting Schools Safe Environments pdf
Physical Activity and Movement
Active kids are happy, healthy and resilient kids. Active kids are also active learners. A child’s physical activity level is influenced by many factors, including their individual skills, family lifestyle and the environment in which they live, learn and play.
Schools are vital in preparing young Victorians to lead a physically active and healthy life. Physical activity and movement is a key health priority area of the Health Promoting Schools Framework. This is an exciting opportunity for students, families and staff to be partners in the planning and implementation of best practice in this priority area.
We can help your school become an Active School by achieving best practice in the Physical Activity and Movement
priority area by:
• developing a Physical Activity and Movement policy for your school
• providing newsletter articles + social media and website content
• providing resources and referral pathways to local health services at BCH
• providing resources and referrals to local community and sporting clubs, recreational facilities and links to potential physical activity grants
• supporting other physical activity & movement initiatives
Download the Health Promoting Schools Physical Activity pdf
Sun Protection
The sun’s UV radiation can cause sunburn, skin and eye damage and skin cancer. UV damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia. It is also one of the most preventable.
STAY SUN SMART
1. SLIP on covering clothing
2. SLOP on SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen
3. SLAP on a hat to protect the face, neck & ears
4. SEEK shade
5. SLIDE on wrap-around AS1067 sunglasses
In line with the SunSmart program for schools we can help you to:
• develop the schools’ policies around shade and sun protection measures
• help you follow Australian Standards for items such as clothing, sunglasses and sunscreen
• share resources from Cancer Council and SunSmart
• develop awareness campaigns around UV and the importance of sun protection
• link you with sessions conducted by SunSmart
Download the Health Promoting Schools Sexual Health pdf
Healthy Eating and Oral Health (Vic Kids Eat Well)
Join the Vic Kids Eat Well movement today! Contact the Health Promoting Schools Team to find out how we can support your school.
Download the Health Promoting Schools Healthy Eating pdf
Climate and Health
If we want to be healthy, we need to keep the planet healthy too!
Download the Health Promoting Schools Climate and Health pdf
Hear from others
Become a Health Promoting School today! Contact the Health Promoting Schools Team to find out how we can support your school.
