"Every school-aged child or youth is part of a healthy school community."
ALBERTA HEALTHY SCHOOL COMMUNITY Initiatives
The Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund, managed by the University of Alberta Centre for Health Promotion Studies is pleased to provide you with information about 2 new grant funding opportunities for projects that support healthy school communities.
Funding for Healthy School Initiatives is provided by both:
Alberta Health and Wellness
Alberta Education
Interested applicants who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to submit proposals for consideration. The objective of the grant funding is to provide support to school communities to enhance the health and wellbeing of school-aged children and youth within Alberta school communities.
A school community is defined as the school setting and all of its members along with community stakeholders that impact it such as families, collaborative partners and local business. Schools will be provided with support and assistance to build on existing strengths and reduce identified challenges.
A healthy school community is one that supports the wellness of children and youth and the entire school community by promoting wellness through the implementation of a comprehensive school health framework. It is a school community that constantly strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working. Aligning with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education’s 10 principles of a health promoting school (2007; p. 2), a healthy school community:
• Promotes the health and wellbeing of students
• Upholds social justice and equity concepts
• Involves student activity and empowerment
• Provides a safe and supportive environment
• Links health and education issues and systems
• Addresses the health and wellbeing issues of staff
• Collaborates with the local community
• Integrates into the school community’s ongoing activities
• Sets realistic goals
• Engages parents and families in health education
A comprehensive school health framework or approach is the mechanism that is used to assist in the development of a healthy school community. Comprehensive school health is NOT the end result but is rather what is used to achieve a healthy school community. Canada’s Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH) states that CSH is an internationally recognized framework for supporting improvements in students’ educational outcomes while addressing school wellness in a planned, integrated and holistic way. It is not just about what happens in the classroom. Rather, it encompasses the whole school environment with actions addressing four distinct but inter-related pillars that provide a strong foundation for a healthy school community (JCSH, 2008).
For more information about developing a healthy school community in Alberta, see the Wellness Fund’s Developing Healthy School Communities Handbook:
References
International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). (2007). Protocols and guidelines for health promoting schools. Paris: IUHPE.
Joint Consortium for School Health. (2008). What is Comprehensive School Health? Retrieved from
eng.jcsh-cces.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40&Itemid=62
