27 March 2008

Promoting a Healthy College

Northern Ireland’s further education colleges are being encouraged to become healthier.

A conference has taken place at South West College’s Omagh Campus to focus on how colleges can improve the health and wellbeing of their staff and students and the wider community.

The event was organised by the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and the Learning and Skills Development Agency Northern Ireland as part of the Promoting Healthy College Initiative.

Over 70 further education and health specialists attended the event to share good practice and explore how they can help to deliver key Health and Social Care Strategies including Investing for Health, Protect Life: Northern Ireland Suicide Prevention Strategy and Fit Futures within the Further Education setting.

Mr Victor Refausse, Director, South West College announced the future appointment of a new Health Promoting College Co-ordinator for the Southern Regional College and South West College. The first of its kind in Northern Ireland, the new co-ordinator will lead the way for the future development of standards for the Health Promoting College.

Speaking to the conference, Dr Gillian Rankin, Director of Older People and Primary Care, the Southern Health and Social Care Trust said: “As Health and Social care Trusts work to address serious issues such as suicide and mental health, it is important that we build on the good work with our key partners in further education and training organisations. We welcome the announcement of this new post in partnership with the health sector to improve the wellbeing of its staff, students, the wider community and we will work with them in implementing a healthy college model.”

Mrs Maggie Robinson, Development Adviser, Learning and Skills Development Agency, Northern Ireland said: ''This strategic focus on health and well-being in Further Education colleges is very timely as government and health trusts work to address serious health issues. Support for students, staff and communities can only lead to improved learning, retention and achievement and I hope that all Regional colleges will work towards creating a healthy college environment.''

Speakers at the event included Dr Kate Birch, Healthy College Co-ordinator at Huddersfield New College who shared the work of Kirklees Healthy College Standard as an example of improving Health and Wellbeing for the college population.

Mr Keith Miller from Health Estates, Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety also shared key lessons from research on how the built environment can improve health and well being of patients, staff and visitors in healthcare facilities and drew parallels with the college estate.

Workshops included: Developing Effective Student Services; the Open Your Mind mental health promotion project; the SPEAK suicide prevention programme; and Sexelearning sexual health promotion initiative; and Developing a Healthy College Policy and Promoting Positive Mental Health within the Further Education setting.

Closing the conference Mrs Breda Teahan Health Promotion Commissioner, Southern Health and Social Services Board said: “This initiative is the culmination of seven years of intensive working between the health and further education sectors since early 2000. Today we reaffirm our commitment to the partnership which has helped to develop the Health Promoting College in the Southern and Western areas.”