Creating healthy schools and communities is a shared responsibility. Educators, students, families and community partners (including public health, sport and recreation providers and others) all have a role to play in creating healthy active environments for our children and youth.
The following articles highlight different strategies and ideas to engage different sectors and organizations, and make your school and community healthier!
Making Kids’ Health a Community Priority
This article highlights how community involvement can have a huge impact on child and youth health and well-being, and how the Partnership for Healthy Kids is supporting communities across Ontario.
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Ophea Healthy Schools Series - Taking Steps Toward a Healthy School
Make Community Partners Part of Your Team
If you're ready to commit to building a healthier learning environment, Ophea is here to help! This article is the first in a series that will address some important questions. What is a Healthy School? How can you achieve it, and—most importantly—how can you take the first step: seeking out community partners and getting them on your team?
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Reach Out to Sport and Recreation Organizations
In this second article in our series about building healthy schools, we look at creating community partnerships with sport and recreation organizations, in particular. Often at little or no charge, these organizations can provide schools with programs and resources that teach fundamental movement skills as well as games and activities that can be used in the classroom. Sometimes, they can also make facilities or equipment available to students.
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Make Public Health Your Partner
In this third article of our series about creating partnerships for healthy schools, we will look at the role of public health units in helping to make this holistic approach to health a priority. These official health agencies, established by municipalities, are in the business of providing efficient community health programs and services carried out by full-time specially trained staff.
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