The Schools for Health in Europe network (SHE)
WHO
Health promotion in schools includes efforts to create a healthy school environment, and school policies and curricula to make healthier options more accessible. It also includes health education (i.e. what you teach in the classroom).
The Schools for Health in Europe network (SHE) supports countries in developing national and regional networks focusing on reorienting schools to address health and well-being in a systematic and integrated way, including having a written school plan or policy. It is action-oriented and participatory; the whole school community, including pupils, teaching/non-teaching staff and parents, takes an active role in the decision-making and activities. It also focuses on capacity-building which relates to developing the knowledge, skills and commitment of all school community members to promote health and well-being.
Health promoting schools
A health promoting school is more than a school that has health promoting activities. It is a school that applies the whole school approach to health.
For example, healthy eating behaviour can be promoted through school policies that regulate which foods can be served and made available at school. The school canteen can be designed to be a positive social and physical environment, where pupils and staff come to eat and socialize. By creating a positive environment, pupils and staff will be less likely to go off campus for lunch, where they are more likely to choose less healthy food options. Furthermore, nutrition, food appreciation and knowledge of healthy food choices can be taught in the classroom. Involving parents and local restaurants and other businesses can further strengthen efforts in the school setting.
Whole school approach
One of the main concepts of SHE is the “SHE approach”, which is used when working with health promotion. The SHE approach includes a set of values, a specific understanding of the concept of health and an understanding of health promoting schools as schools that implement a structured and systematic plan for the health and well-being of all pupils and of teaching and non-teaching staff.
The main goal of SHE is to create healthy and supporting environments, incorporating the so-called “Whole school approach” that recognizes that all aspects of the school community can impact upon students’ health and well-being, and that learning and health are linked. SHE recommends focusing on 6 components in order to achieve a whole school approach:
- Healthy school policies
- School physical environment
- School social environment
- Individual health skills and action competencies
- Community links
- Health services
The vision of SHE is that the health promoting school approach becomes an accepted and adopted concept in all Member States of the WHO European Region, with increased implementation of activities at regional and local level within schools.
WHO and SHE want to make every school a health promoting school.
