Food practices and school connectedness: a whole-school approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Neely ◽  
Mat Walton ◽  
Christine Stephens
Keyword(s):  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Setting ◽  
School Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
Whole School ◽  
School Year ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology

Purpose – The health-promoting schools (HPSs) framework has emerged as a promising model for promoting school connectedness in the school setting. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for food practices to promote school connectedness within a HPSs framework. Design/methodology/approach – This study explores food practices within a New Zealand secondary school by using an ethnographic methodology, with interviews and observations, to explore in-depth the range of food practices that occurred within the school across a whole school year. Thematically the data were ready for school connectedness indicators across the recorded events, and categorically the practices were coded according to their level of occurrence within the HPS framework. Findings – The findings showed that food practices occurred across class- and school-level organisation, ethos, environment, and community partnerships, and indicated that they may be valuable assets for a HPS approach to school connectedness. By integrating the findings of the present study with previous literature the authors suggest a HPS framework for promoting school connectedness through food practices. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the emerging research on whole-school approaches to building school connectedness, and provides a first contribution on the value of food practices for school connectedness.

scholarly journals A confluence of evidence

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity Thomas ◽  
Peter Aggleton
Keyword(s):  
Health Education ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
International Health ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the evidence base to support whole school approaches. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conduct a review of published evaluations and evidence syntheses across six areas in the international health-promoting schools literature. Findings – Although whole school approaches are often advocated in literature and policy on health-promoting schools, the evidence base for their effectiveness is partial and is often health topic specific. This paper reviews the evidence base across six different health-related areas, namely: sexual health; bullying; alcohol and drug use; mental health; school connectedness; and access to services. It identifies commonalities in learning, enabling a confluence of evidence on the factors central to the provision of effective health education and support within schools. Whilst findings endorse a whole school approach, they also suggest that some of the more subtle evidence-based principles on which such approaches are underpinned are not generally explicitly reflected in practice. Originality/value – The paper offers the first cross-topic synthesis of findings on health education effects and effectiveness in six health-related areas, to identify commonalities in learning. Findings contribute to the evidence base for the use of a whole school approach when undertaking health education in schools.

scholarly journals How can schools help to reduce the harm associated with teenage substance use? Development of a theoretically driven whole-school approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfgang A. Markham ◽  
Chris Bonell ◽  
Adam Fletcher ◽  
Paul Aveyard
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Practical Reasoning ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Affective Development ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Life Trajectories ◽  
Problematic Substance ◽  
Whole School Approach

Purpose Substance use prevalence varies considerably between schools, but to date, whole school approaches for reducing substance use have only been moderately effective. The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel multifaceted whole-school approach to reduce substance use primarily among teenagers aged 11-14 years. Design/methodology/approach The outlined approach is premised on the proposal that schools can reduce the harms associated with substance use by promoting school connectedness and improving the school-related experiences of weakly connected and disconnected students. The aim of this approach is to develop students’ autonomy so that they may act in their real and long-term interests. This may be attained by promoting the realisation of essential human capacities for: practical reasoning – through valued opportunities for cognitive development and affiliation – through valued opportunities for affective development that advance students sense of acceptance within school. Schools may achieve this, it is proposed, by providing outlined forms of appropriate formal support and formal control that are augmented by particular features of school organisation, curriculum and pedagogic practice, which are also described. Findings A theoretically driven understanding of a whole school approach for reducing teenage substance use is outlined. Originality/value The outlined approach may usefully inform the development of future whole school interventions aiming to reduce problematic substance use among school students. Additional potential benefits include more successful student life trajectories.

Lessons in building capacity in sexuality education using the health promoting school framework

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 138-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Ollis ◽  
Lyn Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Sexuality Education ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Building Capacity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting School ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The health promoting school model is rarely implemented in relation to sexuality education. This paper reports on data collected as part of a five-year project designed to implement a health promoting and whole school approach to sexuality education in a five campus year 1-12 college in regional Victoria, Australia. Using a community engagement focus involving local and regional stakeholders and with a strong research into practice component, the project is primarily concerned with questions of capacity building, impact and sustainability as part of whole school change. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach – Using an action research design, data were collected from parents, students, teachers and key community stakeholders using a mixed methods approach involving surveys, interviews, document analysis and participant observation. Findings – Sexuality education has become a key school policy and has been implemented from years 1 to 9. Teachers and key support staff have engaged in professional learning, a mentor program has been set up, a community engagement/parent liaison position has been created, and parent forums have been conducted on all five campuses. Research limitations/implications – The translation of research into practice can be judged by the impact it has on teacher capacity and the students’ experience. Classroom observation and more longitudinal research would shed light on whether the espoused changes are happening in reality. Originality/value – This paper reports on lessons learned and the key enabling factors that have built capacity to ensure that sexuality education within a health promoting, whole school approach will remain sustainable into the future. These findings will be relevant to others interested in building capacity in sexuality education and health promotion more generally.

scholarly journals Successful health-promoting leadership – A question of synchronisation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pia Skott
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
School Context ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Successful School

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to identify the role of the principal in establishing a whole school approach for health and wellbeing. Two questions are asked: (1) What do successful Swedish principals do when they take on a whole school approach? (2) How do these results relate to previous research on successful school leadership?Design/methodology/approachThis paper focuses on the complexity of organisational processes and considers the role of successful leadership in managing a whole school approach to health promotion. It presents findings from two different but interlinked projects, and draws on document studies and interviews with principals, student health team members and teachers in Sweden.FindingsThis paper argues that successful school leaders are crucial in establishing a whole school approach, because of the work they do to synchronise the health-promoting activities in schools. The study identifies four aspects of coordination that need to be enacted simultaneously when leading health-promoting processes. The fifth aspect identified is that a whole school approach is not limited to the school, but the whole local school context, i.e. a synchronisation between different system levels.Originality/valueAlthough limited in scale, this paper reports key findings that could have practical implications for school leaders. The study suggests that successful school leadership research needs to use a health-promoting lens in order to make leadership practices health-promoting practices. It also proposes extended comparative research from different fields and contexts.

scholarly journals Health Literacy Levels among Italian Students: Monitoring and Promotion at School

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (19) ◽  
pp. 9943
Author(s):  
Veronica Velasco ◽  
Andrea Gragnano ◽  
Luca Piero Vecchio ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Health Literacy ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Educational Approach ◽  
Lombardy Region ◽  
School Aged Children ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Promotion Policies ◽  
Whole School Approach

Health literacy was identified as an important determinant of health, particularly for adolescents. However, more efforts are needed to monitor this construct and provide inputs for policy development. This study aims to: (a) Assess the validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Health Literacy for School-Aged Children (HLSAC-I); (b) Identify the health literacy levels among Italian students and compare them with other countries’ levels; and (c) Identify the associations between health literacy and multiple social determinants (social stratifiers, family, and school connectedness). Data came from the Health Behaviour School-Aged Children survey, carried out in the Lombardy region in northern Italy in 2018. A representative sample of 2,287 13- and 15-year-old Lombardian students was involved. The results support the validity and reliability of the HLSAC-I. A total of 18.7% of the sample reported low levels, and only 6.8% reported high levels. Italian students reported the lowest levels of health literacy compared with other countries. School connectedness and educational approach are the most relevant associated factors. This study confirms a school’s role in reducing inequalities and promoting health. It highlights the importance of monitoring health literacy and implementing health promotion policies at school through a whole-school approach.

scholarly journals Impact on staff of the Mentally Healthy Schools Framework

2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 289-296
Author(s):  
Julia Anwar-McHenry ◽  
Catherine F. Drane ◽  
Phoebe Joyce ◽  
Robert J. Donovan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Student Mental Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Healthy Schools ◽  
Whole School Approach ◽  
Taking Action

PurposeThe Mentally Healthy Schools Framework (MHSF), based on the population-wide Act-Belong-Commit mental health promotion campaign, is a whole-school approach primarily targeting student mental health, but it is also intended for staff. This paper presents the results of an impact survey on staff after the implementation of the Framework in a number of schools in Western Australia.Design/methodology/approachA baseline questionnaire was completed by n = 87 staff at schools that had just signed up to the programme, and a participant questionnaire was completed by n = 146 staff at schools that had been participating for at least 17 months.FindingsThe results show that the Framework has had a substantial impact on many staff in terms of increased mental health literacy and taking action to improve their mental health.Originality/valueMental health interventions in schools generally focus on students' well-being and how to deal with student mental health problems. There are few comprehensive interventions that also include staff well-being.

scholarly journals An examination of Health Promoting Schools in Ireland

2016 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Moynihan ◽  
Didier Jourdan ◽  
Patricia Mannix McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Health Promoting Schools ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Diet And Exercise ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Policy And Planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) in Ireland. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was administered to all post-primary schools in the country (n=704). Data were analysed with the support of the software packages, SPSS and MaxQDA. Findings – A response rate of 56 per cent (n=394) was achieved. Over half of these schools (56 per cent) self-identified as health promoting. Schools reported success in the areas of environment and curriculum and learning, however, partnerships and policy and planning required more attention. Some models of good practice emerged from the data but these were in the minority. Many schools, when asked to describe health promotion in their school, placed emphasis on physical health (diet and exercise) and curriculum predominately rather than the broader whole school conceptualisation. Only 35 per cent of HPS schools had a team supporting HPS developments. Only 36 per cent identified the existence of a school policy to support HPS. This suggests that further coherence for sustained and comprehensive implementation of HPS is necessary. Research limitations/implications – The research was conducted with school staff, in the first instance who self-reported their school’s level of HPS engagement. Originality/value – This paper offers the first national baseline data available in relation to engagement in HPS in Ireland. It provides a valuable starting point from which further research with schools in this field can be conducted.

How to implement a whole-school approach to school connectedness

2021 ◽  
pp. 33-44
Author(s):  
Suzanne Carrington ◽  
Beth Saggers ◽  
Ian Shochet ◽  
Astrid Wurfl ◽  
Jayne Orr
Keyword(s):  
School Connectedness ◽  
Whole School ◽  
Whole School Approach

Two aspects of health literacy and their importance for the use of health-promotion measures by teachers in the school setting

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Cathrin Hoppe-Herfurth ◽  
Birgit Burkhardt ◽  
Nancy John ◽  
Ludwig Bilz
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
School Setting ◽  
Health Awareness ◽  
Occupational Groups ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Value ◽  
School Year ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Starting Point

PurposeTeachers are exposed to many stressors. Compared to other occupational groups, they are more frequently affected by psychosomatic complaints. In recent decades, numerous prevention and intervention measures for promoting health have been developed and implemented for this target group. However, it remains unclear how the uptake of health-promotion measures (HPMs) by teachers can be increased in order to prevent stress-related disorders. This paper examines two facets of health literacy—health awareness and health value—in terms of their importance in both the take-up and intended take-up of HPMs.Design/methodology/approachIn the 2017/2018 school year, data were collected by paper and pencil from a representative sample of 830 teachers across all school types in the German State of Brandenburg.FindingsTeachers who place great value on their own health show significantly higher levels of take-up and intended take-up of HPMs. The findings regarding health awareness are more heterogeneous. Further associations were found with age and psychosocial stress.Originality/valueWhile there has been growing academic interest in developing HPMs for teachers, there has been relatively little focus on the factors that may influence the implementation and uptake of these measures. The paper contributes to addressing this gap by shedding light on the relevance of two facets of health literacy. Strengthening the perceived importance of health could be a starting point for increasing the use of HPMs by teachers and thus improving their health.

Building school connectedness through shared lunches

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (6) ◽  
pp. 554-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Neely ◽  
Mat Walton ◽  
Christine Stephens
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
School Connectedness ◽  
School Context ◽  
Common Humanity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Informal Setting ◽  
Zealand Secondary School ◽  
Ethnographic Methodology

Purpose – School connectedness is a well-established protective factor for young people’s physical, mental, and social health. The purpose of this paper is to explore the promotion of school connectedness through the practice of shared lunches within a secondary school context in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach – An ethnographic methodology was used to explore in-depth the mechanisms by which food practices included indicators of school connectedness, and used interviews and observations with teachers and 16-18-year-old students in a New Zealand secondary school. Findings – The results describe six key mechanisms by which shared lunches fostered school connectedness: showing common humanity, creating an informal setting, encouraging sharing, enabling inclusive participation, demonstrating sacrifice for the communal good, and facilitating experiences of diversity. These mechanisms contributed to increased social interactions in which people got to know each other better and were able to gain insight into others’ personalities. This allowed for opportunities to establish and strengthen social relationships, and contributed to indicators of connectedness. Research limitations/implications – The study is exploratory with findings reported from one school. Further research in other contexts on the value of shared lunches for building school connectedness is required. Originality/value – Shared lunches, as part of an overall strategy to develop a well-connected school community, are adaptable and can fit into a multitude of situations to meet different needs. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the mechanisms by which shared lunches can affect indicators of school connectedness.

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