Program puts a focus on health outcomes for kids

A PROGRAM that supports healthy eating and active living in early childhood services and schools has been relaunched across Geelong and surrounds in a bid to support better long-term health outcomes for children and staff.

The Achievement Program, a statewide health and wellbeing framework supported by the State Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria, has been refreshed and updates are rolling out across the region.

The Achievement Program supports schools, early childhood services and workplaces to achieve health and wellbeing outcomes and become healthier places.

The recent update of the program includes an enhanced online portal which assists schools and early childhood services to track their progress across a number of health areas with new tools such as a ‘snapshot survey’.

The program refresh also highlights staff health, recognising that our children’s settings are also a workplace and that staff and student wellbeing are linked.

Head of the Achievement Program, Tope Adepoyibi, said the recent changes were part of an effort to simplify the framework used by schools, early childhood services and other workplaces to achieve their goals.

“Our aim is to encourage these settings to bring together all the great health and wellbeing work they’re already doing and expand upon it, but importantly, to ensure the process to get there is straight forward and practical,” Ms Adepoyibi said.

“Within schools and early childhood services, the program provides resources, tools and guidelines that adopt a whole-school or service approach, from educators, staff, students, children and families.

“A key focus for these settings is the priority area ‘Healthy Eating and Oral Health’.

“Goals to aim for include fruit and vegetable snack breaks, allowing water bottles in class and providing information to families about healthy lunches.

“Another key focus is ‘Physical Activity’ with goals such as the provision of facilities for safe storage of bikes, education around appropriate levels of screentime for children and the inclusion of active breaks in between sedentary activities like reading and crafts,” Ms Adepoyibi said.

Health promoters from across the region have been working together to support the Achievement Program through the Healthier Eating and Active Living Project.

Bellarine Community Health, Barwon Health, City of Greater Geelong, Colac Area Health, G21 and Surf Coast Shire are all partners in the project.

These organisations are supporting schools and early childhood services to work through the Achievement Program and achieve great health outcomes.

For more details about the Achievement Program email [email protected].