Health Information and Health Literacy for Schools
The Health Promotion Academy
The Health Promotion Academy
With the "Health Promotion Academy", Helmholtz Munich developed the information and learning platform clever.gesund for children and young people on the subject of "healthy living" and supports schools in the implementation of health projects.
What is the aim of the Health Promotion Academy?
About half of children and adolescents aged 14 to 18 report difficulties in dealing with health-related information, according to recent results of a study by the Robert Koch Institute. Low health literacy can have a negative impact, however, as it is linked, for example, to more frequent obesity and poorer subjective health.
Since the school setting plays a particularly important role in the development of children and adolescents, Helmholtz Munich is addressing this issue directly with its "Health Promotion Academy" project. The project, which is funded by the AOK Bavaria, aims to promote the health literacy of students in general education schools from grade 5 onwards. Children and young people are encouraged to make self-determined decisions about their own health in order to lead a good and healthy life.
In the first pilot year, the project team developed the information and learning platform clever.gesund for and with students in a participatory process. This offers scientifically based information on health topics that is simple, understandable and appropriate for young people, as well as suggestions for health-promoting behavior. Teachers also find further information and teaching materials on various health topics on the platform.
In the second pilot year, the students become active themselves by implementing a project on the topic of health at their school together with their teacher. The participating students will be trained to become health buddies so that they can pass on their health knowledge to their fellow students. The students receive the necessary knowledge and the methods and tools they need to carry out their projects in advance in training courses conducted by us and during the project work.
Teachers and school social workers, as the central mediators for the students, are actively involved in the project. During training sessions, they receive evidence-based health information and methodological support for the implementation of health projects. In addition, teachers have the opportunity to regularly exchange information and ask questions with the project team.
Contact:
Ulrike Koller
Phone: +49 89 3187 2526
E-mail: ulrike.koller@helmholtz-munich.de