Health promoting schools in Iceland - SHE4AHA Erasmus+ project

BACKGROUND: The Green paper on ageing recognizes learning and experience in early childhood influences our lives. Healthy childhood in general shapes our future prospect, health situation and well-being. SHE4AHA Erasmus+ project approaches the Green paper and this work is lead by Schools for Health in Europe Network Foundation (SHE) in cooperation with researchers and coordinators for Health promoting schools in five countries. The green paper advocates for interventions and activities, which will help to laying the right foundation for early in life, preventing, limiting, and postponing some of the challenges linked to ageing. This could help European member states to fulfil the objective of adding healthier years to the life expectancy. DESCRIPTION: The objective of SHE4AHA is to show Health Promoting School (HPS) framework used as a validated and evidence-based contribution to implement the Green paper on ageing that calls for solutions to support healthy and active ageing from an early age. The SHE4AHA project involves 15 pilot schools in five European countries, Iceland, Portugal, Denmark, France, and Slovenia. These schools receive training, coaching and support to work with the whole school approach for HPS. The SHE4AHA project started in March 2022 and will finish in February 2025. Each pilot school is working with aim on project selected of them to try out for the schoolyear 2022-2023. LESSONS AND RESULTS: All pilot schools work with a pixie version of the SHE Manual made for the project. The school systems in the countries are very different and there is need for a little different approach for the countries. The three pilot schools in Iceland are also working with the Icelandic frame of being a HPS. The supporting material is e.g., checklists and interactive website. Results have shown e.g., need to increase and recognise appropriate resources like time and flexibility for coordinators at schools. KEY MESSAGES: • Health promoting framework built on the Ottawa Charter the process, enabling individuals and communities to increase control over the determinants of health to live an active and a productive life. • In the development process of health promoting schools, school principals, school management, teachers, other school staff, pupils and community partners need to be involved.