Great support helps local programme flourish

30.01.09

Otara-based Diabetes Projects Trust is successfully delivering their Healthy Schools Project to Secondary schools around Counties Manukau, and the greater Auckland area.

The aim of the Healthy Schools Project, designed for Year 9 students, to help reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity, and also the risk obesity related conditions such as cardio-vascular disease in youth.  It does this in two ways, firstly with the GetWize2Health programme which is a collection of specially designed resources, including an interactive programme for teachers to deliver as part of the curriculum, and the WizeEnvironment tuckshop programme which helps schools improve the nutrition environment in line with the 2007 NZ Food and Beverage Guidelines.

According to Kate Smallman, Clinical Projects Manager and Diabetes Nurse Specialist at the Trust, the programme offers a whole school approach to healthy eating and healthy action with interactive teaching about how to prevent diabetes and related health problems and how to make better choices.

“This curriculum-based programme has wide appeal with teachers and young people. It targets the core business of teachers so that it becomes a tool which fits in with their teaching needs.”

“It develops goal settings for the students, linking realistic activities to their everyday lives. It puts health issues in context for youth by providing the “why” as well as the choices, says Kate.

Kate produces one of the resource books designed for the schools. Each chapter is a stand-alone resource allowing teachers to pick and choose which topics fits in with their current formats.  The books come as part of an entire DIY kit, which include hands-on fat and sugar charts showing local and common foods such as common takeaways, pies, fizzy drinks, and healthy alternatives.

According to Kate fostering strong relationships with the schools is an integral element in making the programme successful.

 “Sometimes there can be a long lead time before schools take on the project. They need to see that it is a competent programme which will fit with them, and that we are a reliable organisation which is committed to supporting the teachers and students over a number of years.”

Currently 22 senior schools are running the programme and are supported with constant contact from Diabetes Projects Trust. Schools with the highest need, including lower Decile, are the primary target for the Healthy Schools programme but it is available for all schools which are interested.

There are a range of resources available aimed at helping young people live healthier lifestyles, including the 'Stay in Touch' DVD - award winning video about Sam who lives a typical 13 year old lifestyle until his body objects and communicates through text messaging.   There is also ‘Shop for your Life’ which is a 16 minute DVD takes a fun approach to health promotion. The story is that when Annie and Eddie Bigg find themselves winning a dream shopping trip with their parents, they get a lot more than they bargained for. The film takes the family on a whirlwind guided tour through a surreal supermarket looking in an entertaining way at essential subjects including portion size, nutrition label reading and how much sugar, fat or fibre is in food.  There are also two Comics, a one page resource with the key information from the ‘Shop for your life’ DVD and a range of pamplets with basic information on the, these last are available in 10 languages.  look at www.dptresources.org.nz for more information.

About Diabetes Projects Trust

The Diabetes Projects Trust is a charitable trust whose Mission Statement includes
“To reduce the incidence of diabetes and its tissue damage within New Zealand..”

As well as ‘Healthy Schools’ it delivers a range of programmes aimed at preventing diabetes, and reducing complications, including ‘Lifestyle Workplace’ which offers help to workers to live healthier lifestyles, ‘Lifestyle Support & Exercise groups’ for people with diabetes and their families, ‘Lifestyle Train the Trainer to prevent diabetes’ which trains and supports those working in diabetes prevention, ‘DCSS Audit’ which is a quality improvement service for General Practioners providing care to people with diabetes, ‘Healthy Cooking on a Budget’ which is due to be launched in early 2009 to help those who work with at risk families with practical advice on eating well and cheaply.