Skills-based health education

including life skills

Making the links

Unicef, New YorkAlso go to http://www.unicef.org/programme/lifeskills/mainmenu.html

What is the link?

F.R.E.S.H.

Skills-based health education

Child Friendly Schools

Life skills

Health Promoting Schools

Child Friendly SchoolsQuality learners: healthy, well-nourished, ready to learn, and

supported by their family and community

Quality content: curricula and materials for literacy, numeracy, knowledge, attitudes, and skills for life

Quality teaching-learning processes: child-centred; (life) skills-based approaches, technology

Quality learning environments: policies and practices, facilities (classrooms, water, sanitation), services (safety, physical and psycho-social health)

Quality outcomes: knowledge, attitudes and skills; suitable assessment, at classroom and national levels

And gender-sensitive throughout

• Inclusive of children

• Effective for learning

• Healthy and protective for children

• Involved with children, families, and communities

• Gender-sensitive

Child-seeking and Child-centred

What is FRESH ?

Focusing Resources on Effective School Health

A partnership: UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, WORLD BANK

FRESH Core intervention activities• Effective health, hygiene and nutrition policies for schools• Sanitation and access to safe water facilities for all schools• Skills based health, hygiene & nutrition education• School based health & nutrition services

Supporting activities• Effective partnerships between teachers and health workers

• Effective community partnerships

• Pupil participation

What is skills-based health What is skills-based health education ?education ?

• part of good quality education

• not just for health issues• not just for schools

Skills-based health education...

- has behaviour change as part of programme objectives

- has a balance of knowledge, attitudes and skills

- uses participatory teaching and learning methods

- is based on student needs

- is gender sensitive throughout

ContentContent MethodsMethods

The

content areasof

skills-health education

The

methods

for teaching & learning

ContentContent

Knowledge Attitudes Skills (life)

What topic? What issue?

About what? Towards what? For what?

Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

Methods

(Life) Skills(Life) Skills

Values analysis & clarification skills

Communication skills

Decision making skills

Coping & stress management skills

Content

knowledgeattitudes

Methods Methods for teaching & learning for teaching & learning

betterbetter- child-centred- interactive & participatory

- group work & discussion- brainstorming- role play- educational games- debates- practising people skills

Who can facilitate?

- teachers- young people (peer educators)- community agencies- religious groups- others...

Just about anybody!

What settings can be used?

- school- community - street- vocational - religious - existing groups or clubs- others...

Just about any setting!

% adolescents everhad sex (at ages 13,15, 19)

% adolescents with STIs

% adolescents addicted to intravenous drugs

HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT

GOALS

% adolescents infected with HIV (15-19; m:f)

% adolescents able toresist unwanted sex

BEHAVIOURALOUTCOMES

ANTECEDENTS:PROTECTIVE &RISK FACTORS

% adolescents whoknow how to protectthemselves

% adolescents using intravenous drugs

Effort required

School, community plus...

policies, health services, community partnerships...

School, community, national plus...

media campaigns, national policies, health & social services

School ...Skills-based health ed plus...

Expected outcomesOutput depends on input

Evaluation

Session/classroom level - immediate KAS outcome

Behaviour level - behavioural outcome

Epidemiological level - health outcome

Barriersto the life skills approach

- poor policy support

- poor and uneven implementation

- poorly understood

- competing priorities

3 main ways to implement

in schools

1. “carrier” subject 2. separate subjector unit of work (long term option) (short term option)

3. infusion/integration (not recommended)

Fast Track Slow Track

Priority ActionsAway from… Towards….•small scale………………. national coverage

•isolated education programs……………….... comprehensive - FRESH

•integration……………….. Single carrier subject

•creating new materials…. better use of what is

•generic programs………. specific (health and social)outcomes

•HIV/AIDS & life skills as an add-on……………….. dedicated staff, training &

support over time