Better schools through health: learning from practice
Better schools through health: learning from practice
Better schools through health: learning from practice
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2. “MY DEAR PINOCCHIO”: THE ITALIANWAY TO THE HEALTH PROMOTINGSCHOOLMaria Vezzoni, Cristina Morelli, Antonella Calaciura,Chiara Mariani, Luigi Acerbi, Roberta Tassi,Marina Penati, Maurizio Bonaccolto, Luigi Fantini(Public Health Unit Milano2 (PHUMi2) CommunityMedicine); Chiara Sequi (Provincial Office ofEducation of Milan); Tiziana Germani(School Director 1 CD San Giuliano Milanese), ItalyBackgroundPinocchio is a puppet who empowered himself to become a child. In doing this he ishelped by a blue fairy, who tells him he can become a real boy, if he proves himselfbrave, truthful, and unselfish. Thus begin the puppet’s adventures to become a realboy, which involve many encounters. Likewise pupils need to be empowered andthe school represents the place where significant encounters take place and whereempowerment can be developed.Public Health Unit Milano2 (PHUMi2), located in the Lombardia Region, actually serves46 municipalities in the hinterland of Milan, with 556.000 inhabitants and 351 <strong>schools</strong>with more than 60.000 pupils. In 2001 we investigated around 70% of the <strong>schools</strong> abouttheir activities in <strong>health</strong> education. At that time, <strong>schools</strong> used a medical model of <strong>health</strong>education offering lectures on <strong>health</strong>-related topics, such as nutrition, hygiene and oral<strong>health</strong>, smoking habits, sexual education, prevention of accidents. The average numberof <strong>health</strong> topics addressed in pre-school was 1.5, in primary school 1.8 and in secondaryschool 2.8. No strategies had been developed to promote <strong>health</strong>y living <strong>through</strong> thewhole school approach.StrategyWe focused on the process of change. In 2002 we invited the Regional Office ofEducation in Lombardia and teachers <strong>from</strong> the <strong>schools</strong> of the area to participate inthe development of a theoretical model of a “Smoke-free School” (SFS) using a <strong>health</strong>promoting approach. Subsequently, based on a whole school approach, we decidedto certificate those <strong>schools</strong> that planned, implemented and evaluated actions in fiveareas;1.2.3.4.5.CurriculumTraining for teachersPartnershipSmoke-free school environmentSmoking cessation.In five years 130 <strong>schools</strong> have been certified as “SFS” and 79% of them obtained resultsin at least three of the above areas.After achieving this <strong>schools</strong> now asked for a more comprehensive working model andwe accepted the challenge of a new approach and started to work toward a “HealthPromoting School” (HPS).22