Saskatchewan Alliance for Youth and Community Wellbeing

Cindy Anderson, Trustee, RPS

Purpose:

To enable Saskatchewan youth and communities to influence their own well-being through effective local-level action that is supported by a coordinated and collaborative provincial system of population health surveillance and knowledge development and exchange. Background: The Steering Committee is a partnership of agencies and individuals interested in collaborating to advance population health surveillance, thereby developing knowledge and capacity, engaging youth and communities, and encouraging community-led action around well-being in Saskatchewan. Committee members represent various sectors bringing together diverse talents and perspectives.

MEMBERS INCLUDE:

• League of Educational Administrators, Directors, and Superintendents of Saskatchewan (Leads) • Manitoba Partners in Planning for Healthy Living • Saskatchewan School Boards Association • Saskatchewan Association of School Business Officials • Saskatchewan Regional Health Authorities • Public Health Agency of Canada • Health Canada – First Nations and Inuit Health (Saskatchewan Region) • Canadian Cancer Society, Saskatchewan Division • Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada-Saskatchewan • Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations • Metis Nation – Saskatchewan • Saskatchewan Cancer Agency • Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority • Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (Universities of Saskatchewan and Regina) • University of Saskatchewan (College of Educations, College of Kinesiology, iCAN Research Group) • STF-Saskatchewan Teachers Federation

Working Groups SAYCW

• Survey Development Working Group • Survey tool will be a population-based screening tool

• Evaluation Working Group • Evaluations results will be immediately used to improve the surveillance

process/model, strengthen collaboration and support the alliance

• Survey Implementation Working Group • Guaranteed survey participants (youth/school) right to anonymity and confidentiality.

(SSBA)

• Knowledge Exchange working Group • Stakeholders will be appropriately and respectfully engaged throughout the surveillance

process to support implementation and use of survey results. (SSBA)

1. To stimulate a national dialogue between school board organizations in support of student wellness. 2. To promote increased awareness and commitment for comprehensive school health 3. To identify and share national best practices that support student wellness.)

National Committee on Youth Health

No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch.

www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/PHO

Active students are less susceptible to stress, exhibit positive attitudes about school and themselves, are less aggressive, and play better with fellow students. (Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1992)

Weighing IN!

What Matters Most Is How You See Yourself.

BUBBLE WRAPPED

GENERATION GAP GENERATION GAP “Children of risk-averse parents have lower test scores and are slightly less likely to attend college than offspring of parents with more tolerant attitudes toward risk” Says a team led by Sarah Brown of the University of Sheffield in the UK.

PLAYING AND PLAYGROUNDS

Adam & Danielle Anderson

McDermid Community School and Robert Usher Collegiate

Fibular Hemimelia Asthma

Stay Active!

LEADERS

EDUCATION LEADERS

They must be knowledgeable

about:

• the risk factors for unhealthy weights

• strategies to help children maintain an active life and be aware of healthy weights and effective interventions.

• They should also play a key role in reducing the stigma associated with weight problems and eating disorders.

Parents are familiar with:

• “ I have an overweight child and he has had lots of teaching from me, but the outside influences really impact what he eats, especially the media, and he isn’t able to determine what is good for him and what is not ... . He has lately been under a lot of pressure because of the focus of the media on overweight kids and this has been very hurtful to him, so people need to exercise caution when they are saying things to kids about their weight because it hurts.”

• Parent focus group •

• “ The sad point is that you can go [to a fast food restaurant] and get your $1.99 sandwich and it’s cheaper to feed your family [fast food] every night than it is to go to the grocery store... and sit at home and prepare a meal. It’s cheaper to go to the the fast food restaurants, and it’s easier.”

• “Parenting is a full-time job and it is hard to find the time between two full-time jobs, after school activities, doctors’ appointments, etc., to plan/make good healthy meals and more time for kids to just play outside.”

• Parent survey”

• As one mother said, “If I buy a bag of apples, that’s one snack for everyone in the family. If I buy a bag of cookies that’s three snacks for everyone.” Families living on low incomes have to make difficult food choices between affordability and health as fresh foods often cost more than processed ones.

• “ Our community is rural and [it’s] very hard to access fresh foods and organized activities.”

• Parent survey

“ I don’t have time. I’m a single mother of two and I work. By the time I come home, I’m tired. I have to cook, help with homework, so many things.

I would like to be more active with my kids, but by the time it’s nine at night, I’m done.”

Parent focus group

How can Saskatchewan create at present and in the future truly healthy, fulfilling lives for our children.

We need to ensure our children ... • have the best start in life • are loved and valued

• are surrounded by supportive families and friends, feel good

about themselves, and know how to cope with stresses and challenges in life

• feel safe and part of their communities • know about healthy eating, have easy access to healthy

foods, and make healthy food choices

• have time every day to play and be active and get enough sleep

• have the health services they need

If nothing is done: ●● the current generation of children will develop chronic illnesses much younger and be more affected as they age ●● the cost of obesity will grow, impacting our ability to fund other programs and services

***The CSBA carried unanimously a motion last Fall “That CSBA establish student health and wellness as a strategic priority and further, direct the Managing Director to develop an action plan with provincial members.” Some school divisions in Canada via direction of their Boards have a mandatory activity policy in place and have cast a very critical eye on school environments.

Partnerships and strategic plans need to be established with the Provincial Health and Education Ministries and with local health districts and communities to assist School Divisions to develop comprehensive Health Policies that adopt best practices. Marrying the education sector with the health sector can be beneficial. We can swim or sink together but it is great to swim together. United perhaps we can address the student health and wellness and allow the addition of a holistic approach .

There has never been this level of engagement in our country, and never been this level of commitment. We need to create specific, productive action plans and perhaps instill the best practices across the country. It will take time but I would like to see Saskatchewan join the other provinces like Alberta and British Columbia and take the lead.

Best practice internationally is 2/3 classroom time and 1/3 physical activity. We have been government mandated to add extra instructional hours perhaps a “Comprehensive Health Policy” would allow some time use for mental/health actions for students.

Saskatchewan has a strong track record in creating social change. Smoking rates are down – as is

drinking and driving. Saskatchewan residents now wear seatbelts. We are skilled at working together

and using a combination of approaches to encourage Saskatchewan to do things that are good for their

health.

HOPE

Empowered with

knowledge, skills and

confidence, youth can

make healthy choices

for themselves and

influence their peers.

39 Zoumas-Morse C, Rock C, Sobo E, Neuhouser M. Children’s patterns of macronutrient intake and associations with restaurants and home eating. J Am Dietetic Assoc 2001; 101(8): 923-925. 40 Woodruff SJ, Hanning RM. (2009). Associations between family dinner frequency and specific food behaviours among grade six, seven and eight students from Ontario and Nova Scotia. J Adolesc Health 44(5):431-6. 41 Bellissimo N, Pencharz PB, Thomas SG & Anderson GH. (2007). Effect of television viewing at mealtime on food intake after a glucose preload in boys. Pediatr Res, 61(6), 745-9. 42 Ibid. 43 Health Canada. Improving Cooking and Food 39 Zoumas-Morse C, Rock C, Sobo E, Neuhouser M. Children’s patterns of macronutrient intake and associations with restaurants and home eating. J Am Dietetic Assoc 2001; 101(8): 923-925. 40 Woodruff SJ, Hanning RM. (2009). Associations between family dinner frequency and specific food behaviours among grade six, seven and eight students from Ontario and Nova Scotia. J Adolesc Health 44(5):431-6. 41 Bellissimo N, Pencharz PB, Thomas SG & Anderson GH. (2007). Effect of television viewing at mealtime on food intake after a glucose preload in boys. Pediatr Res, 61(6), 745-9. 42 Ibid. 43 Health Canada. Improving Cooking and Food Preparation Skills: A Synthesis of the Evidence to Inform Program and Policy Development. 2010. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/child-enfant/cfps-acc-synthes-eng.php. 44 Woodruff SJ, Hanning RM. (2008). A review of family meal influence on adolescents’ dietary intake. Can J. Diet Prac Res. 69(1):14-22. 45 Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health Unit, The Cost of Eating Healthy. 2012. http://www.kflapublichealth.ca/Files/Resources/ Preparation Skills: A Synthesis of the Evidence to Inform Program and Policy Development. 2010. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/child-enfant/cfps-acc-synthes-eng.php. 44 Woodruff SJ, Hanning RM. (2008). A review of family meal influence on adolescents’ dietary intake. Can J. Diet Prac Res. 69(1):14-22. 45 Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health Unit, The Cost of Eating Healthy. 2012. http://www.kflapublichealth.ca/Files/Resources/

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