ACTIVE proposes a new and fresh approach to engaging European children between 5-8 years old.
The ACTIVE partnership will co-produce a cutting edge cartoon animation that tells positive, inspiring and fun stories about healthier living, focusing on healthy eating and physical activity. The animation, along with a tailor-made teaching pack to support the integration of the cartoon animation itself into formal education, will show how a healthy diet along with physical activity can significantly improve their life and their future.
ACTIVE is fully compatible with the HP and its 2008 WP as it places emphasis "on improving the health condition of children and young people and promoting a healthy lifestyle and a culture of prevention among them". In addition the project addresses the HP`s objective "to promote health, including the reduction of health inequalities and to generate and disseminate health information and knowledge".
Also, ACTIVE is in line with the Health Council conclusions of May 2007 which noted: “with concern the increase in overweight and obesity throughout the EU, in all population age-groups, especially among children” and invited MS “to reduce the number of overweight and obese persons, in line with the goals set out in the Badenweiler Memorandum and the European Charter on Counteracting Obesity".
ACTIVE work programme will be structured as follows:
• An initial phase of content development involving the animation team, experts on food and nutrition and a network of children Museums and schools across 6 European countries;
• The creation of a Pedagogic Evaluation Committee and a focus group of 600 children from 6 EU schools (Italy, Ireland, Poland, Bulgaria, Belgium and Spain) to evaluate the contents and the impact of the cartoon animation and the teaching pack;
• An international cartoon animation co-production - a creative form of communications which children enjoy watching and are captivated by;
• An integrated communication plan which will be carried out throughout the implementation of the project. The aim is to distribute the cartoon animation free of charge to broadcasters (TV channels, networks and any other form of transmission by cable, satellite, analogue and digital) and through online and other interactive formats all over Europe.
As a result ACTIVE will aim to:
• Directly reach young Europeans and help them adopt healthier behaviours;
• Indirectly raise awareness among their educators and parents.