The aim of the Schools for Health in Europe (SHE) network is to improve the health of children and young people in Europe, including reducing health inequalities, through a specific setting focus on schools. The network supports its members to further develop and sustain school health promotion by providing a European platform for school health promotion.
For 2015-2017 4 specific objectives are formulated. By the end of 2017:
• the functioning of national and regional health promoting school networks and the implementation of health promoting schools has been supported by sharing good practices, expertise and skills;
• the professional development of SHE network members and other stakeholders has been supported by the delivery of the SHE support programme;
• the visibility and access to evidence based information on school health promotion has increased by the delivery of publications and presentations;
• the dissemination of school health promotion research findings and innovative research consortia has been promoted.
Methods to achieve these objectives are: organising annual meetings and capacity building workshops. Maintaining SHE website, helpdesk, share information through newsletters and social media and by encouraging regional and cross-border cooperation. Developing online school twinning tool and the SHE online school manual. Developing an e-learning tool, organising a summer school, support publications and consultancy visits. Making SHE leaflets, factsheets, an online glossary and by representing the network at international conferences.
The health of children and young people are and will be a key priority for the European Commission. The activities in the network relate directly to the first overall objective of the third programme of community action in the field of health (2014-2020) and thematic priorities 1.1 till 1.4 are high priority issues in school programmes and settings. The SHE network encourages a whole school approach to these priorities.
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