Health promotion is desirable

Five years ago, the Municipality of Hafnarfjörður became a health-promoting community. In the National Curriculum, which was published in 2011, health and well-being are among the core elements of education. With it, the schools gained access to a representative from the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, who provides advice and even feedback, as well as the opportunity to work systematically to use the tools to facilitate the process. Today, the aim is for all schools in Hafnarfjörður to become health-promoting. Hulda Sólveig Jóhannsdóttir, a teacher at Hvaleyrarskóli, is on a steering group for the municipality of Hafnarfjörður, which has been taking a leading role in these matters in the town. 

The local paper Hafnfirðingur spoke with Hulda

The town's steering group, of which Hulda is a part, has representatives from most areas of the local authority, and Hulda says that an effort is made to rotate most departments and units so that the knowledge is more widespread. „The ideas come, in part, from the staff and residents of the municipality and are implemented in such a way that as many people as possible feel involved and are part of the decision-making process. The City of Hafnarfjörður's health strategy contains health objectives which we try to implement in different ways for different groups. During the Covid pandemic, we have encouraged people to use safe ways to improve their health. For example, we have been promoting free walking routes on Wapp, presenting a full alphabet of health-promoting ideas, and encouraging people to go on health and cultural walks, whilst at the same time observing the two-metre rule. These walks have been held weekly over the summer. We feel it's important that residents find it desirable to enjoy everything the town has to offer, and that the healthy option is the easy choice. That is the core theme of all the steering group's work.“ 

^{Hulda had no trouble doing a handstand on the monkey bars, being a great sportswoman herself. Photo/OBÞ}

A guidance toolkit from the Chief Medical Officer's staff

Health-promoting primary schools is a second focus, an initiative by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer to integrate health promotion into nursery and primary schools and make it the core culture of the school's work. „Through this, we, the school staff, were provided with a guiding toolkit to view the entire school operation through the lens of health promotion. At the authority, we receive assistance and support so that each school signs a document confirming that it makes this decision and implements it in its own way. School representatives receive a folder containing guidance materials and recommendations. Then, a baseline survey is developed to position the school on its journey,“ says Hulda. Steering groups are then in each school that work as a team to decide what the focus will be and for how long. Among the areas of focus that can be chosen are diet, dental health, life skills, the home, the local community, safety and mental well-being.

Active staff participation matters

Hulda emphasises that it is not at all necessary to improve everything at once and that, after an internal review, it often turns out that much is already being done to promote health. „For example, when we started to focus on health promotion at Hvaleyrarskóli in 2008, mental well-being was addressed and we had the pupils do a project based on the 10 mental health commandments. They are displayed on a large sign above the canteen.“ They also made use of various things the town offered, such as peer education, and introduced the 'Buddy Packs' project during break time. „We therefore, of course, encourage the active participation of staff.“

Want to include all the schools

Hulda says that 5 out of 8 primary schools and 2 out of 17 nurseries have become part of these targeted healthy schools. These schools are doing fantastic things, and it's a joy to see the positivity and energy from those leading them in this.„We really want all the schools to take part and we want to show them that this is simpler than people think and absolutely worth it. There always needs to be someone enthusiastic and driven to lead the way in each location, and we have been running lectures and workshops. Next, the steering group will support the Hafnarfjörður Outdoor Centre as an incentive to use outdoor teaching without much effort. We are looking for every way to help people see the light,“ Hulda says with a smile at the end.

An interview with Hulda was published in Hafnfirðinginn on 30 August 2020.