How Living School Came To Be
- 2002 – Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care released the “Framework for Action: A Population Health Approach to Preventing Diabetes: Ontario Plan for Action”
- Funding was provided to Ophea to develop and pilot test a community-driven approach to health promotion for school-aged children
- Ophea conducted an international review of global health promoting models
- Ophea created a multi-disciplinary Provincial Advisory Committee & Research Advisory Group
- 2004/2005 – Pilot Project began with 9 pilot sites that included 17 Living Schools
- 2005/06 – Ontario Trillium Foundation provided 3-year grant to continue/expand Living School
- Currently there are 35 Living Schools in 19 school communities across Ontario
How Living School Works
Using the school environment as a hub, Living School motivates, supports and assists school communities to address the risk factors for chronic disease and obesity - physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, tobacco and substance use and abuse - by launching activities in Four Action Areas:
1.Effective health policies and guidelines
- Establish guidelines to create an environmental context for action.
2.Quality health and physical education curriculum
- Implement a quality H&PE program that provides students with the skills to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles.
3.Healthy and supportive school community environments
- Examine barriers to active healthy living and ensure an environment that meets the physical, emotional, and social well-being needs of children and youth.
4.Health promoting school community programs and services
- Engage local partners and the entire community whenever possible to support the delivery of quality programs, events, activities, and services.
Living School follows a Four-Phase Process that involves:
1.Community Consultation
- Living Schools utilize community consultations, partnerships, and committee of stakeholders to identify a common vision for their school community complete with goals, objectives, and a clear level of commitment.
2.Declaration and Commitment
- Living Schools sign a Charter to declare their school community's intent to become a Living School. The charter is signed by a minimum of three “pillar partners” representing the school, public health and a recreation/sport provider. Download the Living School Charter
3.School Community Action Planning and Implementation
- Living Schools establish and implement local action plans customized for their school community.
4.Evaluation and Celebration
- Living Schools track their planning and implementation activities and celebrate their school community's achievements.
While the concept of “comprehensive school health” is not new, the Living School process, which focuses on creating vital partnerships and shared responsibility to help create a lasting, sustainable impact on school communities is a unique feature of this initiative.
While all Living Schools implement the same process, each school community is able to customize it to fit their immediate needs.
Bringing Living School to Life
Ophea developed a comprehensive set of supports for school communities:
1. Awareness and Promotion
- Ophea developed a social marketing campaign in Living School communities to create awareness which included newspaper ads, transit ads and posters placed throughout the community.
2. Support
- A Provincial Living School Consultant visits new Living School communities to help them get started. The consultant is also available throughout the process of becoming a Living School in case questions arise.
- Seed Funding
- www.livingschool.ca provides access to resources and tools Ophea programs and services
3. Recognition
4. Research and Evaluation
- As Living School started out as a pilot project, a rigorous evaluation component was built in to see if the model would work for Ontario.
- A summary of this research can be found in the 2007 Living School Highlight Report
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