The Okanagan Charter is a document that was published in 2015. It was produced in collaboration of many universities who convened in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada for the International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges to discuss what makes a health promoting university. This is the result. In Aotearoa, we have used this charter as a base for our own interpretation of what it means to be a health promoting university.
The Charter can be viewed here.
This report by Thursdays in Black is an investigation into student experiences of sexual violence prior to and during tertiary education in New Zealand. It includes statistics regarding the prevalence of sexual assault, an examination of the flaws in the current sexuality education at secondary school and tertiary level (particularly surrounding consent), and several urgent calls to action.
The report can be viewed here and the results of their sexual violence survey can be found here.
This academic paper was written by two of our executive members, Craig Waterworth and Anna Thorpe. Published in 2017, it can be viewed in the Journal of the Australia and New Zealand Student Services Association. It outlines how the Okanagan Charter could be implemented in the New Zealand context. Abstract is below.
Abstract: In 2015 the International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges was held in the Okanagan, Canada. At this conference, a new international charter focusing on health promotion in tertiary education was ratified. The Okanagan Charter was developed with input from 45 countries,including Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. The Okanagan Charter builds on existing charters and declarations to apply health, wellbeing and sustainability to tertiary settings. This paper outlines how the Okanagan Charter relates to health promotion approaches that are used in Aotearoa New Zealand in higher (tertiary) education for the benefit of students, staff and stakeholders. The principles and action areas of the Okanagan Charter are discussed in their application to health promotion practice in the higher education setting of Aotearoa New Zealand.
"Based on the evidence generated by Healthy Sydney University, a healthy university: − encourages people to move more and be physically active; − supports mental wellbeing; − provides a healthy food and beverage environment; and − embeds health across all areas of the organisation."
Full report available here
"The checklist on the following page has eight steps that decision-makers can follow to assess whether their proposed initiative, decision or policy has considered potential impact on staff and student health and wellbeing. Healthy Sydney University has also included two examples to show how the checklist can be used."
Full report available here
The Charter is an outcome of the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges and was develop by engaging researchers, practitioners, administrators, students and policy makers from 45 countries (including NZ). It enables tertiary institutions to embed health and wellbeing into policies, services and environments for the befit of both staff and student.
Full Okanagan Charter available here
The settings-based approach to health promotion can potentially enhance the contribution of universities to improving the health of populations and to adding value in the following ways: 1) by protecting the health and promoting the wellbeing of students, staff and the wider community through their policies and practices, 2) by increasingly relating health promotion to teaching and research and 3) by developing health promotion alliances and outreach into the community.
Full report is available here
RE-AIM is a tool to help plan programmes, policies, and evaluations to ensure essential elements are met, including external validity, evidence based, effectiveness etc.
RE-AIM tool is available here
"This Guide introduces health impact assessment (HIA) as a practical way to ensure that health and wellbeing are considered as part of policy development in all sectors. Policy-makers in any sector, at both central and local level, could use this Guide. Those who may be affected by policy may also find the Guide useful."
Full resource available here
This is an evaluation tool for agencies to allow them to design evaluations and indicators for health promotion interventions.
Full resource available here
This is a resource for UK universities of how to get started implementing a whole-settings healthy universities approach. This was developed by Healthy Universities UK.
Full resource available here
This is a resource for UK universities to get buy-in to implement a whole-settings healthy universities approach. It includes all of the positive benefits for staff and students, retention, engagements etc. This was developed by Healthy Universities UK
Full resource available here
This study assessed a range of self-reported health behaviours and lifestyle characteristics of students. It is part of the Healthy University Project at the University of Edinburgh.
Full report available here
As part of the UK Healthy Universities Toolkit, this Self Review tool provides a mechanism to review and reflect on their progress in embedding a whole system approach to health and wellbeing into their core business and culture.
Review tool available here
