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.
A report presented to the Foresight Project on communicating the evidence base for improving people’s well-being. Improving wellbeing includes five components: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give.
Full report available here
This UK report "has taken an independent look at the best available scientific and other evidence and has considered the factors that influence an individual’s mental development and wellbeing from conception until death."
Full report available here
Since launching in 2013, All Right? has undertaken a range of projects to support Canterbury residents to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This website offers a range of resources, projects and information about their different projects.
Website link here
"The Greater Good Science Center studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of well-being, and teaches skills that foster a thriving, resilient, and compassionate society." This site offers a range of resources to assist with wellbeing initiatives, including Greater Good magazine, online courses etc.
This report is from the University of Brighton and focuses on wellbeing within higher education, " incorporating scholarly articles, case studies of practical interventions and personal reflections. It is designed to be an accessible and thought provoking resource, with reflections on theory and practice from a range of perspectives." It includes perspectives of wellbeing, wellbeing enhancement, and wellbeing in academic culture and research student learning.
Full report available here
"A Strategic Primer on College Student Mental Health explains why mental health is such a critical component for students to be successful at learning... The primer highlights several college and university campuses that have programs that address mental health issues from a variety of angles, including peer counseling, peer coaching and behavioral intervention teams."
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
The HEAT (Health Equity Assessment Tool) promotes equity in health for Aotearoa New Zealand. It can be used to assess interventions, programmes and policy for impacts on health inequalities.
Health Equity Assessment tool 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
This resource assists employers to make their workplaces healthy by encouraging supportive environment and policies and promote physical activity, healthy eating, smoke-free environments and mental wellbeing.
Full report available here
This article explores the concept of a ‘positive university’, through classroom and formal learning environments, social environments, local community and external organisations, faculty and administration work environments and residential environments.
Full article available here
A health promotion approach is used to review alcohol policies and practices and key recommendations are made to reduce alcohol-related harm at tertiary institutions. This was developed by Canterbury DHB.
View the report here
Health Promotion in Tertiary Settings: Reducing alcohol-related harm - Next Steps
A guide using health promotion principles to assess what the next steps are to reduce alcohol harm in a tertiary institution. This was developed by Canterbury DHB.
View this template here
