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Finding the common ground: where health and educational agendas meet – the School Health Incentive Program (SHIP) grants scheme
Author(s) -
Cass Yona,
Price Polly,
Rimes Tania
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
health promotion journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 32
eISSN - 2201-1617
pISSN - 1036-1073
DOI - 10.1071/he05134
Subject(s) - health promotion , general partnership , health policy , health education , incentive , community health , public relations , population health , curriculum , public health , medicine , political science , medical education , business , economic growth , nursing , finance , economics , microeconomics
Issue addressed This paper investigates a school health promotion grants scheme as a strategy for increasing opportunities and support for schools to undertake a whole‐school approach to health issues of their choice. Method The School Health Incentive Program (SHIP) is an ongoing initiative offering annual grants and tailored support from health and education professionals. SHIP commenced in 2000 in the former South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service (SESAHS), New South Wales. It is a partnership between the Health Promotion Service (HPS), the three education sectors, parent groups, other health services and The Cancer Council NSW. Results Over the period 2000–04 SHIP awarded 103 grants to 71 schools from SESAHS, representing about 32,000 students. Average grant funding per student reached was $2.50. Schools used the Health Promoting Schools framework to plan and implement their health activities. Results included positive outcomes in the areas of curriculum planning, policy and procedure development, changes to physical and social environments and the development of partnerships between the school and the health sector, other organisations, parents and other schools. Conclusions SHIP developed partnerships between health, education sectors and schools, encouraged schools to adopt a whole‐school approach to health issues, and supported the development of subsequent healthfocused initiatives. So what? SHIP offers a relatively low‐cost and easy way of influencing the health environment of a large number of students. The success of funded projects and relationships that have been built with recipients are providing an ongoing constituency of schools willing and motivated to work on health issues.