Outcome 2 - Be Healthy and Resilient
What our young people said....
The people in charge need to understand about what will make young people safer and healthier, with more homes, a better environment and safer schools. Young people need your support, need better opportunities and better mental health support.
Why is this important?
The Lancashire Public Health Strategy and the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Strategy highlights the need for young people to have the best start in life.
The building blocks for lifelong emotional and physical health are laid down in the period from conception to the age of two. However, adolescence is the fastest changing period of development after infancy and whilst it's an exciting time for young people, it is also a period of increased risks. It can represent a crossroads in life and a time of setting new and positive norms.
It is a time of learning and most young people are in education, so it is an ideal time to promote positive health behaviour. It is also a time that can be challenging for young people and services as they transition from young people's services to those working with adults.
What is already happening?
Lancashire Trading Standards are working to improve reporting of underage sales of vapes or tobacco and any activity relating to illicit vape or tobacco products.
The Lancashire County Council funded Family Healthy Weight programme is being delivered in Fishwick, Ribbleton, St Matthew's, University wards.
The family programme reaches families that have children aged 5-10 and activities are based on promoting healthier eating, development of cooking skills and taking part in physical activity in a fun, interactive and safe environment.
Through the Adult Healthy Weight programme, participants 18+ can receive guidance from qualified weight management and exercise specialists, supporting behaviour change, overcoming barriers to weight loss, making healthier dietary choices and becoming more active.
Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) is a programme of free activities with food during the school holidays for eligible families.
A number of sports and physical activity projects have been funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)
The Preston Sports Forum is where sporting organisations can work together to offer a grants scheme to clubs and individuals.
Improvement of facilities on parks and open spaces including tennis and cricket facilities have been funded through the UKSPF with community sporting activities now taking place in these spaces.
Cooking programmes are taking place in a small number of primary schools and community settings in Preston.
In addition to core services, a number of new mental health services are now delivering support to young people and their families including the McMullen Project, Barnardos, Preston North End Community and Education Trust - Game Changers and Lancashire Mind.
The Active Madrassah initiative is a collaboration between Active Lancashire and Together an Active Future working closely with Madrassah leaders to embed physical activity into Madrassah settings with the aim of increasing the activity levels and overall wellbeing of their children and young people.
Empire Fighting Chance, a programme successfully developed and delivered in Bristol is being brought to Preston through a partnership with LYC, Foxton, Active Lancashire, Archbishop High, St Augustine's Primary School, Vault Youth Zone.
The programme uses a combination of noncontact boxing and intensive personal support to challenge and inspire young people aged 8-25 to realise their full potential.
Foxton and Jamea Mosque are working together to support sports programmes in Avenham.
Investment in suicide and self-harm prevention training in organisational and community settings.
What are we going to do?
Through the Preston Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board and the Youth Forum, organisations will:
Work in partnership to deliver practical preventative interventions and opportunities for new experiences on the things that matter to young people, families and the professionals working with them, including:
- Mental Health and Wellbeing (Including Five Ways to Wellbeing and the benefits of being in nature)
- Preventing Suicide and Self-Harm
- Healthy Weight
- Physical Activity
- Food access, diet and nutrition education
- Substance Misuse - Vaping, Drugs and Alcohol
- Confidence and Self-Esteem
- Sexual Health
- Housing
Work with young people and help them discover their agency, be involved in problem solving, build and practice the skills they need to resist risk taking behaviours, and look at the barriers that exist which prevent them from forming healthy behaviours.
Develop those working with young people with training and awareness sessions so that they can make every contact count and respond effectively to concerns affecting the health of young people.