Topics

Young people generally do not isolate different aspects of their lives and can with an effective educational and participative process learn about themselves, and reflect on and develop insight into how different aspects of their lives influence one another.
S. Blake, ‘Health Education and Young People: it’s time to join up’, Health Education, 2005, 105 (4)

One of the key messages of the health promoting school is that good health involves the whole child. That is, it involves children's physical, social and emotional well-being as well as the context and settings that they find themselves in.

It is therefore essential that all the different aspects of health promotion are delivered in a clear and integrated way. This means listening to young people and understanding how they think and live. It means practitioners working to deliver key messages that have a real meaning to young people and their lives in today's society.

The different elements that make up young peoples' lives all influence and affect their behaviour. The way they feel about themselves will influence whether they are physically active and what type of food they eat, just as drinking alcohol or taking drugs can influence sexual behaviour. It is important, therefore, that these topics are presented in a cohesive way that allows young people to develop the knowledge and understanding they need in order to make informed lifestyle choices.