Chapter 7 : Health and Well-being

A Positive Experiential Approach to Health; A Community focus to Good Health; Social relationships with others; Being Healthy is not being Perfect; Health and the Physical Environment; The Social Aspect of Eating Together; Opportunities for Exercising; The Presence of Animals and Nature; A Health Charter.

This Chapter follows on, from the previous one on relationships, as social relationships is a strong factor in feeling good and happy and is the springboard of good health.

To have a positive feeling of our own personality is a major aspect of good health and this encourages us to be positive in outlook and has a knock-on effect on our choices for a healthy lifestyle.

 In this chapter we explore some of these aspects of health and consider the notion of creating an educational institution which has an inbuilt supportive strategy about the promotion of the everyday welfare and health of young people.

We discuss a positive affirming (Salutogenic) approach to health and well-being. This means that we appreciate the need for good physical attributes of environment including nature, the affirmation of relationships, and the underpinning of lessons on health through communal procedures and opportunities for eating and exercise. In these we understand while we promote personal responsibility, we also understand that collective and peer behaviour has an interplay and influence on our choices.

A Health Charter for Pupils, Staff, Parents

I take personal responsibility for my health, but I need others to do so too, as a family, community and institution.  I need those around me to assist me and I to assist them too

I recognise that each of us has imperfection in body, mind and emotions. However we can, through positive use of what we have, learn to grow and succeed in potential.

We need the following:

• Trust and consistent respect in relationships around us.

• Opportunities to become as independent as can allow. Be able to initiate action about our own needs.

• Grow in our sense of personal competence, and have this valued without undue comparison to others

• Have a growing awareness of other people's needs and how our actions have consequences as individuals and how other people's behaviour impact on our well-being.

• For the benefit of others and ourselves, we need to ameliorate our behaviour to be responsible in action, in choice of food, exercise, dress, and personal responsibility which contribute to trust and community interest.

• We have an entitlement to learn to be of 'service' in our community, and to contribute in a collective way to the 'well-being' of others.

• We have an entitlement to have 'voice' and expression in a choice of different means. We have the responsibility of listening and respecting the 'voices 'of others.

• We need to respect nature and encourage the way we interact and live with animals.

Chapter 8: Voice, Expression, Creativity, and Service   Part 2 Developing a 21st Century Approach to Education