NEED ANALYSIS – 2nd Vocational School of Katerini
Suggestions for conducting the group
It is important that the discussion inside the group begins by clarifying the meaning of Health according to WHO: ‘‘is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being’’, in other terms: ‘‘what is good or does not harm you, others and the common good’’. The group must reflect together about the questions of the form and fill it in. The final report must be between 3 and 5 pages long. At least one page of reflections should be dedicated to each section
1. Health policies priorities
1.1 Are there ethnic, religious or socioeconomic differences in health behaviours or conditions within your school community?
1.2 Are there differences in health needs between native students and students with a migrant background in your school? If yes: what are the main ones?
1.3 What are the priorities in your school regarding health promotion (relationships, food, physical activity, etc.)?
1.4 What are the organizational factors that can promote or hinder the promotion of the health of students and staff at school?
1.5 What particular attention should be paid to promoting the health of students from a migrant
background?
2. School policy
You have to fill in the assessment tool: https://www.schoolsforhealth.org/resources/materials-andtools/ how-be-health-promoting-school/rapid-assessment-tool/en. Now you should reply to following questions:
2.1 On which areas are you working on?
2.2 On which ones do you think you have to work on the most?
2.3 Which are the most relevant for students from a migrant background?
3. External actors
Are you able to involve the parents in health promotion? If yes: how? If no: what are the main difficulties? In which way do you think to overcome these difficulties? Is involving families from a migrant background more difficult? If yes: why? How do you think to overcome this difficulties? Are there stakeholders outside your school community who are currently supporting your school health promotion efforts? If so, who are they and what are their roles? How are you able to involve them?
Health Policy Priorities:
1.1 It makes sense that there are some differences in terms of nationality, religion, but they are within a respectable context without creating problems. Also, although there are socio-economic differences (economic migrants, working students, parents who have left their jobs, their property and start from scratch) in the school community the treatment is the same without creating problems in behavior and health conditions. Usually the natives Students have more positive self-esteem due to their better school performance due to language, compared to their foreign peers, so they have less stress. Due to ignorance of the system, socio-economic and linguistic disadvantages, they face large inequalities in access to preventive care. Some may be more vulnerable to disease, mainly due to their disadvantaged socio-economic status, limited access to health care, lack of knowledge about access to appropriate services, and social stigma and discrimination. Nevertheless, the state has ensured equal health care and students are treated equally.
1.2 In general, the health needs of local students or students with an immigrant background are the same. However, in the first year of adjustment, immigrant students experience pressure, anxiety and uncertainty about the future. So the only difference lies in the need to promote mental and psychosocial well-being.
The way students are educated should be adapted to their integration into the new school environment and their good school performance. We should focus not only on teaching but also on supporting these students to facilitate their adaptation.
1.3 Health promotion is an educational activity, inextricably linked to the school, the student, the teacher, the parents and society as a whole. This way we ensure that students will leave school having understood the relationship between health and the socio-natural environment, in which they are called to function as citizens of a democratic society. The holistic school approach to health promotion consists of the following elements that we need to emphasize: 1. The school environment (natural and social): A) The natural environment of the school (buildings, the courtyard, the surrounding area of the school). Creating a healthy natural environment to become more attractive for entertainment and physical exercise, with properly designed spaces (indoor and outdoor) for students' sports activities, individually - in groups. B) The social environment (refers to the quality of relationships between members of the school community, eg between students, students-teachers but also between students and other school staff). The social environment is influenced by the social skills of the members of the school community, but also the relationships with the parents and the wider community. 2. Healthy Eating: nutrition plays an important role for students' health. Providing healthy food in the canteen, dietary options rich in vitamins and essential nutrients provide students with the energy they need to cope with the educational or non-educational processes required of them.
- 3. Development of healthy interpersonal relationships between students, students - teachers, teachers - parents and other staff, enhancing the smooth social and professional integration of students, and reducing the occurrence of mental and physical disorders.
1.4 Support factors: - Programs - school health education activities: they are student-centered, include all students, regardless of their socio-economic or educational level, seek to develop positive habits that concern the health of students or the whole in general, provide knowledge, aim at support both on and off school. (smoking - alcoholism, drug addiction, depression, anxiety, phobias, anorexia - bulimia, obesity, bullying) - Support from the school administration and other agencies - cooperation with structures or support centers for adolescents: (These services work with the school on issues such as personal, public or social hygiene and sex education, counseling support (social workers, psychologists, child problem assessment specialists - Training seminars for teachers - Speeches for children, parents and teachers for health issues - Landscaping - eg canteen: to be a positive social and natural environment where students and staff will come for food and socialization.
Repulsive factors: Deficiencies in: Infrastructure, suitable facilities and staff that ensure safety and health for students, (heating - water supply - cleanliness - suitability of buildings, toilets, etc.) So the risk of disease or disease transmission increases, unhealthy environment
1.5 Our goal should be to help adolescents with an immigrant background, in creating identity, gaining autonomy, developing skills, facilitating interpersonal communication and social adjustment. This can be achieved through special education programs for the immigrant student population on health issues: (Ways of transmitting and preventing a disease, personal - social hygiene, healthy eating habits, development of social skills in decision - making and risk management. in the empowerment of the individual, for the purpose of smooth social integration.
School Policy:
As provided by the legislation for the good operation of the school, the 2nd EPAL of Katerini has in force the school regulation. The purpose of the regulation is not to restrict the freedom of members of the school community but to define the rules of conduct for teachers and students for the proper functioning of the school in order to achieve its goals.
The school regulations include the procedures and obligations of the school (teachers) but also of the students according to the rules and the behavior in relation to good health.
The rules of the school are :
1) All Greek and Immigrant students attending the school have received the necessary vaccinations required from the first school years.
2) All students present a health certificate signed by a cardiologist / physician that proves their good physical health so that they can participate in gymnastics and other sports school activities. The certificate is recorded in the student's file.
3) The school has an educational psychologist who treats students with psychological and not only in nature problems with individual sessions but also with hourly sessions with the whole department to ensure good behavior that leads to good mental health.
4) The school prohibits smoking in all areas which is a harmful habit especially for young people
5) Treats Greek students and immigrants with a democratic spirit equally and fairly to ensure their mental health.
6) The school canteen trades only the food allowed by students to be consumed as determined by the ministry.
7) There are breaks between lessons in which students leave the classroom to move and breathe fresh air.
8) During breaks the school has appointed teachers on duty to ensure proper functioning and to control the inappropriate behavior of students such as bullying, self-judgment, and violence between students which may harm their physical and mental health.
9) It has cleaners who keep all areas clean classrooms / toilets / offices and courtyard space on a continuous basis.
10) There is an earthquake response team which with frequent earthquake exercises keeps students alert.
11) Maintains building facilities and equipment intact to avoid accidents that will affect students' health
12) The school ensures the continuation of its good operation during the COVID-19 pandemic with:
- a) The high vaccination coverage of teachers and other staff as well as children belonging to the age group for which vaccination is recommended
- b) The use of the mask in all areas and at all times as provided by the regulation of the Ministry of Health for the proper operation during the COVID-19 period.
- c) The systematic performance of preventive self-diagnostic tests for COVID-19
- d) the frequent and correct application of hand hygiene (washing with soap and water and / or application of antiseptic hands)
- e) Good ventilation of rooms and all enclosed spaces, cleanliness spaces and regular application of disinfectant on surfaces
- f) Avoiding large gatherings of students as much as possible
- g) The abstention from school of those who show fever and / or other symptoms compatible with COVID-19, protection of students and teachers belonging to vulnerable groups.
The school is constantly informed about any new procedure or law that published by the Ministry of Education and Religions and the Ministry of Health, and implements it to ensure the good hygiene of all Greek students and immigrants. Anything related to the health of the people who make up the school community is immediately promoted to the school community for implementation.
All of the above procedures are relevant and should be applied by everyone in the school community including immigrants. The school must work with constant information of teachers on health and safety issues. It should also promote health education for teachers with out-of-school partners. It should contribute more to the theoretical training and development of students' reflection on health issues. The school environment should be evaluated in relation to health at the end of each school year. School programs on hygiene and safety should be done in the first high school class.
External Factors:
Health promotion is the process by which individuals are empowered to develop and improve their health control. For studetns this means monitoring their health and development, prevention and early diagnosis and for parents their education and support in raising their children.
Better to prevent than to cure:
Parents should be aware of health issues and take preventive measures as they consult the experts and also implement the preventive measures and good habits themselves. Parents are the basic role model for their children and they influence their habits to a great extent. Therefore parents should form a positive attitude and behavior towards the promotion of children's health. Parents should incorporate a healthy lifestyle on a daily basis so that children and adolescents set an example and follow the same rules.
Immigrant parents, why can it be more difficult?
Parents of immigrant students may find it more difficult for them to get involved in promoting their children's health because: trying to integrate into a new culture changes their priorities, some of the habits they have acquired need to change, interest in measures has disappeared. prevention of their children's health, the difficulty of accessing the appropriate information they should have and perhaps their financial situation.
What should parents teach their children?
Proper brushing of children's teeth, regular washing of their hands, frequent bathing, balanced diet, physical exercise.
How do we develop parenting skills?
- • Participation in health promotion programs in schools in collaboration with community organizations
- • Hierarchy of values, change of views and importance of certain dangerous habits
- • health nutrition seminars by experts
- • talks to children, parents and adults about health issues
- • participation and support of the parents 'and guardians' association
Out-of-school supporters:
Possible some health groups with social policy actions to promote health by conducting health information and public awareness seminars, providing free medical services, implementing sports activities and supporting NGO actions.
Regarding the 2nd EPAL, students with a refugee profile are about 20%, among a total of about 750 students. There can be no complete information and pumping of the required data on the daily hygiene and health status of these students.
The reasons briefly are the following:
- • Many of the students stay in the country for a limited time and so there is not the required time for longer and in-depth investigation.
- • There are various NGOs that take on the role of general care in everyday matters, as well as in health issues.
- • The main role of the school (in particular and in general) is mainly to help in their adaptation to the country, but also in the teaching of the Greek language (as a host country).
- • There is no complete information of the school unit about the marital status (eg unaccompanied refugee).
- • Other reasons, which may escape the research at this time.
Despite the adversities and difficulties, in our school with the support of the Health / Welfare sector but also of the Food Technology specialty of the Agriculture sector and through various activities it organizes, efforts are made to inform the refugee-immigrant students about health issues (eg first aids, body hygiene, mediterranean diet, body exercise).
What more could be done?
- • Greater and in-depth communication with NGOs that take care of the rest of everyday life (outside of school).
- • Contact the parents for more complete information. In case there are no parents, contact the NGO people.
- • Support with brochures for refugee-immigrant students on health issues.
The school unit helps refugee-immigrant students to adapt to the country and to teach the Greek language. But there is always room for improvement and for additional actions and programs that can be done. The course is dynamic and constantly changing.
