Health Literacy

To get the most from your education, and indeed life, good health and wellbeing are fundamentally important - but the ability to make healthy decisions is a skill that has to be learned.

To unlock opportunities through education for disadvantaged kids, The Smith Family is working to develop a series of Health Literacy programs to help kids and families learn how to adopt strategies for improving their healthy living behaviours, such as understanding the need for good nutrition and making time for regular physical exercise in their lives.

Our health literacy focus is about more than just helping disadvantaged kids and their parents to make better lifestyle decisions. The programs are as much about doing as they are about learning to ensure that people do appreciate the benefits of positive behaviours associated with good health. Practical programs include cooking nutritious meals, as well as engaging in sporting activity.

For example the Changing Gears school program is facilitated by The Smith Family in 13 communities across Australia. Children receive bicycles which they learn how to ride and as part of the program develop road safety skills while improving their fitness and learning the skills associated with road safety and bike maintenance.1 The program promotes exercise, healthy eating and participation in an active lifestyle among school kids in a fun and engaging way.

The Smith Family is developing an enhanced set of Health Literacy programs to be introduced in 2009. Check this space regularly for new information.

1 The project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.