Healthy Ireland’s National Healthy Campus Framework aims to help higher education institutions across Ireland to embed health and wellbeing into campus life for staff and students. Through the Healthy Campus Charter, ATU Donegal has committed to delivering on this framework and to creating an environment that supports the overall health and wellbeing of our staff and students. This will see ATU Donegal implement, monitor and evaluate health and wellbeing initiatives that enhance the health of staff and students who learn, work and play on campus, helping them to enjoy complete physical, mental and social wellbeing.
The Healthy Campus framework is based on the Okanagan International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and sets out the key steps for campuses to develop local implementation plans that reflect national and local priorities to improve health and wellbeing. ATU Donegal will identify and act on opportunities to integrate health and wellbeing into the teaching and learning, research and services of the campus, ensuring the development of our campus members capacity to improve health and wellbeing of the wider community in their future life and careers.
In ATU Donegal, we look forward to working with our colleagues across all ATU campuses cultivating a community of health promotion and wellbeing that supports student success, wellbeing and the pursuit of lifelong health.
Healthy ATU Donegal priorities will focus on incorporating 6 themes and the development of new opportunities and an action plan to bring together expertise from varied disciplines. Our aim is to promote and protect the health of staff and students, to protect the environment and promote sustainability, to promote health and wellbeing in teaching and research and to promote the health of the community and offer resources that encourages all these aspects.
Theme 1: Healthy Environment
Aims to create health promoting and sustainable environments through facilities, cycling schemes, electric vehicle collaboration of colleges, access to minimizing waste generation, promoting sustainable energy management, sustainable landscape and research.
Theme 2: Healthy Eating
Nutrition and sleep are important in maintaining overall health. Obstacles can affect the ways that students and staff eat, including busy schedules, budgets or limited knowledge about nutrition and meal planning. The aim is to increase options for healthier affordable choices through peer to peer learning and resources that enable the planning of healthier, well balanced meals with limited resources.
Theme 3: Mental Health and Wellbeing
Aims to promote positive mental health messages and supports and create awareness programmes and resources. Positive mental wellbeing enables a feeling of balance in various areas of life such as study, work, play and relationships despite ups and downs.
Theme 4: Sexual Health and Wellbeing
Promotes accessibility to sexual health resources, workshops and healthcare providers both on campus and in our community. In relation to sexuality, our aim is to share a positive, respectful and inclusive approach to education, ensuring the rights to equality and equity of access.
Theme 5: Physical Health and Wellbeing
Promotes a range of wellness and exercise opportunities that meet the needs and interest of all students and staff, regardless of fitness level and experience. Integrating positive health benefits to improving physical health will be incorporated into programmes and peer to peer learning workshops and initiatives.
Theme 6: Addictive Behaviours
Aims to promote and develop resources including protocols and guidelines on addictive behaviours. Implementation of this initiative through collaboration in research, expertise and education will support the campus community to lead a healthy lifestyle free from addiction.
If you have any queries or interest in the Healthy ATU Donegal initiative, please contact:
Rory McMorrow, Healthy Campus Coordinator
Sheila.Giblin@atu.ie