Abstract
Contrasting social and cultural backgrounds are a challenge for health promoting schools, given the importance of social and cultural influences on health-related behaviour, and the sensitive and personal nature of health topics addressed at school. This chapter discusses the importance of social context and cultural diversity in health promoting schools in the context of the “Health Passport” project conducted in Reunion Island. The Reunionese population presents unique social divisions and contrasting cultural backgrounds, and is faced with unusually acute poverty and public health problems for a European territory, particularly among specific social groups. The “Health Passport” project illustrates potential pitfalls and key factors in successfully implementing sustainable health promotion programmes in socially and culturally heterogeneous contexts. In only three years, these teaching aids have become central to local health education policy in schools, and are currently used by over 400 teachers and 3,000 pupils and their families. The development and the evaluation of these booklets are discussed here. Based on empirical research, the efficacy of the health passports as experienced by educational staff, pupils and families are discussed. A variety of considerations favoured involvement and adoption of the booklets, demonstrating the importance of an open, inclusive approach for sustainable health promotion in schools.
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Notes
- 1.
i.e. the eight Outermost Regions and the 26 Overseas Countries and Territories of E.U. member states (Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom).
- 2.
French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
- 7.
- 8.
ESPé- Ecole Supérieure du Professorat et de l’éducation, Université de La Réunion.
- 9.
In France, public education is administered by “Academie” at the regional level, headed by a “Recteur” who organizes teaching, manages staff and schools, and implements the policy defined by the Ministry of National Education.
- 10.
Reunion is divided into 23 school districts that total 512 public schools, only 26 private schools, 45 200 pupils in pre-schooling, 77 400 pupils in elementary school, and 6 434 employees.
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- 12.
Since 2010 becoming a teacher in France requires a master’s degree in education. At Reunion University, master’s level students in education receive at least 18 h of coursework in health education.
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- 14.
Cycle 1 or the “early learning cycle” (ages 2–5), Cycle 2 or the “fundamental learning cycle” (ages 5–8) and Cycle 3 or the “reinforced learning cycle”.
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Balcou-Debussche, M., Rogers, C. (2015). Promoting Health Education in a Context of Strong Social and Cultural Heterogeneity: The Case of Reunion Island. In: Simovska, V., Mannix McNamara, P. (eds) Schools for Health and Sustainability. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9171-7_14
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