ROC (The Royal Orthopaedic Charity), has launched Health Hacks - a new children’s health and wellbeing programme available to Birmingham schools.
Health Hacks empowers young people to take control of their own health and wellbeing by educating them about bones and muscles and providing practical tools to maintain healthier lifestyles. The inaugural series of workshops were delivered with Bournville Village Primary School at the school itself and at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital in Northfield, Birmingham.
Head of Charity, Ali Sprason, commented: “ROC is dedicated to promoting positive health choices to young people and families through programmes like Health Hacks. The children’s enthusiasm and engagement throughout each phase of the programme has been inspiring, making the organisation of Health Hacks even more meaningful. I’m delighted by the support and involvement of their families and the school. We’ve received such lovely comments from pupils and we’re so excited to share the programme’s success with other schools.”
The programme consisted of three phases;
- A workshop held at Bournville Village Primary School focused on good bone and joint health and overall wellbeing. It included discussions on healthy diets, the importance of exercise, hydration and sleep all while learning about bones and muscles.
- A four-week community task where students shared what they learned from phase one with their families to encourage healthier lifestyles at home.
- An interactive visit to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, where they had the chance to explore different healthcare careers and understand what it’s like to work in a hospital.
The Bournville Village Primary School Year 5 Team said: “Thank you for letting us be part of the Health Hacks programme! Our children really enjoyed being part of the sessions and gained a good understanding of how important their health is and what they can do to improve it.
“The children had a great experience from visiting the hospital and seeing first-hand the hard work and dedication that is put into supporting patients and recovery. They particularly enjoyed being turned into surgeons, the warm-up exercises with the youth worker and of course using some of the facilities that are available to younger patients (The PS5).”
Pupils took part in a well-being survey before and after participating in Health Hacks. Since completing the programme, the average happiness score increased by 9% and the average diet healthiness score improved by 15%, based on a 1–5 well-being scale. To participate in the programme, schools should send expressions of interest to
ROC is focused on supporting community bone and joint health through funding initiatives to reduce health inequalities in communities. Find out more about the charity here: Our Work - ROC | Royal Orthopaedic Charity
