Make Space launches new holistic health toolkit for young people

Make Space for Health, the long standing youth campaign run by 4Children and supported by Nestlé UK has launched a comprehensive new health toolkit which is suitable for all professionals and volunteers who work with young people. Making Health Easy: A Toolkit for Youth Leaders was created with input from expert partners such as the British Nutrition Foundation and has been developed for use in a variety of community settings. The toolkit covers health support across the areas of nutrition, physical activity and emotional wellbeing and will be available from the Make Space website free of charge from Monday 26 September.

Make Space for Health has broadened its horizons over recent years from campaigning for integrated, holistic health support for young people to delivering it, via the Making Health Easy toolkit, directly to young people. Make Space young health champions from two local authorities, Knowsley and Enfield, are now engaging high numbers of young people in the programme from their own and surrounding local areas. Both Knowsley and Enfield councils are now using Making Health Easy to achieve accredited outcomes for young people via the ASDAN award body. The young health champions are also supporting other local health agencies to ensure that those who are working with young people have the skills and confidence they need to engage them in discussions about health.

Peter Rogers, Director of National Programmes at 4Children said: “Make Space for Health is all about empowering young people and giving them the knowledge and support they need to make healthy lifestyle choices. At a time when local resources are being directed away from universal youth services towards more targeted programmes, providing young people with positive holistic health support can present real challenges. I’m optimistic that the Making Health Easy toolkit will be warmly welcomed by anyone who shares our passion for getting young people off to the healthiest possible start in life.”

Paul Grimwood Nestlé UK said: “Encouraging young people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits at a young age is critical as it gives them the best possible chance of becoming healthy adults later in life.  We are proud to be supporting the Make Space for Health programme which promotes healthy lifestyles to young people outside of school.”

Making Health Easy will be rolled out in five local authority areas by the end of the year and early evaluations of the programme will be available in November. 

To download a free pack, visit www.MakeSpace.org.uk.