UCC Health Matters Strategic Goals & Action Points

Goal 1: POLICY

To ensure that student and staff health and wellbeing are central when reviewing, developing and implementing current and future university policies, procedures and plans

Actions:

• Increase support for policy change and development through the creation of a policy committee sub-group tasked with drafting a written position for UCC Health Matters
• Secure senior level engagement and approval (University Management Team -  Strategy/University Management Team - Operations)
• Support Health Matters to become a recognised champion for health and wellbeing across the campus by providing an independent budget, permanent premises and staff for UCC Health Matters

Develop strategies with staff and students to increase awareness of the Health Matters brand and how it can support staff/student health and wellbeing

Goal 2: ENVIRONMENT

Provide educational, social and physical environments that support and prioritise the health and wellbeing of university staff and students

Actions:

• Develop and support the creation of a physically active campus, including but not exclusive to: vehicle free campus, space for physical activity engagement, physical accessibility, equitable physical environment and a physically safe campus
• Ensure that all UCC staff and students have the necessary opportunities to make healthier lifestyle choices
• Support the creation and promotion of evidence-based programmes, aimed at empowering students and staff to develop life skills that would increase positive health behavioural change
• Develop strategies for digital literacy and social marketing campaigns
• Explore intervention programmes which support emotional, physical and mental wellbeing of both staff and students

Encourage the transition from a reactive (deficit model) to proactive (wellbeing) approach across the UCC campus

Goal 3: COLLABORATION

Broaden and develop collaborations/partnerships with all stakeholders, with a common health and wellbeing agenda both internally and externally to the university

Actions:

• Enhance collaborations between Health Matters and Green Campus, building and estates, food and nutrition, sport and physical activity, security, commuter plan manager and other services impacting on physical health
• Enhance collaborations between staff and student wellbeing services including: student health, counselling and development, peer support, student union, USI, wellbeing coordinator and other services impacting on mental health and wellbeing
• Generate and broaden the UCC Health Matters Community by:
• Increasing staff/student involvement
• Restructuring and supporting working groups
• Increasing the impact of Health Matters on campus
• Creating an engaged and responsive student volunteer base through UCC works (internship scheme)
• Develop a knowledge exchange/dissemination network nationally and internationally to ensure best practice

Have a social media strategy for UCC Health Matters focusing on information output, engagement and dialogue

Goal 4: EVALUATION

Make the process of robust evaluation a core value of UCC Health Matters

Actions:

• Develop specific evaluation plans and standardised evaluation templates

Evaluate and report on the relevant measurable outcomes

Goal 5: RESEARCH

Increase the UCC Health Matters link to research involvement

Actions:

• Annual review and appraisal of the UCC Health Matters activities, to be presented to the overall steering committee and research evaluation team
• Pursue the possibility of internal and external research funding

Harness research potential within the university (staff and student involvement) to maximise the whole system approach to health on campus