UCC to become accredited Health Promoting University

Photographed at the signing were (L-R): UCC President, Dr. Michael Murphy, Dr. Ann Kirby, UCC, Sam Ryan, Students' Union Deputy President, Dr. Lee-Ann Burke, UCC and Professor Ivan Perry, Chair of HPU Steering Group. (Photo by Tomas Tyner)

Photographed at the signing were (L-R): UCC President, Dr. Michael Murphy, Dr. Ann Kirby, UCC, Sam Ryan, Students' Union Deputy President, Dr. Lee-Ann Burke, UCC and Professor Ivan Perry, Chair of HPU Steering Group. (Photo by Tomas Tyner)

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UCC has officially begun the journey towards accreditation as a Health Promoting University (HPU) by 2015, through the ‘UCC Health Matters’ initiative.

 

Dr Michael Murphy, President of UCC, has signed an agreement with the Health Service Executive (South), committing to further integration of health into the culture, processes and policies of the University. The move will contribute to long-term effective and sustainable change, thus benefiting students and staff, as well as the wider community.

The HPU initiative provides a framework for co-ordinating health related activities on campus and identifying areas of action that will potentially enhance the health of the University population, through facilitating health promoting behaviours and enhancing wellbeing and performance. It represents the commitment of the University towards creating a healthier working, studying and living environment for staff and students.

A steering group has been established to oversee the UCC Health Matters initiative. It will be supported by a working group, made up of a cross-section of students and staff from all levels within UCC, which will deliver and develop the initiative on the ground. 8 key action areas have been identified, including: mental health and wellbeing; alcohol; sexual health; physical activity and active transport; the built environment; substance abuse; safety; and nutrition.  

Dr Michael Byrne, Head of the Student Health Department comments: “This is an opportunity for the whole UCC community to consider how they can effect a change to make UCC a healthier and happier place in which to work or study. There is already an incredible amount of work on-going in UCC to promote healthier lifestyle choices amongst our students and staff. UCC Health Matters will build on this existing work, using the concept of the Health Promoting University, a well-established model of change developed by the World Health Organisation, to put like-minded people, interested in making a difference, in touch with each other. UCC Health Matters will give those involved in this existing work an opportunity to showcase their efforts and consider the effectiveness of their valuable work using agreed standards. It has been fantastic to be involved so far and I look forward to UCC Health Matters making a real difference over the coming years.”

Student involvement in this initiative is also paramount and the initiative has the full support of UCC’s Students’ Union. Students' Union Welfare Officer, Dave Carey says: “We're excited about this new project as it is an opportunity for a campus wide interaction between the students and staff that will truly develop a community spirit within UCC. Health is something that would not immediately be thought of as a priority in relation to college but the truth is that all of the major concerns and worries of students relating to college have an effect on their health and will be encompassed by the project. The amount of alcohol a student consumes has a direct effect on their physical health, exam pressure or worries about finances have a direct effect on their mental health, and so on. That is what we hope to achieve with this initiative - that students and staff realise that it all has a knock-on effect and they need to look after themselves and each other."

For further queries, please contact: Deirdre Griffin, Health Promotion Project Worker, University College Cork. Phone 0879667756, Email: hppw@ucc.ie

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