PULSE


Change4life Champions Conference


Kent Sport was delighted to team up with Take Pride CIC, the county’s School Games Organisers and KCC’s Public Health Team to put on a conference offering schools the opportunity to create Change4Life Champions with their pupils. The Change4Life Champions are young leaders - typically year 5 and year 6 who are used as an essential part of the Healthy Schools Program within their school.


The conference took place on the 18th October 2016 at the Kent County Show Ground, Detling and the schools were asked to select 15 pupils from year 5 / 6 to become Change4Life Ambassadors for their district (240 children in total).


Schools were asked to nominate Champions from individuals who would themselves benefit from being involved with a Change4Life program; such as pupils with low self-esteem, weight issues and pupils lacking in social and communication skills. The idea behind the conference was to train up the children in the importance


of living a healthy, active lifestyle by giving them examples of the damage sugar and certain foods/drinks can do to their bodies and also getting them involved in fun activities that they could take away and run in their own schools. The premise was that once they have been trained, they will then deliver an assembly to their school and set up their own ‘child-led’ Change4life Club. They will then venture out to other schools within their district to hold assemblies and train up other children so that most schools around the whole county will have their own Change4life Ambassadors.


All 15 students from each school were accompanied by a teacher or TA who will now act as their mentor back in their schools. This role is vital as the mentor will need to offer ongoing support for the Champions. The conference also provided training for these mentors and moving forward each school who attended will also be linked to their local NHS Healthy Weight Teams within their areas that will also provide ongoing support and ensure sustainability.


What was involved?


The Change4Life Champions were greeted at the Kent Event Centre and each handed a pack containing Change4life materials and useful information. After a brief introduction to the day, the children were treated to a ‘flash mob’, explaining the benefits of healthy eating to the beats of a recent, popular song. The attendees were then split into groups to take part in different activities (via a carousel approach) such as running with a weighted life jacket or guessing the amount of sugar in a variety of different foods and drinks. They were also split up from their schools and so got the chance to work with different children and also got to take part in fun competitions as well as so much more.


As part of the scheme pupils received training on the following:


· Aim of C4L programme · Role and responsibility within school · Skills and qualities required to perform their role effectively


· Key skills workshops · Creative planning and networking


If your school would like to get involved please contact me via email (tim.sells@kent.gov.uk) or telephone 03000 412330


What are the benefits of becoming a Change4Life Champion?


Exploring how positive habits can influence mind, body and emotions. Taking part in fun games and activities. Awareness of the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. Become a leader to others as well as a Healthy Active Lifestyle Ambassador


The training they received will be hugely beneficial to their schools, their peers and most importantly themselves. Supported by Take Pride’s Change4Life lead (via their website), the Champions will continue to develop new skills and gain new knowledge to help them become extremely successful healthy, active lifestyle ambassadors for their school and surrounding schools.


Ideally we would like to make this an annual event and get as many schools from across the county as possible involved. The children really enjoyed themselves, the teachers really enjoyed themselves and the trainers/coaches from Take Pride really enjoyed themselves so overall a great day for everybody involved.


14 The Kent & Medway School Sports Magazine


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