The SHE (Schools for Health in Europe) network is a European network working to promote health in schools. The network brings together more than 40 members throughout Europe, and is recognised as collaborating center by the World Health Organisation.
The ESN and the SHE network met in June 2015 to draw up a comparative model between the two international networks, and came to the realisation that the two are both similar and very complimentary.
In fact, the two networks share the same goal: to improve the quality of education through improving health and well-being within the education community. However, they differ in terms of method: the ESN builds bridges between the education and health sectors through concrete cooperation projects, whilst the SHE assists national authorities with the implementation of school health promotion policies. The SHE network is rooted in the public health sector, whilst the ESN is rooted in the education sector. The SHE is connected with government departments; the ESN works with unions and the mutualist movement. The SHE is essentially based in Europe; the ESN is international. The SHE has developed a support tool for health promoter schools. The ESN is developing a participatory diagnostic tool for student well-being in schools.
In light of these numerous similarities and complimentary activities, several possibilities for collaboration were identified. These include:
- Organising a working group to translate the SHE tool into French
- Co-organising a symposium on school health promotion during the IUHPE world conference in Brazil in May 2016
- Co-organising a collaborative and innovative seminar to bring together the most influential members of the two networks in order to build a global coalition for improving education through school health
An adventure which is only just beginning…
