Healthy Together would also especially like to acknowledge the commitment, input and support from the participants in the community in Kelowna, British Columbia. Your challenges and successes will provide inspiration to others. Thank you to Monique Gray Smith of Little Drum Consulting and Dave Meaden of Get-It-Creative Design, for their contributions to the Healthy Together content and design.

The Government of Canada has demonstrated its commitment to developing healthy children, youth, and families by supporting the project. Healthy Together wishes to express our sincere appreciation to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Innovation Strategy - “Achieving Healthier Weights in Canada’s Communities”, however the views expressed herein are those of The Bridge and do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

AcknowledgementsHealthy Together is an initiative of individuals, families, communities and governments working together towards a common goal – to promote the achievement and maintenance of healthy weights in children.

Healthy Together would like to express its gratitude to the Advisory Committee which has provided expertise, guidance and leadership to the program. As a multi-sector advisory group, their commitment has been to assist in creating a program and advance a national initiative that will positively influence the lives of Canadian children and families. Thank you to:

• British Columbia Association of Family Resource Programs

• British Columbia Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils

• Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs (FRP Canada)

• Central Okanagan Parent Advisory Council

• Child Welfare League of Canada

• City of Kelowna (Recreation and Culture)

• Federation of Community Social Services of British Columbia

• Interior Health

• Kelowna Immigrant Society

• Kelowna Youth in Care Network

• Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society

• Ministry of Children and Family Development

• Okanagan Foster Parents Association

• School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan)

• The Bridge Youth & Family Services

• University of British Columbia Okanagan

• University of Victoria

• Westbank First Nation The Bridge Youth & Family Services1829 Chandler Street , Kelowna, BC V1Y 3Z2Phone: 250.763.0456 | Fax: 250.763.4910Website: thebridgeservices.ca | Email: info@thebridgeservices.ca

Healthy weights for children

Table of Contents

Rationale ......................................................................

Approaches ..................................................................

Content Development .....................................................

Program Design ............................................................

Resources ....................................................................

Facilitator Qualifications ................................................

Program Assistant Qualifications .....................................

Before You Start .............................................................

Facilitating the Modules .................................................

Fostering Cultural Safety ................................................

Fostering Resiliency with Aboriginal Children & Families .....

Expected Long-term Outcomes ........................................

References ...................................................................

Healthy Together ProgramHealthy Together is an innovative and unique family education program that brings families 1 together to learn to make healthy choices and build healthy relationships.

Rationale

The IssueChildhood obesity is an important health issue requiring urgent attention (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). The number of Canadian children who are overweight or obese has increased significantly over the last thirty years. In the late seventies, 15% of children were overweight or obese. Just three decades later, one out of every four Canadian children is considered overweight or obese (Canadian Community Health Survey, 2004).

Overweight or obesity can negatively impact health and puts children at risk for future health problems. This can include heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Health problems that were previously seen only in adults are now also affecting children. Obesity and overweight can also impact self-esteem, body image and participation in social activities (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). If a reversal in the childhood obesity trend does not occur, today’s children may have less healthy and possibly shorter lives than their parents (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011).

Young people in the care of the government experience more trauma and displacement as well as transitional activity than that of the mainstream population (Child & Youth Officer of BC and Office of the Provincial Health Officer, 2010). Young people in care are more likely to come from disadvantaged circumstances and experience parental abuse or neglect. This puts them at risk for poorer outcomes, including unhealthy weights. Estimates of the economic burden of obesity in Canada range from $4.6 billion to $7.1 billion annually (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). Intended AudienceHealthy Together has been designed primarily for children and youth in care (0-18y) and their families. It has been piloted with children and youth in care (0-18y), aboriginal youth (13-18y) and the general population of children (0-6y) and their families. This program is being implemented with the above population groups and is working to extend its experience and create adaptations for other populations as well.

Bringing families together

1 Families may include children and youth in care (0 to 18 years) and their caregivers, foster parents, biological parents, mentors, elders, and other key members of the community, who may be actively involved in caring for the children

Approaches

PreventativeEmphasis must be on health promotion and disease prevention efforts (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2011). By encouraging healthier living and providing preventive programs, Canadians can live long lives in good health.

Healthy Together focuses on supporting families to learn and practise healthy living in order to prevent childhood overweight and obesity and chronic diseases that often accompany them. The program is designed for all families with children in care, not only those with a diagnosed weight problem. Family Education ModelWhen programs offer learning opportunities for adults and children together, families do better (Mann, 2008). Obesity prevention programs should include parents and families (Canadian Obesity Network, 2011; Lau et al., 2007).

Caring relationships with supportive caregivers and opportunities for participation and contribution are associated with positive development in children in care, despite their high risk (Child & Youth Officer of BC and Office of Provincial Health Officer (2010).

Healthy Together is designed as a family education model, where families register and attend sessions together. It provides opportunities to learn and build skills together. This is an ideal environment for fostering relationships, which is a key aspect of the program.

Group LearningIt is shown that when participants offer support to others, they increase their abilities and self-esteem while building a sense of belonging (Walker & Sage, 2006).

Healthy Together is a group learning program which provides opportunities to build networks among participants. The format and activities encourage shared learning and support to all participants as they make their journey to a healthy lifestyle.

Multi-Faceted The Canadian Obesity Network recommends programs to focus on healthy living for the prevention and first-line intervention for overweight and obese children, youth, and adults.

Healthy Together includes the following topics:

• eating a healthy diet

• engaging in family meals

• increasing physical activity

• decreasing sedentary activity

Holistic Childhood obesity is a complex health issue that strains all aspects of healthy child development. Increasing unhealthy weights is associated with decreasing self-esteem and poor mental health (Wang et al., 2009).

Healthy Together considers the mental, emotional, spiritual, and social needs of children and families, and emphasizes health in a broad sense. The program is designed to foster healthy individuals, healthy relationships, and healthy communities.

Culturally SensitiveMany children in care are from Aboriginal (Metis, First Nation and Inuit) families. It is imperative for families to learn about and respect the culture and lifestyle of the children they care for. Aboriginal children need ways of enhancing their sense of belonging and engaging in the Aboriginal culture (Child & Youth Officer of BC and Office of the Provincial Health Officer, 2010).

Healthy Together encourages families to reflect on the diverse cultures and backgrounds of the children they care for. The program also invites all adults who are actively caring for a child as well as key members of the community (i.e. Aboriginal elders) to participate.

To provide additional support to organizations and facilitators implementing Healthy Together Program, a separate Chapter on...

Kids can live long lives in good health

“ Young people in care have the capacity to overcome the obstacles they face and live happy healthy lives.”

An innovative program that works

Focus groups were conducted with foster parents, caregivers, children and youth, to gather input and feedback from people representing the potential beneficiaries of the program. Finally, piloting the program with local families provided an opportunity for further refinement and adaptation of the program - both in its content and in the program delivery process. This was necessary for dissemination and implementation across various jurisdictions.

Evaluation ProcessFor the Healthy Together program to be most effective and use-ful, the curriculum has been designed and offered in ways that are meaningful for children in care, their families, and for the agencies that support them. Participating families, facilitators, and organizations were asked about their experience with the Healthy Together program, and their input has been used to make it the best program possible.

Program evaluation is being conducted by consultants from the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria.The evaluation process is designed to ensure that the information families provide is collected and analyzed in ways that protect the identity and confidentiality of all involved, and that feedback is of the highest quality possible.

“ I really enjoy actually cooking the food myself, with others!”

~ Youth Participant

Aboriginal Adaptations has been provided in the Appendix. This will provide an opportunity to program facilitators for influencing participants’ understanding of their wellness and the wellness of their family, within the context of an Aboriginal world view and in a culturally safe and respectful manner.

Content Development

Content has been developed using documented research, professional expertise, and participant input. A list of resources is provided in the Appendix.

FundingThe development of Healthy Together is funded by Public Health Agency of Canada’s Innovation Strategy - “Achieving Healthier Weights in Canada’s Communities.”

PartnershipsThe Bridge Youth & Family Services project team brought together Advisory Committee members representing a broad range of sectors including:

• Government

• Non-governmental organizations

• Aboriginal organizations

• Family support programs and networks

• Parent and youth representatives

The Advisory Committee contributed advice, expertise, support and recommendations to the content, development, delivery, and implementation of the program.

Development ProcessCreation of Healthy Together followed an innovative process of capturing input and feedback from various stakeholders through-out the project development phase.

A national advisory committee established for the project met quarterly, via teleconference, and twice in face to face meetings, to provide their input and feedback on the development of program content as well as strategies for delivery and implementation.

provided a separate space where they can be engaged in play-based activities, including: free-play, stories, and learning activities based on the theme of the session.

Ideas for additional value and benefits for families:

• Provide families with a Healthy Family Bin to take home, com-prised of a variety of physical activity equipment and activi-ties as well as information about how to use the equipment.

• Partner with local recreation providers for participant usage of facilities during the course of the modules.

• Partner with a natural food outlet, farmers’ market, com-munity co-op, or local farmers to provide participants with natural local food.

• Extend the module to include field trips to a farmers’ market or community garden.

Program Design

Healthy Together is designed so that children and families may attend their age-specific modules. The program is divided into three modules by age groups:

• Happy Healthy Beginnings for children age 0 to 6 years and their families

• Fun Healthy Habits for children age 7 to 12 years and their families

• My Life My Choice My World for youth age 13 to 18 years and their families

• Each module is a stand-alone. Participants need not have any previous knowledge or skills and need not be overweight or obese to take any of the modules.

Module DesignEach module is comprised of five weekly two-hour sessions. The five session topics are:

• Journey to Health Together

• Eat Food

• Time and Money

• Move More

• Healthy and Active for Life

Each session is designed to provide participants with information, skills, and experiences to support families in making healthy food and activity choices. The sessions are designed as followed:

• 15 - 30 minutes play-based fun physical activity

• 30 - 60 minutes of group discussion

• 45 - 60 minutes of cooking and eating together

For the Happy Healthy Beginnings (0 to 6 years) module, it is recommended that, during the discussion period, the children be

Resources

(a) Facility – Group session space, with cooking facilities and equipment for up to 20 participants.

The Happy Healthy Beginnings module requires a separate play area, equipped with age appropriate toys and materials.

(b) Staffing – Facilitators who are qualified and experienced are critical for this program. Two facilitators per session for effective implementation is recommended.

Program assistants are required to provide early learning and care for children (0 - 6 years) in a break out room, while their caregivers participate in group discussion.

Administrative support staff may be required for scheduling of the sessions, facility booking, participant registration, and/or input of attendance and compilation of evaluation data, among other duties.

(c) Materials – Ingredients for preparing a healthy meal.

Physical activity equipment and supplies for the Healthy Family Bins.

Workshop material and supplies necessary for participants (handouts, resources) are listed in session guidelines.

(d) Equipment – Flip chart and markers for the group session space. Photocopier and printer for use by the facilitators and program assistants.

(e) Budget consideration – Some of the above resources may be provided ‘in-kind’ by participating organizations (i.e. facility, equipment, support staff).

Allocation of adequate financial resources is important for staff wages (i.e. facilitators, program assistants), materials (i.e. food, workshop supplies), and any equipment purchase, as required, for effective implementation of the program.

Other budget considerations may include providing transportation assistance (i.e. bus tickets), food vouchers, gifts for Aboriginal elders and any other supports as required for the participating families.

Fun physical activities, and group learning

Young people in care have the capacity to overcome the obstacles they face and live happy healthy lives.

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Links to local community resources

• Provides safe and nurturing environment and encourages families to explore, identify and achieve attainable goals by making responsible choices toward health and wellness.

• Works closely with the participating families to adapt the process, and the module content, based on their unique needs and feedback.

• Encourages and supports families in developing and increas-ing supportive networks by connecting with each other, as well as by becoming involved in the community.

• Provides information and links to local community resources as necessary.

• Works closely with program assistants to ensure appropriate caregiving for young children.

• Provides guidance to program assistants regarding meal preparation tasks, facility set-up, and clean up duties, and any other assistance that participants may require during the sessions.

• Maintains confidentiality of all participant information.

• Provides culturally competent services through recognition of the similarities and differences in values, norms and customs of families that vary by ethnicity, gender, religion and sexual orientation.

• Participates in evaluation by collecting quantitative and qualitative data and participant feedback, to help with module adaptations and evaluation findings.

• Accountable to the Program Coordinator for carrying out responsibilities and meets as requested to review work performance.

• Participates positively and productively as a member of the program team.

Facilitator Qualifications

The facilitator is responsible for providing instruction and facilita-tion of the ‘Healthy Together’ program. The facilitator will utilize positive parenting principles and activities, and encourage families to identify and achieve attainable goals toward their health and wellness.

Recommended Qualifications:

• Degree or diploma in child and youth care, health, social science or related field.

• Experience working with children in care, and their families.

• Extensive experience facilitating groups, education workshops or modules.

• Excellent knowledge of group process and facilitation techniques.

• Knowledge, understanding and/ or experience with foster parenting.

• Understanding of the impact of childhood trauma, neglect and abuse.

• Aboriginal background and/ or respectful understanding of the history of Aboriginal peoples and cultural safety.

Skills:

• Good interpersonal, facilitation and communication skills in a group setting.

• Demonstrated ability to work with a broad cross section of people, using a strength-based approach.

• Ability to apply participatory approach to children, youth and adult learning.

• Good organization and time management skills.

Abilities:

• Facilitates group learning to enhance participant knowledge and skills.

• Focuses on families’ strengths, expressing understanding and empathy.

Facilitators utilize positive parenting principles and encourage families to achieve goals toward their health and wellness.

Program Assistant Qualifications

Recommended Qualifications• Education and/or experience working with young people

in-care, and their families.

• Experience working with people in a group format.

• Experience working with a broad cross section of individu-als including young parents, people from diverse cultural backgrounds, and people living in poverty.

• Knowledge, understanding and/or experience with foster parenting

• Understanding of the impact of childhood trauma, neglect and abuse

• Experience working in public and/or community facilities and/or agencies.

Skills and Abilities• Demonstrated ability to work with children, youth, and fami-

lies to create a fun, stimulating and caring environment.

• Ability to work in a stressful environment often dealing with child-related or family crises.

• Ability to function independently and manage emergency situations related to children and families.

• Demonstrated interest in working in a team milieu with other staff.

• Strong commitment to family, parenting and healthy child development.

• First Aid Training and Foodsafe training preferred.

• Personal transportation and valid driver’s license are required.

Duties and Responsibilities• Works closely with the Program Facilitators to plan activities,

menus, and facility arrangements.

• Provides child-minding services with children whose parents are on site. Infants not yet walking are encouraged to stay with their parents.

• Sets up toys and materials and organizes games, songs and activities for child-minding.

• Assists with program activities for parents.

• Assists with food preparation, facility set up and clean up duties.

• Responds to crisis and emergencies with appropriate action.

• Provides feedback to help with module adaptations and evaluation findings.

• Provides culturally competent services through recognition of the similarities and differences in values, norms and customs of persons served that vary by ethnicity, gender, religion and sexual orientation.

• Accountable to the Program Coordinator for carrying out responsibilities and meets as requested to review work performance.

• Participates positively and productively as a member of the program team.

It is recommended that program assistants do not: • Baby sit for group participants

• Lend money to group participants.

• Offer rides to or from group.

• Offer parenting advice or information.

• Give advice or guidance related to lifestyle choices and personal beliefs.

Before You Start

Attracting and Retaining Families• Environment - Ensure a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere,

where participants are comfortable and feel a sense of belonging.

• Set Up – Provide paper and pens as well as modeling clay, stress balls, or other objects and materials for participants who are kinaesthetic or tactile learners.

• Flexibility - Be flexible and adapt to the needs of participants.

• Literacy - Be aware of participants who may have low literacy levels. Ensure you read handouts to them.

• Inclusion - Invite key members of the community to be involved, either through participation or as guest speakers. Examples include Aboriginal elders, cultural or faith community members.

• Group Guidelines - Non-judgmental attitudes will contribute to fostering relationships of trust and respect.

• Sample Group Guidelines are provided in the materials section. Orient participants to the group guidelines during the module introduction and refer back to them when needed.

• Gifts - Facilitators may choose to pass out a gift to each participant for a particular session or they may have one door prize for each session. Small gift ideas include journals, stickers, pencils, small toys, bookmarks, recipe boxes, or coupons.

• Reminders - Facilitators may wish to provide reminders to participants for the upcoming session through phone calls or emails.

Adapting to the needs of participants“ Wonderful foundation for building new relationships within the community.”

~ Advisory Committee

Focusing on participant success

Facilitating the Modules

Think Ahead As participants leave the session, ask them to identify one thing that they will think about or try in the next week and write it on the flip chart, as telling others what one intends to do increases the likelihood of doing it. It has been shown that completion of ‘homework’ rises when participants can choose for themselves what they wish to accomplish with their family. ‘Homework’ encourages participants to practice what they are learning at home and may solidify changes toward healthy choices and behaviours.

Think BackConsider having a dialogue at the beginning of the session for par-ticipants to report back to the group about things they did, tried, or thought about in the past week. The emphasis should be on learning and encouraging participants to feel confident about what they are already doing well. Facilita-tors should ensure a focus on successes. Testing the waters, trying new skills, finding that some things work and other things do not, is all part of the learning process. An understanding that change can be challenging and takes time may persuade participants to keep trying. BrainstormingThe purpose of a brainstorm is to generate many ideas in a short time. Following the ideas below will produce effective brainstorms. • Ask open, leading questions

• Only one person may speak at a time. If you have a larger group, suggest that participants jot down their ideas, while they are waiting for an opportunity to speak

• Use a flip chart where everyone can see it.

• Never criticize or dismiss an idea - everything is valid

• Embellish on the ideas of others

• Guide the direction of the conversation if participants start to veer from the topic

• The quantity of ideas is more important than the quality of ideas

Group DiscussionsGroup discussions are an opportunity for participants to share experiences and ideas, and support each other on their journey to health. The facilitator’s role is to keep the discussion on track and encourage sharing, while ensuring key points are covered. Here are some key ideas to lead useful group discussions.

• Encourage participation, but do not put anyone on the spot

• Acknowledge those who comment with a nod or a “thank you”

• Sit down during the workshop so you are at the same level as the participants. This communicates that you are not an expert, but a facilitator

• Enjoy yourself. A relaxed mood promotes effective learning

• Use open-ended questions to encourage more discussion and interaction

• Don’t be afraid of silence. Allow time for participants to digest what you are asking of them

• Encourage participants to reflect on their experiences and share them

• Using personal examples is not always helpful. If you have an example, share it quickly and then re-focus on the group.

Follow-upContinuing behaviour change may require ongoing support. Encourage participants to establish resources and links to other services in order to continue to receive support and information about the different topics covered in the program.

Facilitators may like to offer a follow-up or “booster” session where “graduates” from all modules may meet at infrequent intervals (e.g. once every 6 weeks) to maintain social support and encourage the continuance of new attitudes and behaviours.

Managing Challenging TopicsThere can be strong emotions linked to many of the topics covered in this module. Emotions can influence what participants pay attention to and what they remember. Strong emotions may inter-fere with clear thinking and with participants being open to new perspectives and possibilities.

• Pay attention to the group dynamic

• Provide opportunities to engage all participants, for example, asking to hear from people who haven’t yet contributed.

• When a participant is carrying on a side conversation, remain silent until they discontinue talking, and then restart the discus-sion. If the problem persists, you may wish to speak with them during the break or after the session.

• Crying can contribute to healing and discovery. Be open to the sharing of this emotion provided it is not prolonged and distress-ing to other participants.

• Know when non-supportive attitudes towards change are being shared. Validate their concern, re-focus the discussion and/or remind participants of the time they have available.

• Use opportunities to model ways of enhancing relationships and health through interaction among the participants.

Fostering Cultural Safety

Weaving Culture into the Sessions As you facilitate Healthy Together, you will begin to identify where in the curriculum to weave Aboriginal culture, languages, traditions, val-ues and world views throughout your sessions. You have the privilege of including culture in your sessions and fostering the pride and sense of identity of children and families. A few examples of weaving culture into your sessions are:

• For the first session of each module, it is recommended that in the facilitator’s introduction and welcoming remarks there be an acknowledgement of the traditional territory of the Aboriginal peoples whose land the training is taking place on. This follows traditional protocol and is considered a valued and respectful practice when working with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations. If you do not know whose traditional territory your session is being held upon, you can find this information at fphlcc.com

• Be mindful of the important role that extended family members can play in the raising up of Aboriginal children. Depending on the families participating and their circumstances, it may be supportive of the child (ren) to have extended family participate in the Healthy Together sessions.

Alternatively, strong emotions may be powerful motivators for change. It is imperative that facilitators recognize the influence of emotions on learning and display a non-judgmental attitude. This will allow for a safe environment for parents, caregivers, children, and youth to explore their feelings and discover them-selves and their families.

Here are some ways to manage challenging topics that may come up during discussions (e.g. cutting, substance abuse, sexuality, etc.)

• Know your audience

• Approach potentially sensitive subject matter lightly (humour can be a mechanism of dealing with potentially delicate topics)

• Attend to participants closely

• Exhibit empathy

• Acknowledge difficulty of situations

• Be aware of verbal and non-verbal cues of yourself and other participants

• Limit reactionary responses to delicate subjects

• Provide information in a non-judgmental manner

Managing Challenging Behaviours When facilitating, you have much less control over the session than when “lecturing” a group on a topic and you will need to think and react quickly. It can be helpful to co-facilitate with another person. Here are some ways of managing challenging behaviours in the group:

Testing the waters, trying new skills, finding that some things work and others do not, is all part of the learning process.

Enhancing relationships and health

• Ensure programming is reflective and respectful of the local community and Nation.

• Ensure Elders and/or cultural knowledge holders are invited to do an initial ‘Welcome to the territory’ and opening of the first session. If you have an Elder or guest to provide a Welcome, an honorarium and gift must be provided.

• Facilitate opportunities for parents and families to feel empowered.

• Provide food at all program groups; include Traditional foods from the local territory or of the Nations who are participating in your sessions.

• Build capacity and support for Elders by providing appropriate supports such as transportation and respectful financial compensation.

“ Great group dynamics, everyone had fun while helping to cook and learn together.”

~ Facilitator

Fostering Resiliency with Aboriginal Children and Families

The following are key factors that support Aboriginal children’s resiliency and some questions and ideas for you to consider in facilitating Healthy Together.

ChildAboriginal world view acknowledges that children are gifts from the spirit world. They carry with them the gifts that will manifest themselves as they grow older. They bring a sense of joy, humour and fun to those around them. Aboriginal identity in terms of ancestry and Nation(s), who they are and where they come from, is critical to creating a positive self identity and is essential information within this program.

• In what ways do you provide opportunities for children and families to express their identity through ancestry, family lineage, First Nations and clans?

• How can you provide opportunities for social interaction and engagement to foster a sense of self-identity?

• How do you add humour and fun to your sessions

FamilyFamily is integral to all Aboriginal peoples and history has had a great impact on the wellness of families today. Family is often inclusive of extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) and it is recommended that whenever possible to have extended family who are actively involved in the child’s life participate in Healthy Together. The stronger sense of family and the wellness of the family, the more resilient children will be.

• What opportunities can you provide to bring extended family into the sessions?

• Providing opportunities for family to gather together over food creates a sense of identity and community.

Change can be challenging and takes time

CommunityThe stronger a child feels connected to a sense of community and belonging, the greater their resiliency will be. Community extends from the children, to family, to their local community and connec-tion to First Nations. A few questions and ideas you may want to ask yourself as you prepare to facilitate the modules:

• What are the healthy community activities or events you want to share with participants? Ensure you share cultural activities as well i.e. Friendship Centre activities.

• How do you foster a sense of community with the families/caregivers attending Healthy Together?

• What are the opportunities you create for children to experience a broader sense of their world?

• How do you foster friendships amongst children and amongst families?

• Who are the role models in your community and how do you engage them in your sessions?

• Acknowledge the traditional First Nations people of whose land your session is occurring on.

CultureIn order to make Healthy Together as relevant and meaningful as possible, there must be some aspects of the sessions that have culture woven into them. Connection to culture builds a child’s positive sense of themselves and fosters a positive sense of the child within the family system they live in. Language and Land are integral aspects of Aboriginal Culture.

LanguageAboriginal Language provides context and meaning within Aboriginal identity. Storytelling and the passing on of Legends provide life lessons and a greater understanding of ones self. Ab-original languages provide a sense of community and connection to ancestors, spirituality and to the land.

• In what ways can you provide opportunities to connect with language in your sessions?

• Connect with Elders, Language teachers and knowledge keepers to find out about local languages.

LandA connection to the land is at the very base of Aboriginal culture. All things come from the earth and return to the earth. There is a deep respect for the earth, nature and animals. Aboriginal activi-ties throughout history and today are greatly influenced by the cycle of the seasons.

• Connect with your local Nation and Friendship Centre to find out what local, seasonal activities are taking place within your community.

• Whenever possible, hold part or all of your session outside.

• What Aboriginal seasonal activities, like berry picking for example, can you acknowledge and bring into your sessions?

• Learn about the significance of the land, being on the land and its importance within Aboriginal culture.

It is imperative for families to learn about and respect their culture and life...{

“ Very helpful information for kids to use, once they return to their family of origin.”

~ Parent Participant

Journey to healthy living

Expected Long-term Outcomes

Healthy eating and activity will be integrated into family education and caregiver training programs across Canada. The emphasis will be on preventing unhealthy weights by encouraging healthy eat-ing and activity as well as building relationships among families.

Community and System Wide Changes This program endeavours to produce outcomes that will both complement other community initiatives and provide support to organizations which advocate for public policy changes. Healthy Together will continue to work with the various sectors to promote and influence policies that will enhance the health of all Canadian children, youth, and their families.

References

Canadian Community Health Survey. (2004). Obesity Among Children and Adults. www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/050706/dq050706a-eng.htm

Canadian Obesity Network. (2011). Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management and Prevention of Pediatric Obesity.

Child & Youth Officer of BC and Office of the Provincial Health Officer. (2010). Growing Up in B.C. www.cwrp.ca/sites/default/files/publications/en/BC-Growing_up_in_BC.pdf

Lau, D., Douketis, J., Morrison, K., Hramiak, Il, Sharma, A., Ur, E. (2007). 2006 Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management and Prevention of Obesity in Adults and Children [Summary]. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 176 (8), S1-13.

Mann, B. (2008). What Works for Whom? Promising Practices in Parenting Education. Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs. www.frpbc.ca/news-and-events/documents/WhatWorksforWhom_FRPCanada.pdf

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2011). Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights. www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/framework-cadre/index-eng.php

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2011). Obesity in Canada: Health and Economic Implications. www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/oic-oac/econo-eng.php

Walker, J. & Sage, M. (2006). Strengthening social support: Research implica-tions for interventions in children’s mental health. Focal Point Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health, 20(1).

Wang, F., Wild, T., Kipp, W., Kuhle S., & Veugelers, P. (2009). The influence of childhood obesity on the development of self-esteem, 20 (2). Statistics Canada Health Reports.(2009). 21-27. www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2009002/article/10871-eng.pdf

“ Wonderful memories of fun, family, adventure and laughs. We need more programs like this one!” ~ Parent Participant

The Bridge Youth & Family Services1829 Chandler Street , Kelowna, BC V1Y 3Z2Phone: 250.763.0456 | Fax: 250.763.4910Website: thebridgeservices.ca | Email: info@thebridgeservices.ca