Health Promotion and Young People

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This subject explores key practices, principles and frameworks for health promotion and community capacity building aimed at enhancing the health and wellbeing of young people. Participants will be encouraged to develop a more systematic approach to health promotion practice, particularly in identifying adolescent health needs and in planning, implementing and evaluating health promotion approaches relevant to particular communities/settings. Participants will be encouraged to draw on their experience and knowledge in the development of a health promotion project proposal. The subject considers the social and environmental context in which health promotion takes place.

This subject is designed to enable students to:

1. apply the theories and principles of health promotion to youth health practice and context;
2. identify and reflect on the social determinants of health and health inequalities as they relate to health promotion practice;
3. explore the principles and strategies of youth participation and engagement in health promotion;
4. recognise the ethical issues associated with health promotion practice in relation to young people
5. develop appropriate designs for health promotion projects/programs within specific environments;
6. utilise different communication strategies to engage and communicate with diverse audiences, communities and stakeholders;
7. apply a range of program evaluation approaches.

• Assessment Task 1: Critical Analysis Analysis of a youth health issue as reported in the media (1000 words) Due mid semester (25%)

• Assessment Task 2: Project Proposal Development of a strategic Health Promotion project proposal (3500 words) Due end of semester (65%)

• Assessment Task 3: Participatory Tasks (PATs) 10x weekly written tasks on discussion board (total of 1000 words) due over the first 10 weeks (10%)

• Naidoo, J. & Wills, J. (2014) Health Promotion: Foundations for Practice (3rd ed) Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall

Further prescribed readings will be available via the LMS.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of the subject, it is expected that students will be able to:

• analyse and critically reflect on the health issues that impact on young people;
• design health promotion strategies appropriate to the health needs of young people
• set up appropriate evaluation for health promotion projects;
• engage young people in the development and implementation of health promotion projects; and
• disseminate outcomes from health promotion initiatives via relevant avenues.