Background and policy information
The years from the early stages of secondary school education and adolescence to adulthood are a time of great change when young people are subjected to major external influences.
The Young People Programme includes a range of work to help young people and their families enjoy the best possible health.
Quick links on this page:
The Young People Programme at Health Scotland
Current work
Research Evidence on Young People's Health
Relevant policy documents
Key Networks and Partners
The Young People's Programme at Health Scotland
The young people's programme aims to:
Provide relevant information to young people in a variety of formats.
Actively engage with young people to steer strategy and implementation
Support the workforce with relevant resources, networking opportunities and skills development
Influence the creation of healthy environments for young people.
The programme covers key stages in young people's health and seeks to address health inequalities through a broad range of measures including:
- Joined up working with other programmes and intiatives across NHS Health Scotland to ensure we are exploring and improving young people's health and wellbeing in relation to the following key priority topic areas: mental health and well being including self harm and suicide prevention, sexual health, ,physical activity, Food and Diet, and alcohol.
- Working with key partners within Further and Higher Education and Life Long Learning.
- Working in close partnership with the Youth Work sector to build upon our Youth Health Network which will help us to showcase and celebrate good practice which is taking place across Scotland
- Working with specific agencies who offer support and information to target groups of young people including: black and minority ethnic communities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people, young parents and disabled young people.
- Developing and supporting primary health care practitioners through the Walk the Talk Programme which addresses young people's access to health services and creating youth-friendly environments for young people.
- Working in collaboration with our key partner Young Scot (external link)to offer high quality, tailored health information to young people on a range of health topics and issues via a range of creative communication tools including online portals on the Young Scot websiteYoung Scot INFOLINE (external link) and Feeling Good (external link)
Current work
Our work in this area is designed to contribute to delivering and building on the goals relating to young people identified in Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge. Our approach embodies a variety of means and includes focusing on:
- Lead on the national intiative Walk the Talk which offers an online portal which is a 'one stop shop' for health professionals offering guidance and advice on how they can make their health service more youth-friendly.
- Supporting Young Scot (external link).
- Specific campaigns on Young People and smoking.
- Support Youth Workers through our Youth Health Network- a growing e bulletin service designed to keep this professional sector up to date on relevant information including policy guidance , events, training and funding opportunities.
Research Evidence on Young People's Health
The Young People programme draws on existing evidence and, where there are gaps in our knowledge, commissions new research which is then used to inform its activities.
This evidence-informed approach allows us to draw together existing research on health issues relating to young people and their family groups (literature reviews), to synthesize the existing evidence around effective interventions (systematic reviews of effectiveness) and to commission new research where gaps remain.
Relevant policy documents
Published in February 2008, Better Health, Better Care (external link) the action plan sets out a range of measures to improve the quality of the NHS.
Published in June 2008, Equally Well (external link) This is a report of the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities, produced by the Scottish Government.
The Alcohol consultation, published by the Scottish Government in June 2008, Changing Scotland's relationship with alcohol (external link) This is a discussion paper setting out our strategic approach to tacking alcohol misuse.
The Consultation document Towards a Future Without Tobacco (external link)was published in December 2006. It offers a series of recommendations that NHS Health Scotland are taking forward in conjunction with other agencies.
The Road to Recovery: A New Approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem (external link) The Scottish Government's new national drugs strategy that focuses on recovery but also looks at prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, education, enforcement and protection of children.
Healthy Eating, Active Living (external link) An action plan to improve diet, increase physical activity and tackle obesity (2008-2011)
Looked after and accomodated Children: We can and must do better (external link) Ministerial Working Group Report January 2007 which focuses on the key actions for children and people living in residential and care settings.
Key Networks and Partners
Young Scot
Young Scot is the national youth information agency in Scotland. Working in partnership with Dialogue Youth, it provides support, opportunities and incentives to young people aged 12-26, through various means such as the web portal and Smart Cards: Funded by Health Scotland, Young Scot also now operates a free and confidential INFOLINE for young people, on 0808 801 0338, open from Monday to Friday, 10am until 6pm. The phone line offers further infomation on health and wellbeing.
Visit the Young Scot website (external link)
YouthLink
YouthLink Scotland aims to support the youth work sector to provide effective, high quality youth work services which promote the well-being and development of young people.
Visit the YouthLink Scotland website (external link)
Fast Forward
Fast Forward is a national voluntary organisation based in Edinburgh. It promotes health through education by, with and for young people, focusing on the prevention of drug, alcohol and tobacco misuse.
Visit the Fast Forward website (external link)
Scottish Healthy Care Network
The network addresses the health needs of looked after children and young people.
Visit the Scottish Healthy Care Network website (external link)
ASH Scotland
ASH Scotland (external link) ASH Scotland is the leading charity campaigning for effective tobacco control legislation in Scotland. ASH Scotland also hosts a youth tobacco forum, for more details please email: Emma Cepok: ecepok@ashscotland.org.uk
The Corner
The Corner (external link) provides a wide range of confidential health and information services for young people aged between 11 - 25 years. For further information please email: Pete Glen p.glen@nhs.net
The Junction
The Junction (external link) is a safe, friendly, confidential centre which offers lots of health related services, education, advice and support for young people in Leith and North East Edinburgh aged 12-21. For further information please email Sam Anderson sam@the-junction.org.uk