Eastern Harps and St Michaels GAA amongst the first official GAA Healthy
Clubs to receive national recognition
·
The award winning Healthy Clubs Project (HCP) aims
to turn clubs into hubs for health in their communities
·
With almost the same number of GAA clubs as GPs
across Ireland, the project offers a new setting in which to deliver health
promotion and interventions[i]
·
Leading GAA ambassador Seán Cavanagh strongly
commends the club for their leadership
A special ceremony with
governmental representation in Croke Park on the 4th Novemeber saw 58 GAA clubs recognised as
the first official ‘Healthy Clubs’ on the island of Ireland.
Eight Connacht clubs, including Eastern Harps and St Michaels
GAA in Sligo, can now proudly fly a flag above their grounds (endorsed by both
Healthy Ireland and the Public Health Agency in NI), letting their members and
communities know that they value health and wellbeing as much as leagues and
championships.
In January 2016, almost 100 clubs applied to participate in
Phase 2 of the project (just 16 participated in Phase 1 between 2013-2015).
Many cited the dearth of services in their communities that are tackling issues
such as obesity, sedentary lifestyles, mental health and suicide. They wanted
to be part of the solution.
Clubs engage with their members and community before
identifying health themes upon which to focus on. Most common include healthy
eating; physical activity for non-playing members; emotional wellbeing; engaging
older members of the community; youth development; gambling, drug, and alcohol
education; and inclusion and integration. Almost half of the clubs (29) also
opted to become completely smoke-free venues as part of their 18-month journey.
Progressive GAA clubs, Eastern Harps and St Michaels are the
first clubs in Sligo to receive national recognition. Their various health and
wellbeing initiatives have had a tremendous impact on their clubs and wider
communities. Both clubs have placed healthy eating high on the agenda and
participated in the GAA’s “Recipes for Success” programme. This nutritional sports
performance initiative features a partnership with the Community & Health
team in Croke Park and St. Angela’s College, Sligo. The initiative targeted
minor club players who enjoyed a practical cookery workshop on the importance
of fuelling their body both for sport and health. The St. Michael’s players received their
workshop from their local home economics teacher in Coola Post Primary School
while Eastern Harps were part of a special pilot that took place in St.
Angela’s. The participants reported that they really enjoyed the programme,
while developing confidence and competencies in the areas of nutrition and
health. Each participant also received a copy of the “Recipes for Success” booklet, which was shared with club members
via the clubs Facebook page and can also be downloaded online http://www.gaa.ie/mm/Document/CommunityandHealth/General/13/57/89/RecipesforSuccess_English.pdf
Former Tyrone football captain Seán Cavanagh
is a big supporter of the GAA’s Healthy Club Project (HCP) and presented the
clubs with their official flag and plaque in Croke Park on Saturday, November 4th.
He said “I’ve seen myself how the
GAA brings communities together in so many different ways so it’s fantastic to
see the association taking a leadership role in developing healthier
communities. The Healthy Clubs around the country are having a positive impact
on so many children and young people and as a parent I think it is fantastic.
Through this project I think people will start to appreciate the role of the
GAA in our communities even more.”
The innovative Healthy Club model was developed in
partnership with Healthy Ireland, the HSE’s health promotion division, the
National Office for Suicide Prevention, and is supported by Irish Life through
a CSR investment. In an era of unprecedented societal health challenges, the
Healthy Club Project aims to harness the potential of the GAA club setting to
deliver evidence-based health promotion information and interventions, backed
up by appropriate policies and partnerships. Its potential to be replicated by
other sports is currently being explored by a working group involving the FAI,
IRFU, and Athletics Ireland.
Similar work is being undertaken across European sports
associations, and for the past three years the GAA has contributed its
learnings to the EU-wide Sports Clubs for Health project. This culminated with
the GAA’s Community & Health manager, Colin Regan, presenting on the
Healthy Club project to a sub-committee of the EU Parliament in Brussels in
April.
The Healthy Clubs project is being independently evaluated by
a team from Waterford IT’s Centre for Health Behaviour Research. While the
final report into Phase 2 won’t be available until December, the research team
have already noted significant successes (see editor’s notes for examples of
successful interventions).
Aogán Ó Fearghail, An Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael said,
“The 58 Healthy Clubs recognised today have gone above and beyond what is
normally expected of a sports club. Health and wellbeing is core to what the
GAA is all about and these clubs help bring that to life. I’d like to thank our
partners, Healthy Ireland, the HSE, National Office for Suicide Prevention, the
Public Health Agency, and Irish Life, for helping to make the Healthy Club
project the success it is. We look forward to growing it from strength to
strength.”
Recognising the achievements of the clubs in Croke Park at
the Healthy Club Recognition Event is Catherine Byrne, Minister
of State for Health Promotion and the National Drugs Strategy, Department of Health (ROI). She
said, "Today is all about recognition for the clubs and the volunteers
who make this happen at club level. I would like to congratulate all of the
clubs and volunteers involved and acknowledge the contribution that they are
all making to bring the vision for Healthy Ireland to life: where everyone can
enjoy physical and mental health and wellbeing to their full potential"
David Harney, CEO, Irish Life said, “Irish Life are delighted
to work with the GAA on the Healthy Club initiative. The GAA, reaches into
every community on the island of Ireland, and has a significant role to play in
the health of the nation through its promotion of Gaelic Games. The
association’s Healthy Club initiative brings a new dimension to this work. It
enables people to access health in an exciting new way. We believe this work
has the potential to improve the future health of communities across the
country.”
There are numerous benefits to clubs that take part in the
GAA HCP including exclusive access to Healthy Club resources and support. The
independent evaluation by Waterford IT’s Centre for Health Behaviour Research
of Phase 1 of the HCP revealed its potential to increase membership,
improvements in health promoting activities, better opportunity to link the
local community with club activities and opening up new funding avenues all the
while enhancing the health of the nation and ensuring a healthier future for
everyone.
The GAA hope to extend the project to 150 clubs in Phase 3
(with expressions of interest to open in early 2018) before opening the project
to all interested clubs in 2020. There are 1,600 clubs in Ireland and over 400
abroad.
For more information, visit: www.gaa.ie/community
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