RSE:Making it a Reality Report published

The HAZ Report RSE: Making it a Reality was published at a seminar in Belfast Castle on Wednesday 27 February 2008. Speakers at the seminar included Minister for Education, Caitriona Ruane; William McKee, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust; and David Cargo, Belfast Education and Library Board. Report findings and recommendation were presented by Margery Magee, Magee Consulting and Joanna Gregg, Chairperson Education Sub-group, HAZ Sexual Health Project Board.

The Report, found some improvements in the policy and delivery of RSE in schools in North and West Belfast, but recommended that RSE policy in schools should be mandatory if significant change is to be achieved. Recommendations were also made relating to teacher training, school inspections and keeping RSE on the political agenda. Gaps in provision relating to Disability, LGBT and BME groups were also highlighted. Copies of the full report and summary can be downloaded.

The Health Action Zone hosted a conference at the beginning of 2007 entitled “Pursing Equity and Health – The Golden Threads”.The key purpose was to enable the Health Action Zone Council to consider a change agenda for the
future and how the debate should be broadened and moved forward.

There was a consistent call for a Belfast-wide agenda and a means to bring together key players that can work together to address the issues of inequality and health. There was a clear agreement that any proposal to expand the Health Action Zone model to include the whole of Belfast would be subject to consultation with a wide range of stakeholders across Belfast.
The Health Action Zone Council considered the findings of the conference and committed themselves to developing a programme for change within the next phase of HAZ development. Full conference report available here..