Context
Based on the fact that...
- 1 out of 5 children is affect by overweight or obesity in Europe
- European children spend only 5% of their school-time in physical activities
- Less than 10% of them meet the WHO recommendations on physical activity
- … no doubt that there is a real pandemic of physical inactivity in Europe among children.
To tackle this issue, the European Commission (DG EAC) has launched in 2015 the European Week of Sport, an initiative to promote sport and physical activities in the European Union, with also a focus on education and schools.
Summary
Based on the pilot action ALCIS 1, the ALCIS 2 project encourages children to reflect about different lifestyle choices in relation to physical activity, stress management and overall wellbeing with the aim for a long-term impact. The project combines fun-orientated exercise classes with educational material on lifestyle issues. This pedagogical tool is based on a methodology that not only provides information, but also teaches life skills such as critical thinking, goal-setting and self-analysis. This way, young people are empowered to make and implement their own lifestyle choices. The aim of ALCIS is to encourage children, their relatives and friends to live healthy and exercise regularly. A special feature of ALCIS 2 was a pilot intervention with asylum seeker children from two reception centers in Brussels.
Outcomes:
ALCIS 2 reached very successful outcomes:
- With initial expectation of 12.000-14.000 children across 9 countries, the final results were even better with approximately 20.000 school children taking part. The outcomes from the students and teachers questionnaires confirmed their involvement and their interest in physical activity and healthy lifestyle issues. 86% of the students claimed that “they are trying to be more physically active after completing the planner”
- 9 countries took part to the action, in addition, another Erasmus+ project as well as the Ministry of Health of Luxembourg decided do use the ALCIS 2 material.
- 97% of the teachers wish to receive the teaching materials for a re-run of ALCIS next year.
ALCIS2 - trailer
