Website provides guide for smokefree schools

“A smokefree school is a sign of wellbeing, not just a sign on the gate.”

You might remember your school days when sneaking behind the bike shed for a cigarette earned you membership to the in-crowd. Things have changed, and these days, kids are just as likely to be campaigning for a smokefree school, as lighting up themselves.

In January 2004, an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act required the buildings and grounds of schools to be smokefree at all times.

A number of schools took the opportunity to go beyond the requirements of the law, and also actively promoted smokefree behaviours and attitudes to students, whanau and the wider school community.

The Health Sponsorship Council’s (HSC’s) smokefree schools website – smokefreeschools.org.nz – has information, ideas and resources to help schools develop smokefree policies and programmes to suit their unique contexts. Recently, a version of the site in te reo Maori was launched – kuraauahikore.org.nz

HSC’s smokefree schools project manager, Kath Blair, says the site doesn’t shy away from those ‘tricky’ questions.

“We include information on how to respond when students or others smoke in school grounds, how to help students and staff who want to quit smoking, and address questions around smokers’ rights.”

She says considerable consultation and pretesting of the site structure and content was undertaken, including with primary and secondary school teachers, Maori teachers, Board of Trustee members and school management.

“The site was developed in line with the suggestions we received, and so far comments on the site from health providers and educators have been extremely positive.

“The new te reo version is for Boards of Trustees, principals, teachers and students working within the framework of Te Aho Matua and the Hauora curriculum guidelines of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

“These pages reflect kaupapa Maori me nga tikanga Maori.

“During their development, consultation took place with a number of Maori principals attending the Te Akatea national conference.

“The tone of te reo pages is positive, reflecting Maori values.”

Students are more likely to stay smokefree/auahi kore if:

• their teachers are smokefree.

• school rules are clear to students and consistently applied.

• they feel connected to their school and community.

• they have a sense of purpose, meaning and hope.

• they believe being smokefree is normal and socially acceptable.

• they are aware that smoking is over-represented in the media.

• they achieve well academically.

• they are involved in co-curricular activities.

• they do not have access to tobacco.

• the majority of students are smokefree

• their school communicates these protective factors to parents.

Complete the questionnaire on the homepage to find out if your school is really smokefree.

smokefreeschools.org.nz

kuraauahikore.org.nz

Note: The te reo pages of the site will be launched in early July.