Bodyimage Wellbeing In Schools Education
Six Strand BWISE Approach
1. Student/peer support (‘Body Image Leaders’ youth peer education programme)
2. Staff training/support
3. Parent education/support
4. Curriculum input
5. Policy development
6. Developing and strengthening community network
Strands
- 1. Student/peer support
(Body Image Leaders youth peer-education programme)
Training and support programme for students interested in becoming peer educators. The goals involved in being a peer educator are to examine and transform their own body dissatisfaction and unhealthy weight management through education and reflection, and role-model critical thinking to their peers regarding the conflicting messages they receive about their bodies and appetites. Peer educators have opportunities to provide education to other students through the production of information resources (‘Real Gorgeous’ ‘zines) and through presentations/workshops in class and assemblies. Peer educators act as critical observers of their environments and provide feedback on any changes that they would like to see within their school that would potentially promote body satisfaction.
Huon et al, 1996 suggest that the goal of school prevention programmes “ought to be to facilitate the skill development of young people to respond positively to the challenges of their environment, including but not exclusively those that persuade young women [and men] to alter their body by dieting. By acquiring competencies for critically appraising all aspects of the diet culture, they could be encouraged to recognize that a competence-enhancing environment offers choices or options about whether to diet or not”. Other researchers suggest that interventions aimed at reducing dieting among young people and therefore potentially, eating disorders, recommend the inclusion of techniques used in substance abuse programs such as the use of peer-group leaders in discussion groups as well as interventions at the community and family levels (Shisslack et al, 1987).
EDEN currently offers 8-10 students within each contracted school the opportunity to train as peer educators. This training currently involves attendance at 2 full-day workshops (off site). Students receive a resource book at the first workshop. Following attendance at these workshops EDEN maintains fortnightly meeting contact with peer educators (at the school), and is available at other times through telephone and email contact.
EDEN’s expectation of the school is that there is a school coordinator appointed to liaise with EDEN and to act as a referral person where peer educators can suggest students go for ‘help’ with more serious issues. The school is also expected to facilitate the selection process for students and gain parental consent for these students to be trained as peer educators.
The potential to develop on-going ‘discussion’ groups for any interested students to access information and support around issues of food, weight, body image and un/healthy weight management. Aims of the groups defined by students but to include: changing environmental conditions that contribute to unhealthy weight management, finding ways to communicate and obtain support from parents, using group support to build self-esteem and assertiveness, address problems with food, exercise, body image and unhealthy weight management, help a friend with an eating issue, gain information about eating disorders and treatment resources in the community, address obstacles to healing and recovery such as secrecy, isolation, shame etc.
- 2. Staff training/support
Opportunities to attend training, workshop and presentations for staff (including school counsellors, nurses and subject teachers. The following topics dealt with in depth 1) understanding where we are at personally in relation to eating and body image issues and what biases we may hold 2) exploring the values we role model 3) increasing knowledge and awareness of eating and body image issues eg: developing awareness of the health risks associated with unhealthy weight management practices and procedures for dealing with eating difficulties and unhealthy weight management in students 4) developing strategies for implementing whole school approaches 5) developing awareness of the impact of negative comments/pressure about weight and body size on self worth and self esteem (ie. sports coaches) 5) ensuring confidential, safe and knowledgeable counselling and pastoral staff.
- 3. Parent education/support
Parent information evenings and ongoing specialist community agency (EDEN) support in order to 1) allow parents to discuss the body image concerns affecting them and their children 2) educate parents about the influence of their attitudes to their own and their children’s bodies 3) equip parents with practical ideas on how to deal with body image issues and eating behaviours in their children 4) involve parents in policy and curriculum development 5) explore the establishment of a drop-in service for parents in the school 6) examine the use of resources in the school eg. newsletters, websites etc to enhance parent support/education 7) involve parents in positive body image activities in the school e.g. wearable art shows and sports days focused on enjoyment
- 4. Curriculum input
Emphasis on integrating body image issues into a range of subjects so that a consistent message on body image is conveyed. For example: 1) in health and physical education, offer a range of activities so that students of all shapes and sizes and skill levels can experience their bodies in a positive manner and therefore enjoy sustainable and pleasurable physical activity 2) in history and art investigate different ideals of beauty 3) in English address issues that are important to children (e.g. trust, friendship and belonging) through novels, plays and poetry 4) highlight heroes and heroines and other successful characters that do not necessarily fit into current beauty/body ideals. 5) deconstruct media images and advertising messages in Media Studies. 6) connect eating and body image concerns and unhealthy weight management with other important health issues, e.g. smoking, alcohol and drug use, safe sex practice 7) in art create and display positive artistic representations that expand the definition of beauty to include themselves and members or their own communities 8) use a wide variety of teaching methods to facilitate experiential learning. Include material that supports the development of self-esteem, e.g. assertion, harassment identification, boundary setting.
- 5. Policy development
1) Ensure that physical appearance is included in anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies (being teased is a powerful predictor of body dissatisfaction and subsequent unhealthy weight management practice among teenagers) 2) assess and develop pathways to address student eating issues, including development of confidentiality and privacy codes 3) encourage students and teachers to design their own classroom agreements, to include for example respect for diversity and challenging of stereotypes 4) review food policy within the school, what foods are available and how are they promoted? 5) develop systems to assess ‘Body Friendliness’ of the school e.g. levels of unhealthy weight management, incidents of disclosure and promotion of ‘healthy lifestyles’ vs weight loss 6) develop systems to assess the efficacy of a whole school approach to body image health and healthy lifestyles.
- 6. Developing and strengthening community networks
1) Provide information about support services and resources available to parents, teachers and students around eating difficulties e.g. G.P. support, counsellors working in the field of disordered eating, Eating Difficulties Education Network (EDEN), Eating Disorder Service, North Shore Women’s Centre, Kari Centre 2) establish clear procedures for accessing support and referral 3) form alliances with specialist support agencies within the community 4) celebrate special events with the wider community e.g. Love your Body Day, Diet Free Day.
