Creating a supportive environment for health and learning

The proportion of children and young people with mental illness and disorders is increasing both in Sweden and in China. There is also, in both countries, an increase in lifestyle-related diseases such as overweight and obesity, even among adolescence. These risk factors affect both the motivation to maintain a healthy lifestyle as well as the ability to acquire knowledge. School failure often leads to difficulties later in life and can obstruct the entry into the labour market. In turn, social exclusion contributes to poor health, which can lead to entrapment in social and economic hardship for the individual – a negative spiral is created.

The overall project objective will be, based on this background, to create a safe school environment that promotes health and learning for students aged 13-16 years in Borlänge and Wuhan.

This project will during the stated time period lead to a higher self-rated health, improved lifestyles in terms of diet, physical movement and sleep, an increased sense of ownership of the students’ own learning processes and increased achievement/merit points for the students at the chosen project schools in Wuhan and Borlänge.