Friends of Alyn Family Doctors
“This partnership led initiative provides a unique opportunity to show how a local charity dedicated to health improvement and support can have a positive input into the future health of a local community. We and the General practitioners of Alyn Family Doctors feel certain that by helping our young people to understand health issues this project can bring positive benefits to our communities. The response from both the teaching staff and the pupils at Darland has been tremendous and a credit to all involved.” — Phil James, Secretary of the Friends of Alyn Family Doctors
The Friends of Alyn Family Doctors have been specifically established for the administration of money gifted to the Alyn Family Doctors; they are keen to extend that role to include specific fundraising schemes aimed at supporting health care projects in the target communities.
Alongside other local organisations, The Friends of Alyn Family Doctors had formed a unique project, called the ‘Darland Peer Education Project’, to educate children between the ages of 14 to 16 on health care and lifestyle issues. The project's agenda is to spread awareness to the groups of young people that will work to improve the community's long-term health interests. Professional speakers talk to groups of young people on issues such as alcohol, drugs, sexual health, bullying, nutrition, smoking, emotional health, and exercise. After completing two weeks of training, the young people attend an activity weekend where they develop lesson plans that can be delivered to other pupils, passing on the health messages for the benefit of all.
The Friends of Alyn Family Doctors developed this project with the belief that by allowing young people to make their own decisions on various health issues, they would be well placed to help their friends.
Through thorough evaluation, the project report shows that the youngsters, tutors, professional speakers and the project co-ordinator exceeded their own expectations of the outcomes. The young people, in particular, have dramatically improved and developed their knowledge on a number of health care issues and are excited at the prospect of delivering these messages to their peers. They are particularly looking forward to meeting younger children below the age of 11 and are considering putting their messages across in a role-play setting.
At the end of the project, the Friends held an awards evening, which recognised the young peoples' hard work and achievements. As a consequence to the success of the Darland Project, the Welsh Assembly has adopted the project to help and improve the health of the population of Wales.
Created 18th December 2012
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