The intent of UIHLP is to improve the health and well-being of the urban aboriginal people, before they develop health issues, such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The program is community based and should not only be available during the day but evenings and weekends. In other words, the program is strategically delivered when the target group is available to attend.
The components UIHLP provides are nutrition, sports activities, physical fitness, recreation activities, smoking cessation, and youth leadership activities
Program Goal
The UIHL Program is designed to increase participation in sport, physical fitness, and to provide nutrition supports for healthy living amongst aboriginal people.
Program Objectives
- to achieve the following health outcomes
- Increase healthy eating habits and increase knowledge of nutrition, healthy eating practices, traditional diets/activities, and healthy weight management
- Increase physical activity levels of community members through participation in organized sports, fitness, and recreational activities.
- Increase and promote healthy lifestyle choices including reduced use of commercial tobacco.
- Increase number of youth who are engaged and participating in leadership programming and positive community activities.
Program Outcomes
UIHLP is expected to provide six mandatory program components in order to achieve the program objectives. UIHLP is expected to deliver a scheduled program of each component over their three month program plan. UIHLP will plan and deliver programs when the target group will be best served. UIHLP will develop positive working relationships with other health promotion agencies. UIHLP will maintain participant files and document data in order to report accurate participant numbers on their reports.
Target Population
The UIHLP target group is the urban aboriginal community. UIHLP delivers services to any aboriginal person in the community which it serves. (Men, women, children, elders, etc).
In addition, UIHLP strives to improve workplace health. Therefore, the worker must provide programs for staff (lunch and learns, walking challenges, healthy eating). Program for staff, once a week, typically provided over lunch and an additional 30-45 minutes. (This would require the Executive Directors approval).
Services Offered
- nutrition programs (community dinners,
- nutrition bags,
- lunch and learns,
- nutrition bingos)
- sports programs (co-ed volleyball, youth soccer league, co-ed broomball, softball),
- fitness activities (plyo-metrics with youth, strength training, leading warmups for sports, fitness programs at the fitness centre),
- recreation activities (running, walking, ball sports),
- Youth leadership activities (having youth lead group activities).
