Organisations awarded Health Quality Mark
Twelve organisations dedicated to quality youth health promotion are being honoured today (January 28th) with a Health Quality Mark award by Minister Séan Haughey at the Clock Tower, Department of Education and Science.
The Health Quality Mark (HQ Mark) is an innovative initiative from the National Youth Health Programme (NYHP) part of the National Youth Council of Ireland, which acknowledges youth organisations that have achieved a high standard of quality in promoting health across their organisation including young people, staff and volunteers.
Lynn Swinburne, Health Promotion Coordinator of the NYHP stated: “The Health Quality Mark is by no means an easy undertaking. These organisations have committed to quality in youth health promotion through their health promotion team and met a set of specific criteria to achieve a certain standard of quality. The criteria are based on best practice in health promotion at a regional, national and international level and most of the criteria have been have been drawn from the World Health Organisation (WHO) criteria that were developed for the Health Promoting Schools Initiative and adapted by the NYHP.”
In addition, a report “Evaluation of the Health Quality Mark Summary” will be unveiled at the event. Last year the NYHP collaborated with the Health Promotion Research Centre at NUI Galway to evaluate the HQ Mark. “It is very important to us that we ensure that our work is evidence based, makes a difference in terms of youth organisations and adheres to the principles of health promotion. The launch of this evaluation ensures that the NYHP will continue to ensure its work is effective, innovative and provides leadership in terms of health promotion,” concluded Ms. Swinburne.
The recipients of the Health Quality Mark include:
Gold Award - 18 criteria achieved
Silver Award - 12 criteria achieved
Bronze Award - 6 criteria achieved
Plaques
Gold - Stoneybatter Community Training Centre
Gold - Blanchardstown Youthreach
Gold - Ógra Chorcaí Limited.
Bronze - Swan Youth Service
Bronze - North Connaught Youth and Community Services
Bronze - Carlow Youth Training
Bronze – HSE Community Games
Bronze – Midlands Regional Youth Service
Bronze – St. Vincent’s Trust
Re-monitoring (carried out every 3 years to review the organisation)
Gold - KDYS Tralee
Gold - KDYS Killarney
Gold - KDYS Listowel
