Why do we do it?
Every day children are faced with important issues around their health and well-being. The decisions we make as children can dramatically affect how we live our lives in the future – and this is why Life Education exists. Through education we help students to understand how decisions they make today can affect their future health and well-being. We empower children to make their own decisions based on the information they have and the skills they have been taught.
Growing up isn't easy with substance use, mental health and well-being and bullying to deal with:
6 out of 10 children
...are so concerned with the way they look they participate less in daily life
Behaviour Research and Therapy 74, 2015
1 out of 9 children
aged 2 to 14 are obese
The effects of being overweight include low self-esteem, bullying, eating disorders, chronic ill health and even suicide (Annual Update of Key Results 2015/2016 NZ Health Survey).
Approximately 11% of New Zealand high school students
use substances at levels that are likely to cause them significant harm and may cause long-term problems
The Youth ’12 National Health and Wellbeing Survey
New Zealand has the worst teen suicide rate
in the developed world
UNICEF Innocenti Report Card 14: Children in the Developed World
School bullying rates in
New Zealand
are among the worst worldwide
Bullying in New Zealand Schools: A final report, Victoria University, 2013
"The topics are relevant to the children and enhance our health programme considerably. The topics change with new research and information and also current thinking.The fact that the teachers are able to choose from the list of topics helps them to find ones that are particularly helpful for their class.
The teachers are always full of energy and of a high calibre which contributes to the success of the programme. The Life Education truck visits are an important part of our school Health programme and the unique way in which topics are presented, compliments and supports our Health programme.
Many of our children have been helped by these visits and for some, it gets them talking about issues that may otherwise be unnoticed. I endorse Life Education as a quality programme for our students and would definitely recommend this service to other schools if they are not already involved."
Rodney Montford - Principal Glen Massey School
Our Specialist Educators visit schools with their mobile classrooms and our loveable mascot Harold the giraffe to deliver age-appropriate lessons that empower children to make safer and healthier choices – now and in the future.
Life Education helps children
- develop life skills relating to their health and wellbeing
- understand how to make healthy choices
- gain knowledge about health and their bodies
- develop self esteem and a positive understanding of themselves
- develop strategies for relating to others
We offer schools and students
Experienced, registered teachers
who have undergone additional training for this specialist role
Parent meetings to engage with wider school community
and support health initiatives
Up to date, unique and engaging learning environment
in our mobile classroom
Flexible resource
that supports teachers in delivering the health curriculum to their children
Motivating and engaging program
tailored to the individual needs of the school and children
Community based resource
That reflects the needs of your community
The Life Education Program
is an annual program; each year builds on what was taught the year before
is provided by a non-profit charitable trust which does not receive any Government funding
costs approximately $19.00 per child to deliver and the trust raises $14.00 per child of this
teaches children to make wise choices taking care of themselves, each other and our community
We support teachers with comprehensive up-to-date resources
Enabling them to provide education in the classroom before and after our visit
