The Moscow statement on Health-promoting schools highlighted the importance of the add-in approach. The add-in approach to health promotion describes integrating health activities into a teacher’s curriculum obligations without taking time away from these obligations. This add-in approach differs from add-on health promotion whereby a particular activity is initiated over and above the day-to-day teaching activities of a teacher. The add-in approach provides a win-win approach to health and education and results in the mobilization of additional resources and greater sustainability.
SHE Factsheet no. 5 described the add-on and add-in approach as one of the seven key spectra describing best practices for Health-promoting schools. This add-in approach should always be considered when schools start up a new health promotion initiative. For examples of practical descriptions in the school setting of the Add-In and Add-On approach to health promotion see Bentsen et al. (2018)1.
Despite the add-in approach being easy to understand and sustainable it can be complicated in practice and requires visual and verbal support from school management.
Click here to access the Moscow statement on Health-promoting schools
Click here to access SHE Factsheet No. 5
1. Bentsen, P., Bonde, A.H., Schneller, M.B., Danielsen, D., Bruselius-Jensen, M and Aagaard-Hansen J. (2020) Danish ‘add-in’ school-based health promotion: integrating health in curriculum time, Health Promotion International, Volume 35, Issue 1, Pages e70–e77, https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/day095.