About the Young Health Programme
The Young Health Programme focuses on:
Addressing NCD risk behaviours:
such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. These can lead to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart and respiratory disease and are particularly hard to change if started when young.
Providing support to young people:
this includes a wide variety of on-the-ground education and mentoring programmes, online resources, and materials and courses for schools and clubs. We also support the development of Health Information Centres and other youth-friendly ways of improving access.
Putting adolescent health on the healthcare agenda:
supporting research into behaviour change in adolescence and filling some of the many gaps in the data. We aim to ensure that this and other evidence is brought to the attention of policy-makers to get their support for widespread action.
Providing youth with a voice:
ensuring that young people are at the core of everything the YHP does and that they have a powerful voice in identifying their health needs, as well as planning and delivering the solutions.
Not about us, without us
Generating valuable research and evidence
A credible and relevant evidence base is essential if adolescent health and NCD prevention are to be prioritised and adolescent services improved.
We aim to address the shortage of data, research and analysis on the health and behaviour of the world’s 1.6 billion young people aged between 12 and 24. Information has been particularly poor on the prevalence of NCD risk behaviours among young people in low- and middle-income countries.
Advocates of positive change locally and globally
Adolescents are an under-recognised but vitally important part of the global healthcare agenda.
Globally we champion addressing adolescent health, and the inclusion of NCD prevention, in global policies and programmes through public and political health fora. Locally, we work to promote young people's participation in policy making and to improve their access to healthcare services.
Our work supports Sustainable Development Goal 3.4 ‘by 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.’
Delivering on-the-ground programmes
We support a wide-range of partners and projects around the world aimed at improving the health of young people, and especially helping them to avoid NCD risk behaviours such as tobacco use, alcohol abuse, unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. We also often address Sexual Reproductive Health and the emotional issues - which can be closely related to these behaviours.
Our programmes are each tailored to local circumstances and are especially directed at disease prevention and health promotion amongst marginalised populations.
