Phase 1 of the Healthy Club Project (HCP) concluded with the launch by An Uachtarán CLG and the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar in November 2015 of the independent evaluation report conducted by a team from Waterford IT’s Centre for Health Behaviour Research.
The report concluded that the Healthy Club model has the potential to empower GAA clubs to become a significant positive influence on the health of their members and their communities, beyond the excellent work that they inherently do in this space. This, however, will require the on-going support of statutory health bodies north and south of the border (both the HSE and the National Office for Suicide Prevention provide a small but valuable financial support through a Service Line Agreement with the GAA). The development of meaningful, mutually beneficial, partnerships with additional private and community health-orientated entities was also identified as essential for the growth of the Healthy Clubs project so as not to over-burden GAA volunteers.
A total of 95 clubs applied to participate in Phase 2 of the HCP, which will run for 18 months from February 2016. The range of activities recorded in their expressions of interest was remarkable. Many GAA clubs across the country are driving the health of their communities in ways that remain largely hidden and unrecognised; ways that go far beyond the scope of a traditional sporting organisation. It is one aspiration of the Healthy Club project that Phase 2 will help to shine a greater light on this work and allow for the appropriate recognition for such efforts.
45 clubs, at least one from each county, were selected to participate in Phase 2, joining the 16 that concluded Phase 1. Funding the resources necessary to grow the project to this size, including the recruitment of a national coordinator, would not have been possible without the CRS investment made by Irish Life (€1m from 2015-17 initially). Phase 2 will also be independently evaluated by a team from Waterford IT.
Phase 2 commenced on Saturday, February 20, with an orientation day for all participating clubs in Croke Park. This coincides perfectly with the national roll-out of training for the new position of Club Health & Wellbeing officer. This will help to ready all units interested in becoming Healthy Clubs for Phase 3, when it is hoped to make the project available nationwide. The eventual aim is that the Healthy Clubs quality mark will become an instantly recognisable emblem signifying that each GAA club under its banner is a driver of their members’ and their community’s health: Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, Healthy Clubs.
The 2 Fermanagh clubs are – Derrygonnelly Harps and Erne Gaels Belleek.
