South East LCDCs launch regional Tobacco Free Action Campaign
On Thursday 27th September, the Local Community Development Committees of Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford and Waterford will collectively launch a Tobacco Free Positive Message Campaign across the region. This campaign is a direct outcome of partnership working between the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), the HSE, Health and Wellbeing, Youth Reach and Youth Services from across the south east and is funded under Healthy Ireland Strand 1 funding. The regional tobacco free action sets out to increase awareness and knowledge of the benefits of being tobacco free through the provision of training and a positive message campaign with young people from across the region.
The positive message campaign provides information about how to QUIT, what support is available, how to access support www.QUIT.ie and the rewards of quitting. The overall positive message campaign includes XHale training which was provided by the Irish Cancer Society and was completed by participants and staff in youth reach and out of school settings. This training provides participants with the skills, confidence and materials they need to tackle smoking issues in their youth setting and provides a framework for facilitating a broad range of smoking prevention sessions in an engaging and empowering way with young people. In addition, young people also participated in the Irish Cancer Society Xhale media training programme. Youth organisations from across the region produced tobacco free videos which were showcased at the XHale media awards in the Helix Dublin on July 5th and will also be showcased at the regional tobacco free launch on September 27th.
The positive message campaign set out to move away from the traditional no smoking messages to messages which includes ‘you can achieve’, ‘take the first steps to a healthier life’, and ‘reach out for help’.
The development of a stencil using the message “Reach out for Help’ aims to reinforce the positive message of being tobacco free and is intended to be used across the 5 counties on the same day on key dates throughout the year. Within each county, participating partners are being invited to participate in the stencil campaign and are asked to use the stencil to display this positive message using spray paint on 27th September 2018, and annually thereafter on Ash Wednesday, World No Tobacco day on May 31st and again on 1st October.
Cllr John O’Leary, Deputy Mayor, Waterford City & County Council, welcomed this initiative, thanked all those organisations involved and congratulated all the young people who engaged with the “We Can Quit” programme.
Dr. Derval Howley (Head of Service, Health and Wellbeing South East Community Healthcare) said the Health services across the south east were delighted to be working closely with the Local Community Development Committees in Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford and youth services from across the region to promote the importance of being tobacco free.
Participating locations in each county include local civic offices, public libraries, the Waterford Greenway, public parks, primary care and HSE facilities, secondary and third level education providers, sports facilities and youth services across the region. The launch of the Positive Message campaign will take place across the South East on Thursday 27th of September at the following locations:
Carlow Town Hall, Carlow 3pm
Kilkenny The Watershed, Kilkenny 11am
Tipperary Primary Care Centre, Tipperary Town 11am
Waterford WIT Sports Arena, Carraiganore 11am
Wexford FDYS Island Road Enniscorthy 4pm
#healthyireland #tobaccofreelaunch #tobaccofree #healthycarlow #healthykilkenny #healhtytipperary #healthywaterford #healthywexford
