The Project

The data from the European Health Literacy Survey published in 2013,

show that nearly half the Europeans surveyed have inadequate or problematic health literacy. Weak health literacy skills are associated with riskier behaviour, poorer health, less self-management and more hospitalization and costs. Strengthening health literacy has been shown to build individual and community resilience, help address health inequities and improve health and well-being.

About 350 million working days are lost in the E.U. each year,

with stress and depression recognized as a major cause of sickness. The European working-age population is expected to shrink between 2020 and 2060 by 13,6 % and the number of workers older than 65 will increase. Consequently, health literacy is a key issue in our society in order to enable every member to be an active citizen as long as possible and contribute.

The knowledge, skills and aptitudes of workers are a major factor in the companies’ innovation, productivity and competitiveness. Social and civic competences, among which health literacy, are part of them and play a major role in workers’ integration in the labour market : indeed, the competence is based on an attitude of collaboration, assertiveness and integrity which are valuable for companies.

We mean to address professionals and unemployed people (more particularly adults) to have the appropriate behaviour and reactions as far as health related to professional inclusion is concerned. Our aim is to provide keys to our target group so that they get the best chance to have a satisfactory and fulfilling professional life.

We are aiming at :

helping our target group

to get knowledge of how to maintain good health, hygiene and nutrition for themselves and their family

consolidating the social competences

required in order to maintain/to get employment implementing learning situations/tools related to their professional activities and tasks.

reinforcing the security for the professional careers

of employees or unemployed, future professionals by providing them with tools to prevent risky situations linked to health in a professional context.

helping our target group to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills

to be able to adapt and meet the needs and expectations of employers and/or customers in a professional scope (related to health and hygiene).

preventing and reducing inequalities

many of which are due to living conditions and lifestyle factors, so that it benefits the society economically by reducing losses from illness associated with heath inequalities and problems.

giving individuals means

to monitor their health and therefore ensure social and professional inclusion.

As far as health is concerned, few digital educational tools have been created so far and trainers sometimes find difficult to tackle certain topics with their students or trainees whereas they notice that some of them would need help and support.

This project has to be carried out transnationally as we will need a global approach and this is a topic which needs to be tackled in our different countries : the various expertises of the partners will allow a cooperation between different types of organisation which should work together and will be complementary : local authorities, training centres, associations, social workers, healthcare staff, each of them bringing its insight and proposals.