Community groups and schools

Would you like to help people in your community lead a healthier lifestyle? 

There are lots of ways for your organisation to get involved, from hosting a cookery lesson or stop smoking course to distributing chlamydia test kits or condoms.

We've provided more information about the opportunities available in the following chapters.

Become a C-Card distribution point and encourage young people to use condoms consistently and correctly.

The Your C-Card scheme is a confidential service, helping young people aged 13 to 24 to access free condoms in their local area quickly, easily and without embarrassment.

A young person who wants to join the Your C-Card scheme will undergo a short private consultation with a practitioner. This will include a condom demonstration and an explanation of how the scheme works.

Once a young person has registered and received a C-Card, they can go to any C-Card point and receive a supply of condoms on presentation of their card, no questions asked.

Many agencies and services are involved, including:

• The integrated contraception and sexual health (iCaSH) service
• Youth support service
• Schools and colleges
• Youth charities
• GP practices
• Pharmacies 

If your organisation would like to discuss becoming become a C-Card registration or condom issue point, call 01603 226666 or email norfolksexualhealth@tht.org.uk.

If your organisation has regular contact with young people aged 15 to 24, you might like to consider becoming a chlamydia test kit distribution point.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection for both men and women in the UK, so it's important to encourage people to get checked.

The kits are available to all young people aged 15 to 24 in Norfolk. They take the kits home to do the test and post off their urine samples themselves, so all you need to do is put the tests somewhere they can be easily picked up.

If your organisation would like to become a distribution point, call 01603 226666 or email norfolksexualhealth@tht.org.uk

Schools throughout Norfolk are encouraged to become recognised Healthy Schools, as they play a key role in supporting the health and wellbeing of children and young people. 

This means they'll be supported to make their school as healthy as possible, engaging not just the children and teachers, but also parents and governors.

It encourages things like healthy food policies and promotes the incorporation of healthy lifestyle messages into the school curriculum. 

The process is needs-led and can support the school development plan in striving for continual improvement.

A Healthy School promotes physical and emotional health by:

• Providing accessible and relevant information
• Supporting pupils and staff to develop the understanding, skills and attitudes to make informed decisions about their health
• Creating a health promoting environment where pupils and staff are encouraged and enabled to make healthy choices

The Healthy Schools Team is on hand to provide practical support to schools in the Norfolk area. For more information call 01603 221810.

Help members of your community to go smoke free.

Smokefree Norfolk and the Great Yarmouth Stop Smoking Service offer specialist advice and support to smokers from across Norfolk who want to quit. Every year they help thousands of people to give up smoking successfully.

Specialist advisors work with smokers who are ready to stop, finding what works best for them. This might be intensive support, group sessions, one-to-one appointments, drop-in sessions or workplace advice and support.

The advisors are also available to work with ‘priority groups’ including:

• Patients in hospital and those who are about to undergo surgery
• Pregnant women and young mothers
• Smokers at risk (patients who have diabetes, heart disease, lung problems or orthopaedic conditions, or have had a stroke)
• Mental health patients
• Routine and manual workers

If you'd like to discuss hosting stop smoking sessions at your organisation, email smokefreenorfolk@nchc.nhs.uk.

Our cookery courses are designed to help people increase their confidence in the kitchen and to produce day-to-day, budget friendly and healthy, home-cooked meals from scratch.

The Think Food programme is free and available for Norfolk residents over the age of 19, regardless of experience. During the course, attendees will learn basic skills including food preparation, cooking methods and hints and tips throughout.

Groups are kept small to ensure a positive and supportive environment in which to learn. All food and equipment will be provided, and everyone gets to take their food away after each session.

Sessions are delivered by our friendly and knowledgeable tutors and generally run over four-weekly, two-hour sessions throughout the County. We offer a wide range of courses such as cooking on a budget to how to use a slow cooker.

If you're interested in attending a course visit Adult Learning Course List (norfolk.gov.uk) to find out what is currently available and to enrol.

If you would like any additional information email al.community@norfolk.gov.uk.

If you are an organisation and would like to work in partnership with us then please send your enquiry to the Business Development Team al.bdt@norfolk.gov.uk.