Fruit and Vegetables are good for your health- yes we have heard it before. This is very true but practicing what we know can sometimes be very hard. For some help the Food & Health project is available for some hands on experience with their Healthy Food Made Easy courses for parents and the Cool Dude courses for children. Great fun packed courses for all participants. Here are just a few ideas

Chop fruit into bite sized pieces

      Cut raw carrot into sticks

      Soup is a great easy way to get more vegetables in

For further details on any courses contact Karen Scarnicchio Food & Health project coordinator at Ph: 090 64 16121.

Background:

The ‘Healthy Ireland Pre-schools’ (HIP) project is an ongoing child care intervention in the midlands which aims to evaluate pre-schools’ progress through an incentive scheme to improve pre-school nutrition practices in full day care (FDC) pre-schools.  These provide care for children aged 3 months to 5 years for greater than 5 hours per day. 

The project aims to encourage full day care pre-schools to follow best practice in accordance with particular guidelines given to them, over the course of a year, with the help and support of health worker (HIP Supporter) who is trained to facilitate the pre-school in the award process

Full day care pre-schools have been enrolled in the project since 2008 and in 2012-2013 have been revisited to ascertain their progress in relation to the HIP project guidelines.

It is now proposed to assess the data collected from pre-schools in the last number of years to determine pre-schools’ progress in relation to the evidence based criteria of the HIP project.

The HIP project research assistant:

The researcher will carry out the following tasks:

• Write up, submit for publication and have published an article in a pre-agreed journal such as Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition or equivalent with minimum impact factor of 1.972.
• Analyse data available from two most recent HIP audits using SPSS statistical database.
• Compare outcomes and maintenance of standards through the HIP project phases.
• Draft article, circulate for comments and submit for publication.
• Amend as necessary depending on referees comments and suggestions until journal is accepted for publication.
• Make final adjustments depending on referees and editor comments and submit for publication.

The researcher will liaise with WCDL and the Community Nutrition & Dietetic service on a regular basis with regards to progress with the project.

Personal requirements:

Essential

• Degree in Human Nutrition & Dietetics form DIT/TCD or equivalent.
• Access to statistical package SPSS.
• Experience in use of SPSS package.
• Experience in research in dietetics for young people.
• Experience in writing academic articles.
• Registered as self employed ( evidence required)
• Professional indemnity insurance (evidence required)      

Enquiries to: Charlotte Johnston, Senior Community Dietitian, Phone: 04493 95518, charlotte.johnston@hse.ie

Duration: from commencement to publication of journal article 

Starting date:  September 2014 

Application: Tenders to be submitted to Frank Murtagh, Assistant CEO, WCDL, C/O ACT, Ball Alley Lane, Athlone, Co. Westmeath

Closing Date for tender submission: Friday August 1^st 2014

2014-HIP.article.tender.project.proposal.doc

The WCD Food and Health Project, funded by the HSE, provide nutrition education courses targeted at groups in the community that are cooking on a budget.

The programme delivers 4 different courses, delivered by tutor, for adults and young people in their own community. The programme is delivered in Longford and Westmeath.

During 2013

1. 329 people completed 29 Healthy Food Made Easy courses.

2. 108 people completed 9 Heart Health courses.

3. 108 people completed 10 Able 2 Cook 4 Health courses.

4. 77 children completed 8 Cool Dude courses. 

If you want to know more about the project please contact the Food and Health Coordinator, Karen Scarnicchio on 09064 93906 or email: kscarnicchio@westcd.ie

The Food and Health Project is a joint initiative between Westmeath Community Development andHSE Dublin Midlands Area.

Healthy Food Made The project is a peer led nutrition education programme. It is aimed at community groups especially where cost is a major consideration. The emphasis is on group work that is practical and fun and is run over 6 sessions each lasting 2-2.5 hours.

The project is based in Athlone with courses being available to groups throughout Longford and Westmeath.

All programs are aimed at people who are living on a tight budget.If you want any more information or your group wants to apply to undertake a course; we’d love to hear from you – For Westmeath and Longford contact Karen: Ph: 090 64 16121 Email: kscarrnicchio@westcd.ie