Public health and prevention

The goal of Gardabaer's public health and prevention policy is to promote the well-being and prosperity of all residents through health-promoting measures.

The Public Health and Prevention Policy emphasizes cooperation between households, schools, sports clubs and other stakeholders to achieve success. The policy is based on collaboration between different sectors and takes into account: the United Nations' global goals and The Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The strategy is based on 6 main focuses:

• Enlightened society: Decisions are based on the best available information and research. Emphasis is placed on educating residents about their well-being, diversity, and equality.
• Safe community: Work is being done systematically on cyber security, traffic safety, and prevention of violence and discrimination to ensure the safety of residents. The ability of residents to organize, such as neighborhood watch, is being strengthened to increase safety in neighborhoods.
• Strong community: Participation in organized sports, leisure and cultural activities is encouraged for all age groups. We want to mobilize parents, families, residents, associations, institutions and businesses to collaborate and build social capital.
• Inspiring community: A variety of leisure activities are offered, including vocational schools for young people and support for sports clubs to encourage all residents to be active.
• Responsible society: Emphasis is placed on environmental protection, recycling, and preventing risky behavior and drug use among children and young people.
• Health-promoting community: Public health is the foundation of the town's decision-making. Improved mental and physical health is promoted through good access to outdoor recreation areas, paths, and sports facilities for all.

The Garðabær Sports and Leisure Implementation Plan is intended to strengthen the foundation and shape the future vision of the sector in Garðabær. The emphasis is on ensuring that residents have a diverse choice in sports, youth and leisure activities and that the facilities for this are good.

The plan takes into account the town's Public Health and Prevention Policy, especially chapters 3, 4 and 6. The plan is divided into 4 main categories.

Sports and félagsstarf for children and youth

All children and young people should be given equal opportunities to engage in regular and structured work under the guidance of qualified coaches and mentors.

• Accessibility and availability: Safe facilities and a diverse offering at all school levels should be ensured in collaboration with associations. Participants receive support in the form of incentive money and will offer seat tours with recreational vehicle between places.
• Collaboration: Collaboration between schools, after-school centers and non-profit organizations should be strengthened. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that the youngest children's work takes place within or in connection with the school day and that practices for children under 12 years of age are completed by 6:00 PM.

Public sports

The goal is to give residents the opportunity to engage in comprehensive health exercises and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

• Accessibility: Information about running routes, walking routes, bicycle routes and access to sports facilities should always be accessible. Illuminated bicycle paths should be installed in the street network.
• Facilities and availability: Public parks and open areas should have organized playgrounds. Support should be given to public sports clubs, groups that rent time, the development of golf courses, and senior citizens' associations.

Competitive sports

The goal is for sports teams and athletes to be able to practice their sport at a high level of achievement and at the same time create positive role models.

• Support: Athletes should be supported for further achievements, including from an achievement fund, and travel grants should be provided for national team trips abroad.
• Training and facilities: Further education of coaches should be promoted and the most qualified coaches should be selected for the job. Facilities for competition and training should be comparable to the best available.

Youth and leisure activities

The goal is to offer diverse work that enhances the social skills, communication, and social capital of all residents.

• Work and facilities: Collaboration between schools, community centers, sports clubs, and youth organizations should be strengthened and the town's housing should be utilized to the best of its ability. Professional work should be part of the curriculum, and care should be taken to hire sociologists and leisure specialists.
• Diversity: Operate centers for all age groups, including youth centers for 16 to 25 year olds andcommunity centers for senior citizensThere should also always be organized summer activities for children and teenagers, for example through the vocational school.

The goal of the prevention campaign Let's Be Smart is to reach children and young people with positive and constructive messages, but also to parents and others who play an important role in prevention work. Let's be smart about what is crucial for the well-being of children and young people.

Spending time with family is one of the most important things when it comes to the well-being of children and young people. Research shows that the following factors have a positive and protective effect on children and young people and reduce the likelihood of risky behavior, depression, anxiety and other distress.

• Strong parental collaboration
• Care and warmth
• Participation in organized work
• Parents know who and where young people are with in the evenings and on weekends
• Get to know your children's friends and their friends' parents
• Setting clear rules about things in the children's daily lives. What can and cannot be done, both at home and outside the home
• Respect outdoor time
• Do not allow parentless parties
• Time spent with parents, such as:
• • Play together
  • Watch a movie
  • Cooking and/or baking together
  • Eat together
  • Participate together in necessary projects

We therefore encourage parents to join hands, uphold protective factors and respect age restrictions. Town festivals and Culture Night are not intended for unsupervised children and teenagers.

The Let's Be Smart initiative is about being smart and showing each other respect, empathy, and support.