Ireland’s Active School Flag featured in ISPAH Community of Practice Hub

Whole-of-school physical activity initiatives have been identified by the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH) as one of the eight investments that work for physical activity. However, research shows that they can be challenging to design and to implement, particularly at scale.

Ireland’s Active School Flag (ASF) programme is a whole-of-school physical activity initiative which has been in place since 2010. The aim of the initiative is to get more schools, more active, more often. Since inception, over 2,200 flags have been awarded to Irish primary schools meeting certification standards. Once awarded, the flag remains valid for three years, after which time schools are invited to renew their ASF status. The evolution of the process is detailed in the research paper Ten Years Flying the Active School Flag.

Continued government support from the Department of Education and the Department of Health, and the inclusion of ASF as a key action within Ireland’s National Physical Activity Plan, attest to the value placed on the initiative at national level. A strong evidence base also supports the effectiveness and acceptability of ASF as a sustainable program for Irish schools. Recently ASF was featured in ISPAH 8 Investments Community Hub, a community of practice where individuals and organisations can share experiences of creating and designing, implementing, and evaluating, physical activity promotion initiatives related to the 8 investments in the real-world. Click Here to read the full story.