HPB introduces measures to boost capability of Health Ambassadors

SINGAPORE: The Health Promotion Board (HPB) has announced a slew of measures to raise the capability of its pool of Health Ambassadors.

The ambassadors are volunteer advocates for healthy living.

To help them promote their cause, the HPB on Saturday announced a new grant to help the ambassadors initiate health promotion initiatives.

Each project must have a minimum duration of three months to be funded a maximum of S$500 per year.

To qualify, each project team should have at least two Health Ambassadors. The Health Ambassadors in each project team must have completed the Health Ambassador foundation training and passed the final assessment as well as have been deployed for at least one HPB event.

Health Ambassadors who serve as team leaders will also get the opportunity to attend a fully funded leadership course, starting January 2013.

The course will cover areas such as group facilitation, decision making and how to plan a programme for a community.

Selected Health Ambassadors, who are keen on a career in health promotion, can also look forward to a Specialist Diploma in Health Promotion offered by Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP).

The part—time 300—hour course will be conducted in two semesters over a 12 month period. Upon graduation, the Health Ambassadors will be tasked to spearhead future volunteer—initiated projects.

The HPB has also signed an agreement with NYP to co—develop a General Studies Module in Health Promotion, that will be open to all 15,000 NYP students.

An accelerated module will allow up to 3,000 more students to learn health promotion skills and encourage them to become Health Ambassadors as part of their polytechnic curriculum.

Seven hundred new Health Ambassadors graduated on Saturday at the annual Health Ambassador’s graduation a ceremony at NYP.

The HPB aims to have 10,000 Health Ambassadors by 2015.

— CNA/ck