Further actions

Communities That Care – promoting a positive environment

Communes and cities can do a lot for the health of their young residents. Children and adolescents who grow up in a stimulating, active, loving environment become responsible, healthy adults. Many conditions that make a tobacco- and nicotine-free life easier for children and adolescents can be directly controlled at the municipal level.

5 steps to the target

 

The Communities That Care project supports communities that take action to realise this potential with a five step change process. This brings together all the key people involved with children and adolescents and strengthens families, schools, peer groups and the home environment.  

  1. The first step is to secure political support for the developments.
  2. Then key people are networked in a project group.
  3. Those involved then develop corresponding, specific measures and objectives – depending on protective and risk factors – for the local adolescents. Factors that make it easier and more attractive for young residents to live a tobacco- and nicotine-free life in their communes and cities are particularly important for us.
  4. Once it is clear what needs to be changed, how this will be done is clarified.
  5. In the final phase, targeted measures that promote the healthy development of children and adolescents are implemented in line with the action plan.
Two young people sit laughing in the open boot of a car.

The Communities That Care process has been shown to reduce mental illness, addiction, violence and problems at school. The free guided process approaches the actual causes of youth problems in an evidence-based way. Using a survey of adolescents, we and the University of Zurich collate the relevant issues and compare them with the offerings and activities available. Whether in small, rural communes, urban agglomerations or cities.  

Communities That Care is implemented by RADIX. If you have any questions or feedback, please contact Daniela Heimgartner, heimgartner@radix.ch, +41 44 360 41 12.