NCFF's Activities

In September and October of 2006, NCFF is promoting Swedish National Walk and Cycle to School Campaign/Competition. The response around the country has been great. The campaign goes between September and October for optional two weeks. This means that every school decides themselves which two weeks are most suitable for them during the campaign time. After completing the campaign each attending school sends their results on how many pupils walked or cycled during the two weeks. First prize goes to the school that managed to get most pupils walking or cycling.

NCFF has been operational since June 2004 and we are three co-workers working at the office, Johan Tranquist, (Head of Division), Camilla Bergholm, (Informant) and Charli Ericsson, (Superintendent and Professor in Public Health). NCFF also has a Board of Directors and a Scientific Council consisting of nine members.

Some of the activities that NCFF has been organizing are for instance:

• National and regional conferences providing schools with useful practical methods that they can implement in their own school’s efforts to increase physical activity. (Walking School buses).
• Arranging different challenges for Swedish schools where they can apply for a contribution for their work promoting physical activity amongst children and youth. By doing this we have a chance to survey the current situation in Swedish schools and can then spread the learning school examples forward to other schools around the country. We think it’s important to show the variety of different strategies and courses of action.
• Offering a communicative and interesting website where our target groups can find information, be inspired by good school examples, find knew and accurate knowledge within the subject and find topical scientific results.
• Publish electronically Newsletters with the latest news that could be of interest.
• Being a central meeting place for national cooperation between Universities, municipalities, county councils, government agencies, school principals etc. in order to find effective ways to increase physical activity amongst children and youth.

Background

In 2003 the Swedish Government made a supplement in the Swedish curriculum. The supplement meant that both nine-year compulsory school and upper secondary school, should offer their pupils, physical activity each day during school hours. This should be done in addition to regular Physical Education. The schools should also endeavour pupils to be physically active on there way to and from school, for example by walking or bicycling.

As a result of this supplement, a National Centre Promoting Physical Activity amongst Children and Youth (NCFF) was established. The centre’s aim is to stimulate and support Swedish schools in their effort to increase physical activity but also to encourage development- and research projects.

• NCFF campaign brochure