Norwegian support to improve the youth health

The representatives of youth organizations, personal and public health care specialists and scientists have united for a common goal and developed a model for the provision of youthfriendly health care services. The model is implemented in 12 municipalities in Lithuania, whereas the range of the initiatives which should be implemented is very wide, including the provision of services to young people based on the case management principle, publication of relevant information on the youth health portal, organization of events to young people and their parents, development of mobile applications and placing of free outdoor fitness equipment.

During the project “Development of the Model for the Provision of Youth-Friendly Health Care Services” under Programme No. LT11 “Public Health Initiatives” of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014, which covers a wide target group (young people aged 14-29), the model of the provision of youth-friendly health care services (hereinafter – the Model) was developed. The Model was developed following the World Health Organization’s guidelines, consultations with the representatives of youth organizations and covered the analysis of the youth health indicators and surveys of young people.

“This Model aims to combine into a single network the existing providers of health care services and to improve their collaboration in providing more efficient health care services adjusted to young people,” Project Manager Romas Buivydas said. “It is important to note that the Model covers all relevant areas established and identified during the surveys and the analysis of the youth health indicators, i.e. improvement of mental health, promotion of healthy nutrition, prevention of accidents, and improvement of sexual and reproductive health.”

During the implementation of the Model in 12 municipalities the coordination centres of youth-friendly health care services with active, motivated and trained coordinators will be opened. Among other functions, they will also organize health care services based on the low-threshold and case management principles, i.e. they will evaluate health demands of a young person who arrives for consultation, make a plan for providing services, assist a young person in addressing personal health care and other institutions operating in non-health sectors. The coordinators will work in safe and pleasant environment at the time that is convenient for young people and pay particular attention to privacy and confidentiality.

“The coordinator will be trained to communicate with young people, encourage a young person to start treatment and, if necessary, to change his/ her way of living. Coordinator will help to overcome the psychological barrier when addressing relevant professionals or institutions, register a young person for such services. The coordinator will maintain a regular relationship with a young person until his/ her health problem is solved,” Mr. Romas Buivydas told.

The coordinators will collaborate not only with the providers of services (personal and public health care institutions, education institutions and providers of social services, non-governmental and youth organizations, etc.) but also with the policymakers of the municipalities that are implementing the Model. Policy-makers will be able to evaluate the situation in a particular municipality based on the submitted situation analysis and decide on the changes necessary in a certain area of services (prevention, provision of health care services and alike).

Under the Project “Development of the Model for the Provision of Youth-Friendly Health Care Services”, an innovative national youth health portal (www.sveikatostinklas.lt) was created to provide reliable and easily accessible information prepared by experts for youth and health specialists in a very attractive manner. It is also possible to receive direct consulting on the portal. The municipalities that are introducing the Model (of the cities of Vilnius and Klaipėda and of the districts of Elektrėnai, Pasvalys, Plungė, Biržai, Jonava, Klaipėda, Varėna, Ukmergė, Šakiai and Rokiškis) will publish information that is relevant for each specific municipality on the portal.

The municipalities that are implementing the Model plan to implement other youth health improvement initiatives as well: to provide free access to the Internet via the portal in public places (the municipalities of the districts of Ukmergė, Šakiai, Biržai and others), to develop a mobile application of the portal (Klaipėda City Municipality), to place free outdoor fitness equipment in public places (the municipalities of the districts of Biržai, Varėna, Pasvalys, etc.). Vilnius City Municipality, in collaboration with the Norwegian specialists, plans to create unique youth self-help programmes in Lithuania, and Klaipėda City Municipality plans to train volunteers who will educate the youth about health issues. Most of the municipalities that are introducing the Model plan to arrange workshops and events in order to improve the health of young people.

The implementation of the projects aimed at the development and implementation of the Model in the municipalities will contribute to the better provision of youth-friendly health care services in Lithuania, identification of necessary changes in the provision of services, and will help young persons to understand the provided services when there is a diversity of them, obtain reliable relevant information and to consult the professionals.

Projects are implemented in 2015–2016.

More information about the projects