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Okanagan Charter

Background

The Okanagan Charter is an aspirational and guiding document that was developed as an outcome of an International Conference on Health Promoting Universities & Colleges hosted in 2015. Its purpose is to guide colleges and universities in becoming leaders for the world by developing and modeling health-promoting strategies in their campus settings.

Literature consistently shows that student well-being improves retention, 4-year graduation rates and academic achievement. For staff and faculty, supporting the health and well-being of employees results in the following benefits: increased employee engagement and productivity, reduction in injuries and claims, lower healthcare costs, improved recruitment and retention rates and a better quality of life. While individual behavior and participation in available opportunities can play a role in short- and long-term health outcomes, major organizational support can leave a lasting impact on why UC Davis is a great place to learn, work and live.

The Okanagan Charter provides institutions with a common language, principles and framework to become a ‘health and well-being promoting campus’ and outlines two Calls to Action:

  1. Embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates by:
    1. Embedding health into all aspects of campus policies.
    2. Creating supportive campus environments.
    3. Generating thriving communities and a culture of well-being.
    4. Supporting personal development.
    5. Creating or re-orienting campus services.
  2. Lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally by:
    1. Integrating health, well-being and sustainability in multiple disciplines to develop change agents.
    2. Advancing research, teaching and training for health promotion knowledge and action.
    3. Leading and partnering towards local and global action for health promotion.

Examples of Action in Progress