The University of North Florida was recently honored as one of Jacksonville’s healthiest places to work, receiving the Platinum Level Award for the 2019 Healthiest Companies by the First Coast Worksite Wellness Council. This is the 11th year the University has received this recognition.
Platinum award winners have best in class wellness programs and have truly created a culture of health and well-being throughout their organization. They have full leadership support and invest in necessary resources to strategically design, implement and measure programs that show demonstrated improvement in the health and well-being of their employees.
“We have a responsibility as a university to be proactive in ensuring that our campus is creating a healthy environment promoting well-being and success for our students, faculty and staff,” said UNF President David Szymanski.
The Platinum Level award was based on program offerings, services and performance in the following categories: health behaviors, safety, physical activity, nutrition/weight management, mental health, organizational policies and prevention.
This award underscores the strides that the Healthy Osprey initiative at UNF is making and serves as a positive reminder that a collaborative, integrated approach can optimize the holistic health of our campus community.
A few of the programs implemented under the Health Osprey initiative include:
- Partnership for a Healthier America: PHA’s Healthier Campus Initiative brokers commitments with colleges and universities to make their campuses healthier by adopting guidelines around food and nutrition, physical activity and programming. Each guideline is created to give credit wellness efforts already in place and encourage new challenges to be formed.
- Healthy Campus Week: Every fall, PHA and UNF as well as the Department of Recreation and Wellness host Healthy Campus Week. The purpose of Healthy Campus Week is to highlight and promote UNF’s health and wellness resources and services. Events provide a holistic view of wellness offerings, providing events such as mindful meditation, glow yoga and “pick your own salad” at the Ogier Gardens, to name a few.
- Mental Health First Aid Training: The Department of Recreation and Wellness, in partnership with Mental Health America of Northeast Florida, recently offered two Mental Health First Aid Trainings certifying over 60 UNF faculty, staff and students. Mental Health First Aid is an eight-hour training course divided into two four-hour days. The course is designed to train members of the public with key skills in aiding someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. At the end of the training, a three-year certification is given to each participant.
First Coast Worksite Wellness Council provides companies and wellness professionals with programs, education and resources to optimize their employee health and wellness programs.
UNF, a nationally ranked university located on an environmentally beautiful campus, offers students who are dedicated to enriching the lives of others the opportunity to build their own futures through a well-rounded education.
