Day/Month Event Idea January 19 25 th National Non Smoking Week Put up posters around your workplace http://nnsw.ca/ Send out an email with this year s theme Provide resources for quitting smoking/quit smoking contest Allow employees time off work to attend the Health Unit s Stop Smoking Clinic Review your workplace no smoking policy Encourage employees who don t think they can quit for a week to participate in Weedless Wednesday that week one day of no smoking February February 4 th February 12 th March Heart Month http://heartmonth.heartandstroke.ca World Cancer Day http://www.worldcancerday.org Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Day No Website Nutrition Month www.dietitians.ca/nutritionmonth Obtain resources and/or a display on healthy behaviours that can reduce the risk of heart disease (eg. Healthy eating, physical activity, smoking cessation) Request a Healthy Lifestyles presentation from the Health Unit Have a weight loss challenge with a prize for whomever loses the most weight (you can get pedometers to track physical activity from the Health Unit) Provide resources from http://www.worldcancerday.org/wcdresources Request a cancer prevention presentation from the Health Unit (healthy eating, physical activity, sun safety) See website for other activities http://www.worldcancerday.org/dosomething Obtain information and/or a display on sexuality, contraception and sexually transmitted infections Request a sexual health presentation from the Health Unit Provide employees with information on having a healthy pregnancy Consider implementing programs and policies that promote and protect the health of pregnant workers The theme for 2015 is eating well at work Eating 9 to 5! Email a new simple, healthy recipe to employees weekly Hold a healthy eating Lunch & Learn with a dietitian from the Health Unit Obtain nutrition resources/display from the Health Unit
March March March 12 th National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month http://www.colorectalcancer.ca/en/advocacy/national month/ Do the Math Challenge http://dothemath.thestop.org/index.php Great Big Crunch Day http://www.foodshare.net/great big crunch Updated free phone app Cookspiration with recipes and sends users a tip a day Develop a healthy eating policy at your workplace Offer more healthy choices at your vending machines and/or cafeteria Obtain resources/display from the Health Unit and/or website Request a cancer prevention presentation from the Health Unit (healthy eating, physical activity, sun safety) Encourage employees to get screened for colorectal cancer Encourage employees to participate by completing the online survey Host a workplace food drive for the month of March and donate to a local food bank Encourage someone in your office to do THE CHALLENGE (see website) This is a great way to promote local foods and healthy eating Invite employees on lunch or on a break to take a great big bite out of a locally grown fruit or vegetable and provide other locally grown fruits and vegetables to snack on while socializing on lunch or break March 26 th Purple Day Epilepsy Awareness Encourage employees to wear purple on March 26 th April April April 25 May 2 nd April 12 18 th Daffodil Days Cancer Awareness http://www.fightback.ca/daffodil_day.html Oral Health Month http://cdaadc.ca/en/news_events/health_month/inde x.asp National Immunizations Awareness Week www.immunize.cpha.ca National Volunteer Week www.volunteer.ca Provide employees information about epilepsy Wear a daffodil pin and show your support for people living with cancer Request a cancer prevention presentation from the Health Unit (healthy eating, physical activity, sun safety) Obtain resources and/or a display on healthy behaviours that can reduce the risk of cancer Obtain resources on maintain good oral health Provide employees with information on routine immunizations Allow employees time to volunteer in their community Provide information to employees on organizations that require volunteers (eg. Perth District Health Unit) If your organization uses volunteers, take this opportunity to let them
know how much they are appreciated (volunteer appreciation event, thank you cards) April 7 th World Health Day Provide resources on maintaining good health, stress management http://www.who.int/world health day/ Provide a Lunch & Learn related to stress management April 22 nd Earth Day Encourage employees to bring a litterless lunch to work www.earthday.ca Encourage employees to actively commute (eg. Walk, cycle or rollerblade) or carpool to work May Food Allergy Awareness Month Host an allergy safe meal, movie night, or other event to show how food allergies can be managed Provide employees with information regarding food allergies and a workshop on how to use an epinephrine auto injector May 1 7 th National Summer Safety Week www.safety council.org Provide employees with information about safety at home and work during the summer months NO INFO FOR 2015 May 3 9 th May 4 10 th May 4 10 th May 12 th North American Occupational Safety & Health Week www.naosh.org/english Emergency Preparedness Week http://getprepared.gc.ca NO INFO FOR 2015 National Mental Health Week http://mentalhealthweek.cmha.ca 64 th Annual Mental Health Week focuses on the mental health and well being of men and boys. Canada Health Day http://www.cha.ca/events/canada healthday 2/ Examine your workplace s health and safety policies and revise as necessary Obtain safety and injury prevention resources from the Health Unit Host a community wide event to raise awareness about occupational safety and health Review your workplace s emergency preparedness policies and procedures Borrow a display on this topic from the Health Unit Visit the website to obtain resources to help you promote EP Week Consider adding coverage for mental health services to your workplace s benefits package Obtain mental health resources and request a positive mental health presentation from the Health Unit Promote mental health services within the community Run a campaign to increase awareness about mental health Go to the website for promotional and educational material to share with employees Have your workplace participate in the 12 days of health (see website) Organize a fitness class or river walk during lunch Provide resources from the Health Unit on subjects such as healthy eating, physical activity, immunizations, sexual health, hand washing
May 17 th May 31 st June International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia http://www.homophobiaday.org World No Tobacco Day http://www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en Stroke Awareness Month www.heartandstroke.ca etc. Try new healthy foods in a potluck lunch Host community health fair on blood pressure, diabetes prevention and smoking cession Request a healthy lifestyles presentation from the Health Unit Organize activities, discussions, and presentations around homophobia and transphobia Organize a rainbow flag raising ceremony Order campaign posters and brochures and circulate them in your workplace Review or create workplace policies and procedures around discrimination, racism, and homophobia Obtain resources and/or a display on smoking cessation and secondhand smoke visit the website for their resources Organize a smoking cessation presentation for employees who want to quit or want to help a family member/friend quit Allow employees time off work to attend the Health Unit s Stop Smoking Clinic Obtain resources and/ or a display on healthy behaviours that can reduce the risk of stroke Request a healthy lifestyles presentation from the Health Unit June Relay for Life http://relay.cancer.ca Make a relay team and participate in Stratford s Relay for Life June 2 8 th National Sun Awareness Week Obtain resources and/or a display on sun safety www.cancer.ca Request a sun safety presentation from the Health Unit www.dermatology.ca If you have outdoor workers, develop a sun safety policy to protect them from the sun s harmful rays; provide sunscreen for employees who work outside in the summer June 8 th Clean Air Day www.cleanairday.com Encourage employees to use active modes of transportation (eg. Walking, biking, rollerblading) to get to and from work June 14 th June 26 th World Blood Donor Day http://www.who.int/worldblooddonorday International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking Provide resources about the need to donate blood Encourage employees to donate blood and advertise local Blood Donor Clinics Obtain resources and/or displays on substance abuse prevention Request a substance abuse and alcohol use presentation from the
September 13 21 st September 9 th September 10 th September 13 th October October October October 1 7 th www.choicesforchange.ca AIDS Walk for Life http://www.aidswalkforlife.ca/home.htm NO INFO FOR 2015 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day http://fasday.com World Suicide Prevention Day http://www.iasp.info/wspd/ Terry Fox Day at Work www.terryfoxrun.org Healthy Workplace Month www.healthyworkplacemonth.ca Breast Cancer Awareness Month www.cancer.ca http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breas t cancer awareness month International Walk to School Month http://www.iwalktoschool.org World Breastfeeding Week http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org Health Unit Encourage workplaces to participate in the London or Kitchener Walk for Life Provide resources and/or a display and/or a presentation on HIV/AIDS Provide information to employees on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and prevention Participate in Cycle Around the Globe Provide information (resources/display) on mental illness and suicide prevention Put together a team to participate in the run Sponsor employees who are taking part in the run or match their donations Challenge another workplace to enter more employees or raise more money Talk to our Workplace Wellness Program Coordinator about how you can make your workplace healthier Encourage your HR staff, Managers, etc. to attend a workplace event planned by the Health Unit Check out the website for activity ideas: http://healthyworkplacemonth.ca/en/week1 http://healthyworkplacemonth.ca/en/week2 http://healthyworkplacemonth.ca/en/week3 http://healthyworkplacemonth.ca/en/week4 Obtain resources/display on breast health or request a cancer prevention presentation from the Health Unit Encourage employees to create an early detection plan (visit website) Allow employees flex time to walk their kids to school in the morning Develop a policy to support breastfeeding in the workplace Obtain resources on breastfeeding and returning to work check out website for resources Post a breast feeding friendly decal on entrances to the workplace
Provide a private breastfeeding space at work Theme Breastfeeding and Work Let s Make It Work October 20 26 th Cervical Cancer Awareness Week Encourage your employees to have regular PAP tests http://cfwh.org/index.php?page=cca&hl=en Provide employees with information on cervical cancer _CA Request resources or a cancer prevention presentation from the Health Unit October 20 24 th National Infection Control Week Provide employees with information on routine immunizations http://www.chica.org/news_icweek.php Promote proper handwashing & infection control measures (staying home if you re sick) Check out the website for fun activities you can do at your workplace October 16 th World Food Day Promote local foods and recipes that can be made with local food http://www.worldfooddaycanada.ca Start a Food Drive at your workplace and donate to the Local Community Food Centre November Diabetes Month and World Diabetes Day Provide employees with healthy lifestyle interventions/resources http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday Have a walking/weightloss challenge at your workplace (you can get pedometers from the Health Unit) award an incentive prize Provide employees with healthy, low glycemic index recipes (diabetes.ca) Light up your workplace blue on November 14 th November Osteoporosis Month http://www.osteoporosis.ca Obtain resources and/or a display about how to build and maintain healthy bones Send out recipes to employees that are high in calcium and provide physical activity tips November C.P.R Awareness Month Provide staff with the opportunity to get C.P.R training at work November 17 23 rd National Addiction Awareness Week Obtain resources and/or a display on alcohol and substance abuse http://www.ccsa.ca/eng/newsandevents/in formation_share/naawdaw/pages/default Host a mocktail party over lunch award a prize for the best nonalcoholic drink.aspx Review your workplace alcohol policy Consider contracting with an employee assistance program if you do not already have one December 1 st World AIDS Day http://www.worldaidsday.org Obtain resources and/or display on HIV/AIDS Organize a sexual health Lunch & Learn