Promoting wellbeing and health – an educational course for social and healthcare professionals

Abstract Background Promoting wellbeing, health, and safety can improve clients’ quality of life, functional capacity, and perceived health, potentially reducing healthcare costs. Integrating health promotion into healthcare practices is essential for a holistic approach to wellbeing. Healthcare professionals often focus on treating illnesses and need training to support clients in making decisions that enhance wellbeing and health in everyday life and encourage participation in services and activities. Objectives The objective is to enhance social and healthcare professionals’ knowledge, competence, and confidence in promoting health and wellbeing in all client contacts. As part of Finland's Sustainable Growth programme, an educational training course on health promotion was co-developed with five wellbeing services counties. The process began in January 2024 with planning and producing educational materials. Pilot courses, with approximately 100 participants, were conducted in various settings during autumn 2024, and feedback was collected. Results The outcome was a course titled ‘Foundations for Promoting Well-being and Health for Social and Healthcare Professionals,’ comprising five sections with videos, slides, and exercises. The course themes are: i) shared responsibility, ii) influencing choices, iii) building collaboration, iv) client and service guidance, and v) digital services. Reviewing the content takes two to three hours. Most pilot course participants found the training beneficial, providing tools to better address clients’ needs and goals comprehensively and customer oriented. The pilot demonstrated the course's adaptability to various target groups and their specific needs. An online training course was developed. Conclusions Involving professionals and leaders in planning ensures the training course meets their needs and supports long-term use. Considering the background of the target group when implementing the training helps determine which areas to emphasize. Key messages • To enhance client wellbeing, it's essential to increase health promotion awareness and skills. • The online course will ensure wide availability and support for professionals in health promotion.