Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for an increasing burden of death and disability globally, especially in low and middle-income countries. Young people under the age of 25 make up 42 per cent of the world’s population, however, when it comes to addressing NCDs, the needs of children, adolescents and young people are often overlooked. To help address this gap, the Centre for Global Child Health at SickKids, collaborating with NCD Child, has developed the NCD Child Global Advocacy Course, available free online. This course aims to increase knowledge about the most pressing NCD priorities for children, adolescents and young people, and help those interested in NCD advocacy take their knowledge and skills to the next level.
Course Modules
The course contains four modules that each focus on different areas of NCDs management and advocacy.
Module 1: The Global Youth NCD Landscape
This introductory module describes the global burden of NCDs and explores the determinants of health, including the social, commercial and environmental factors that influence child and adolescent health. It also gives an overview of the life-course approach to NCD prevention and describes health from a child rights and equity perspective.
Module 2: Major NCDs and Risk Factors
This module covers leading NCD medical conditions and risk factors that affect young people. Learners will understand more about NCDs such as mental health, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease, as well as risk factors such as harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution. The module also draws linkages between NCDs and infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Module 3: Effective Strategies to Address NCDs
This module outlines the main approaches in preventing and managing NCDs, including access to essential medicines and equipment. It also provides an introduction to policy development and legislation for addressing NCDs and health inequities.
Module 4: Becoming an Effective NCD Advocate
This module summarizes key approaches to NCD advocacy, including how to apply evidence-based advocacy to persuade decision makers. It covers the steps for planning and implementing advocacy campaigns, and measuring and evaluating advocacy work. The module also pulls together knowledge from earlier course modules and includes a case study focused on youth-led NCD advocacy.
Who This Course is For
This course is for anyone interested in the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents, including but not limited to:
- Young people with basic working knowledge of advocacy
- Healthcare and public health professionals
- Policy makers
- Representatives from governments, civil society organizations and the private sector
This course was developed in partnership with NCD Child. 