The Human Early Learning Partnership is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children through interdisciplinary research and mobilizing knowledge.
News and Events
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News
Why your kids should take risks while playing outdoors this summer | Q&A with HELP Director Mariana Brussoni
Whether it’s climbing trees or plunging into lakes by rope swing, outdoor play is a lot more than just fun. According to UBC’s Dr. Mariana Brussoni, outdoor play — particularly risky outdoor play — is essential to your child’s health and overall development.
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Indigenous
ASC Profile: How Jeremy Belyea is Transforming Systems and Advancing Reconciliation
An integral part of the Aboriginal Steering Committee (ASC) at HELP, Jeremy Belyea is a proud member of the Ned’uten Dakelh/Lake Babine Nation, originating from the Raven clan and sitting as a guest of the Fireweed clan in Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan territory. Our first-ever ASC Profile looks at how Jeremy has pursued his passion for supporting children and youth for a number of years in the public sector, supporting First Nations leadership and systemic change.
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News
HELP Unveils New & Improved MDI Data Dashboard
This interactive online tool now includes data collected in the 2023-24 school year, enabling users to explore trends from 2019-24 for children in Grades 4-8. The updated Dashboard includes new data on topics such as sleep, screen time and social media use, as well as active transportation.
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Indigenous
Building Capacity for Indigenous Partnerships with the Spring Roots Circle
On May 28, 2024, faculty, staff, and students from UBC, as well as Indigenous community members and other learners, were gathered for the first Roots Circle: a day of speakers, activities, and networking to learn, share, and build community around Indigenous-led research.
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News
Call for Applications for the Aboriginal Steering Committee at HELP
The Aboriginal Steering Committee (ASC) at HELP is seeking two new members! First established in 2003, the ASC at HELP is made up of community members with First Nation, Inuit and Métis ancestry, including Elders. ASC members are vital to ensuring that HELP’s research has meaning for, and is consistent with, First Nation, Inuit and … Continued
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Events
Well-being & Healthy Habits of Early Adolescents: MDI Data Trends
Join Dr. Eva Oberle on June 13 for a webinar about the latest MDI data collected this school year (2023-24) from children in grades 4 through 8 across BC. Hear about children’s well-being over the last 5 years and other topics of interest including sleep, screen time and social media use, active transportation habits, and more.
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Research
Creating Change via the Child Development Monitoring System: Research in Action
Child Development Monitoring System data are woven into the fabric of BC, used across sectors to inform initiatives that aim to improve outcomes for children and their families. Research in Action is the latest brief from HELP, showcasing examples of research findings using Monitoring System data.
HELP's unique approach
Relationships
Reciprocity, accountability and respect are at the foundation of HELP’s longstanding relationships with communities, organizations, institutions and governments across BC and Canada. These relationships, along with guidance from an Aboriginal Steering Committee (ASC), contribute to our research, data and knowledge mobilization initiatives. Learn more about the Aboriginal Steering Committee.
Data
The Child Development Monitoring System safely and reliably gathers population-level data about the developmental health and well-being of children and adolescents at multiple times between infancy and 18 years of age. It is the foundation for much of the leading-edge research and knowledge mobilization undertaken at HELP. Learn more about the Child Development Monitoring System.
Expertise
Faculty, researchers and affiliates at HELP hold scientific expertise across a wide range of disciplines, contributing to a unique and diverse program of research that situates HELP research at the forefront of important health and equity issues. Learn more about HELP research.
Impact
HELP leads collaborative and inclusive processes that transform data and research into action. Across both practice and policy, HELP is focused on supporting evidence-informed change across systems, institutions and in communities. Learn more about HELP’s knowledge mobilization and research impact.
Publications
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Outdoor Play
‘There’s not a lot of places for them to go’: rural and remote family perspectives on children’s independent mobility
Children’s Geographies
Pelletier, C., Cornish, K., & Sanders, C.To promote children’s independent mobility (CIM) in rural and remote areas, efforts should focus on providing education on wildlife encounters, creating safe and interesting destinations for play, and consider children’s safety and connectivity in road design.
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Outdoor Play
Supporting Greater Vancouver secondary school students’ mental health through time outdoors : a qualitative investigation
University of British Columbia
Hussaina, H.The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of youth located in the Greater Vancouver Metropolitan District (GVMD), of British Columbia, Canada, who engage in or would like to engage in outdoor time at secondary schools as a mental health promotion strategy.
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Outdoor Play
Frequency and duration measurements of children’s outdoor free play: a scoping review.
Journal of Childhood, Education & Society
Ramsden, R., O’Kane, M., Oberle, E., & Brussoni, M.Outdoor free play encompasses unstructured, self-directed play in the outdoors and has been shown to support children’s health and development. Accurate and reliable measures are required to conduct research on children’s outdoor free play and examine cross-sectional and longitudinal variation. This study systematically reviews and evaluates measurement approaches for children’s outdoor free play used in existing literature.
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Socio-Economic
Out-of-school time use in Pakistan: a qualitative study featuring youth’s voices.
Journal of Research on Adolescence
Kerai, S., Ibrahim, M., Molyneux, T. M., Hussain, U., Gadermann, A., Kassam, R., Pardhan, A., & Oberle, E.The current study addresses the lack of out-of-school time (OST) research in low- and middle-income countries by exploring OST use in the context of Pakistan and incorporating youth’s voices.
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Socio-Economic
Childhood poverty and school readiness: differences by poverty type and immigration background.
SSM – Population Health
Randip Gill, Mohammad Ehsanul Karim, Joseph H. Puyat, et al.This study reinforces the importance of economic policies to support low-income families, which have been associated with a reduction in negative health outcomes for children.
Indigenous Initiatives at HELP