A Shared International Approach to Sleep Health and Safety
SleepSafe International is being developed from the SleepSafeCanada model to help increase the profile of sleep health and safety internationally.
SleepSafeCanada has developed a year-round public education programme built around 12 monthly sleep health and safety initiatives. The intention is to make this framework available to appropriate professional and health organisations in other countries, creating affiliated national SleepSafe programmes with a recognisable common identity.
The objective is simple: to increase public awareness of the importance of sleep by working together internationally while allowing each country to retain its own identity and autonomy.
A COMMON CALENDAR
At the centre of the model is a common annual Sleep Health and Safety Calendar.
The same 12 broad areas of sleep health and safety are promoted internationally during the same months wherever practicable. This allows participating countries to share ideas, educational material and experience and, potentially, to promote important sleep-health messages simultaneously across national borders.
National programmes remain free to recognise additional local awareness days, campaigns and priorities.
NATIONAL AUTONOMY
SleepSafe International is intended as a collaborative framework, not a centrally controlled international organisation.
Each participating national organisation would be responsible for developing and delivering SleepSafe within its own country, including its relationships with healthcare organisations, professional associations, government, academia, employers, industry, media and the wider community.
National programmes may adapt information, resources and activities to reflect their own healthcare systems, language, culture, population and national priorities while maintaining the common SleepSafe identity and underlying Calendar.
COLLABORATION, NOT COMPETITION
SleepSafe is not intended to replace existing health, safety or professional organisations.
Participating national programmes are encouraged to work with and promote appropriate organisations already active within their country, providing an additional public-facing platform for their expertise, resources and initiatives where these relate to sleep health and safety.
The intention is to extend the reach of good work already being undertaken while also addressing areas of sleep-health education and awareness that may currently be underrepresented.
SHARING RESOURCES AND EXPERIENCE
A common international framework creates opportunities for participating countries to share educational resources, campaign concepts, research, experience and successful approaches.
Material developed by one programme may, where appropriate and with agreement, be adapted for use elsewhere rather than each country repeatedly developing the same resources independently.
At the same time, successful national initiatives can provide ideas and experience from which the wider SleepSafe network can benefit.
FUNDING AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES
Each national SleepSafe programme should aim to become self-supporting, with funds raised through sponsorship, partnerships and other appropriate activities used primarily for the operation, development and promotion of that programme.
Once the programme is adequately supported, surplus funds may be used to further the aims and activities of the participating organisation.
Participation in, or leadership of, SleepSafe should not provide personal income or profit to individuals. The programme may, however, employ and appropriately compensate professional, technical or administrative workers where their services are necessary for its effective operation.
THE ROLE OF SLEEPSAFECANADA AND THE SLEEP SOCIETY
SleepSafeCanada provides the original working model and framework from which SleepSafe International is being developed.
The Sleep Society provides an interdisciplinary professional connection, helping bring together healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, professional organisations and others involved in sleep health internationally.
Together, the professional and public-facing elements provide opportunities to connect sleep-health expertise with public education and awareness.
INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING?
We welcome discussion with established professional, healthcare and other appropriate organisations interested in exploring the development of an affiliated SleepSafe programme within their country.
Participation begins with discussion. The intention is to develop relationships with organisations that share the objective of improving public understanding of sleep and recognise the value of collaboration rather than duplication.
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