Experience from the Health Promoting Schools in Macedonia
The paper addresses the issue of student participation from the perspective of the health promoting schools initiative. It draws on experience from the Macedonian Network of Health Promoting Schools, and its collaboration with the Danish as well as other country networks within the European Network of Health Promoting Schools. Student participation is viewed as one of the main focal points of the conceptual framework and model of a health promoting school developed within the Macedonian context. This model, as well as the model distinguishing between two different qualities of participation - genuine and token participation are presented and discussed in the paper. Underpinning values that these models endorse as important for the processes of health promotion in schools include self-determination, participation, democracy, diversity, and equity.