With Global Wellness Day taking place on 10th June and World Wellbeing Week returning for its fifth year in June 2023, it seemed fitting to explore careers within the health and wellbeing sector. World Wellbeing Week was established to provide the opportunity for people worldwide to celebrate the many aspects of wellbeing, something that has never been so important to our lives and livelihoods. Post COVID and the impact the pandemic took on our mental and physical health, never have we been more aware of the need for some self-care and protecting our wellbeing.
Health trainers will often work within communities supporting people to understand how their behaviours and environment can impact their health and wellbeing and connect them to services that can support them to make positive change.
Job Description
Salary Range £18,700-£28,500
Whether working from an office or out and about in the community, health trainers play a vital role in supporting people to live more healthy and balanced lives. A health trainer will help people to understand how behaviours and lifestyle choices can negatively impact their health and wellbeing and help them to achieve their own health goals.
A health trainer can work with people one on one or deliver group sessions for people facing a common issue or with a common wellbeing interest. They will support people to record activity levels and results, using these to motivate clients to build a healthier lifestyle and develop a person action plan. They will need to keep up to date with health and wellness services available in their local area to be able to direct people to services relevant to them.
Someone working in this career will need to be passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of those they are working with as explaining the benefits of healthier food and lifestyle choices is central to the role.
Clear communication is key to the success of this role, and someone wanting to become a health trainer will need to be able to work sensitively demonstrating empathy to those they support.
A health trainer will need to design and deliver courses, so being comfortable teaching others will be essential to the success of this career.
Qualifications
There are a few routes into this profession including:
- a college course such as:
- Level 2 Award in Improving the Public’s Health
- Level 2 Award in Nutrition for Health
- an apprenticeship such as:
- Community sport and health officer
- Community health and well-being worker
- volunteering
- applying directly
To access a level 2 college course you will usually need 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D) or the equivelent, or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship.
What you can be doing now
Voluntary experience with local community groups can help to gain experience needed to start your journey towards this career.
You can contact the voluntary services co-ordinator or manager at your local NHS trust for advice on voluntary opportunities.
You can also contact the National Council for Voluntary Organisations about work placements.
