Joint council and NHS reward card to benefit young people

The card, being launched by Barking and Dagenham Council and NHS Barking and Dagenham, will give users access to health, leisure, youth and library services across the area and will also be used to access school meals.

Those that opt for healthy meals and take part in positive activities such as volunteering  and sport will earn rewards such as iTunes vouchers through the cards.

Parents will also be able to monitor children's school meal eating habits through a secure website as part of the card scheme.

Five- to 11-year-olds and 11- to 19-year-olds will have separate cards, which have yet to be named but are provisionally called simply "youthcards".

Liam Smith, leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: "The integrated card will transform access to youth, leisure, library and health services for young people in a way that has never been seen before. We are extremely excited about being the first borough to do this."

Fiona Blacke, NYA chief executive, welcomed the initiative. She said: "This integrated approach to providing opportunities for young people to get active demonstrates the commitment, confidence and trust of key organisations in spanning boundaries to spread the challenge of improving young people's health more evenly."