An incredible response was received to the GenR8 Change – ‘making the healthy choice the easy choice’ Community Workshops held on Wednesday (the 14th).
With approximately 150 community members in attendance across the two workshops, there was a tremendous depth of discussion around how to make the healthy choice the easy choice for people living in the Southern Grampians.
The workshop commenced with Professor Steven Allender from Deakin University presenting the local data collected on the health status and behaviours of children within the Southern Grampians region. Following this, Professor Allender spent the next portion of the workshop highlighting and detailing what the best evidence is telling us about community based interventions and factors we need to consider in designing an approach for GenR8 Change.
On the back of the local data and best evidence, the workshop attendees set to work on generating ideas around what we as a community can do to make the healthy choice the easy choice. The ideas were then prioritised based on impact and feasibility (how big a change and how likely it is to happen) and the more popular ideas were grouped and themed in key areas.
With all of the “themes” created, at the end of the workshop, people had the chance to nominate which area that they are interested in, passionate about and willing to work on to ensure that they healthy choice becomes the easy choice.
The 12 themed areas consist of;
– Increase activity in the community (27 team members)
– Health Education at schools and other education settings (26 team members)
– Education of parents (18 team members)
– Marketing and communication of eating and activity (13 team members)
– Workplaces – healthy workplaces (parents/adults as role models) (6 team members)
– Increase water, decrease sugary drink consumption (15 team members)
– Community empowerment (including kids and families) (3 team members)
– Mental health/wellbeing (11 team members)
– Increase activity within school / early childhood education (and to school – active transport) (22 team members)
– Healthy eating in community and sports clubs (24 team members)
– Healthy food at school and no junk food (20 team members)
– Increase breast feeding friendly workplaces and community spaces (6 team members)
To turn the GenR8 Change ideas and concepts into a reality, a follow up workshop has been planned. At this workshop the focus will be on mapping out the actions and approaches for each themed area and then, to initiate action.
The GenR8 Change Community Workshop 2 is on Wednesday 28th October, 1:00pm to 3:00pm, at the Hamilton Performing Arts Centre, Brown Street, Hamilton.
For further information contact Clinton Thomas, E: Clinton.thomas@wdhs.net M: 0408623695, or Robyn Holcombe
E: robyn.holcombe@wdhs.net P: 555 18471