Healthy Together Bendigo

What is Healthy Together Bendigo?

Bendigo is one of the key participants in a major new strategy to improve people’s health where they live, learn, work and play by addressing the causes of overweight, obesity and chronic disease. With a locally based team, the emphasis of health prevention is put back into local hands.

Healthy Together Bendigo is working with local partners to encourage healthy eating and physical activity, reduce smoking and harmful alcohol use in the community.

Healthy Together Bendigo is a jointly funded initiative of the State Government of Victoria and the Australian Government.

How are we doing this?

Healthy Together Bendigo is being driven by the Healthy Communities Team located at City of Greater Bendigo and Bendigo Community Health Services.

Local government is best placed to lead this program at a local level as it addresses the needs of our community. This collaborative partnership aims to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of Greater Bendigo residents.

Who is involved?

The Healthy Communities Team will connect with a range of organisations, community groups and individuals to deliver Healthy Together Bendigo initiatives.

Healthy Together Bendigo will encourage community, early childhood services, schools, workplaces and other areas to take the lead on creating healthy environments and improving the health and wellbeing of Greater Bendigo residents in several different ways. These include education, supporting and/or establishing partnerships and networks, healthy neighbourhood planning, as well as investigating the need for policy change.

What have we done so far?

Healthy Together Bendigo is already working to improve the health of local communities.  You may have already seen some of the work of Healthy Together Bendigo:

–  38 people from across Bendigo have joined us as local Health Champs

–  28 schools and early childhood centres are working towards becoming healthier environments for our children

–  A Healthy Workplaces network has been established to create healthier work environments

–  Jamie’s Ministry of Food Mobile Kitchen has arrived and is teaching  people how to cook easy and healthy meals

Why are we doing this?

Greater Bendigo – like Australia – needs to become healthier. The evidence is clear that we have rising rates of overweight, obesity and chronic disease affecting our community. The problem is rising and it’s time to move more and eat healthier.  It's not hard!

How is Healthy Together Bendigo different?

Healthy Together Bendigo is more than a program that reaches a select group of people or a targeted marketing campaign. It will identify community wide issues affecting health, such as obesity and rates of smoking in the Greater Bendigo area and provide the tools to tackle them head on. It will also support and promote the good health promotion work that has already been achieved in the community.

Healthy Together Bendigo is about creating a “prevention system” so that positive health and wellbeing changes can be effectively achieved and are sustainable into the future.

Keep in touch with the Healthy Communities Team and receive regular updated information on different areas in the community by registering your interest.

Connecting with Food

Learn more about the many food opportunities available in Greater Bendigo. Connecting With Food in Greater Bendigo (PDF 1.1MB)

 

More Information

For more information visit:

• Healthy Communities Healthy Children
• Healthy Communities Healthy Workplaces
• www.health.vic.gov.au/prevention

Healthy Together Contact Information

Lisa Gulyas, Communications and Engagement Officer, Healthy Communities at healthytogether@bendigo.vic.gov.au, or phone 03 4408 6518.