Health Promotion
Our Health Promotion Team is passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of everyone in the community. The places we live, learn, work and play shape us and can influence our health and wellbeing. This is why we take a place-based approach to our health promotion and community engagement initiatives.
Our health promotion work aligns with the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing plan 2023-2027, with focus areas of:
- Increasing healthy eating
- Increasing active living
- Improving wellbeing
- Reducing harm from tobacco and e-cigarette use
- Talking climate change and its impacts on health
- Preventing all forms of violence
- Improving sexual and reproductive health.
We can hold tailored, community education sessions in schools, workplaces, community groups and sporting clubs on the following topics:
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Physical activity/Active living
- Healthy eating
- Alcohol, smoking and vaping
- Sexual and reproductive health
- Climate Health.
We can also set up a stall at your event to provide information and resources about the services that Bendigo Community Health Services provides.
Our programs and initiatives
We run the following programs and initiatives to help improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community.
Vic Kids Eat Well
An initiative of the Cancer Council and Nutrition Australia, the program supports schools, after school care and sports clubs to make simple changes to offer healthier food and drink options.
We can support your setting to work towards the following key action areas:
- Refresh the fridge: Give sugary drinks the boot and let water take the spotlight.
- Switch up the snacks: Ditch sweet snacks for healthier ones for kids.
- Change up the menu: Give fruit and veggies the chance to shine.
- Put the ‘fun’ into fundraising and marketing: Add a health appeal to meal deals and fundraising.
Contact Sebastian to find out more about this program:
Phone: (03) 5406 1288
Email:
“It’s amazing how such small changes can make a massive difference, not just for the food environment but also to see how thrilled kids are to try and enjoy fresh, nutritious foods.” – OSHC coordinator
Smiles4Miles
An initiative of Dental Health Services Victoria, this program aims to improve the oral health of preschool-aged children through the promotion of healthy eating and oral health practice.
The three key messages of the Smiles 4 Miles program are:
- Eat well
- Drink well
- Clean well.
Early childhood services enrolled in the program will receive:
- Our support to help you implement the program
- Free professional training for early childhood professionals
- Practical resources to implement the program
- A Smiles 4 Miles award.
If you are a kindergarten, early childhood centre or long daycare centre, contact Steph for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1347
Move Your Way
Launched in 2023, this project is a behaviour change program with the aim to increase active living in children, young people and their families.
Implemented across a number of Bendigo schools, students are encouraged to ride, walk or scoot to school. Using Tag On technology, and provided with an electronic tag, students then log their arrival and mode of transport at school with a notification then sent to parents/guardians so they know their child/ren has arrived safely.
Our team works closely with your school to understand specific barriers and enablers of active travel and then implement activities as part of the program in a way that works for teachers and students. Activities have included:
- Bike/road safety education
- Utilising active maps from bicycle networks
- Establishing Move Your Way ambassadors
- Creating incentives for students and teachers to take part
- Hosting education events on the project.
If you are a local primary school and interested in the program, contact Moni for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1281
Email:
Take the First Step
Developed in response the City of Greater Bendigo’s Active Living census results, this campaign is our call to action for the community to Take the First Step to healthy eating and active living.
We have a range of education resources available to download for use. Please visit our Resource library.
Contact Moni for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1281
Email:
5 Ways to Wellbeing
Focused on improving mental health and wellbeing, this campaign consists of five simple and effective actions individuals can practice every day.
The five key action areas are:
- Connect: Develop relationships with those around you.
- Be active: Find an activity you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
- Keep learning: Trying new things will improve your confidence.
- Take notice: Find time in your day to notice your surrounding and yourself.
- Give: Even the smallest act of kindness helps!
If you belong to an organisation or community group interested in collaborating on a 5 Ways to Wellbeing initiative contact Sebastian for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1288
Email:
FRIENDS Resilience Program
This evidence-based program is endorsed by the World Health Organisation and aims to improve mental wellbeing and coping skills.
The program can be delivered across four age levels:
- Fun Friends (4-7 years)
- Friends For Life (8-11 years)
- My Friends Youth (12-15 years)
- Adult Resilience (16 years and over).
The Friends program supports participants to thrive by increasing:
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Self esteem
- Social and emotional skills
- Peer relationships
- Mindfulness
- Positive attitudes towards learning and the school environment.
This program is delivered by our trained staff at no cost and can be tailored to suit the needs of your group. The program can be delivered in the following formats:
- 1 hour session x 10 weeks
- 5-hour session x 5 weeks
- Half day workshops (2 x sessions).
If you are an education or community group interested in the program, contact Ella for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1281
Email:
LoVE BiTES Respectful Relationship Program
This education program is for young people aged 15-17 years and consists of three core components:
- Relationship violence
- Sex, relationships and consent
- Creative and community campaign.
Love Bites is a flexible model with options to use a full day or multi session delivery approach. The program highlights the importance of a whole-of-school commitment to respectful relationship education.
It is based on best practice standards for education programs as recommended by the Federal Government funded Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearing House and other leading academics in the area of violence against women.
Over 100,000 high school students across Australia have participated in this innovative program.
If your school is interested in the program, contact Steph for more information:
Phone: (03) 5406 1347
Email:
Free condoms and sanitary products
All Bendigo Community Health Services sites offer free condom and sanitary packs. Simply call into reception and pick up what you need.
Achievement Program
An initiative of Cancer Council Victoria and supported by the Victorian Government, the Achievement Program is a free health and wellbeing program aimed to help early childhood services, schools and workplaces create healthier environments for working and learning.
Our trained team focuses on helping you implement strategies for these health priority areas:
- Healthy eating
- Physical activity
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
- Sun protection
- Mental health
- Sexual health and wellbeing
- Safe environments.
Our health promoters can offer advice and support you to build on the work you’re already doing to support health and wellbeing and get recognition from the Victorian Government as a healthy place.
Contact the relevant health promoter for more information:
Schools
Sebastian
Phone: (03) 5406 1288
Email:
Early childhood services
Steph
Phone: (03) 5406 1347
Email:
Workplaces
Ella
Phone: (03) 5406 1281
INFANT program
The INFANT program supports healthy eating, active play and a great start to life for the city’s newest residents.
The evidence-based program brings parents and carers together at the three, six, nine and 12-month marks of their little one’s first year of life.
The four sessions are a fun, social and informal way to learn about a host of topics essential for child health, such as:
- When to introduce solid food
- How to do that and the best foods to start with
- Ideas on promoting active play for a baby’s physical, social and emotional development.
The sessions draw on research from a host of trusted sources.
For example, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has found as children grow, developing healthy eating habits are essential for teaching them to listen to their bodies and develop an understanding of their hunger needs, which can help prevent obesity.
And, the Raising Children Network promotes that active play helps strengthen a baby’s neck and upper body muscles and supports fine motor skills development.
Reducing smoking & vaping
We support the City of Greater Bendigo’s Smoking and Vaping Strategy to reduce the number of local people continuing to smoke or vape, or taking up smoking or vaping.
We run education sessions for community and schools on the harms of vaping and smoking, and how to support young people to quit.
Our Health Promotion team regularly share quit messages at targeted community events.
We advocate for tougher laws and produce videos and other resources to support our work in this area.
Other initiatives
Our Health Promotion work is constantly evolving and responding to local needs. We currently manage projects, or collaborate with others, on the following initiatives:
- Cooking for Change program with FoodShare
- Puberty and sexual health education with community and schools
- Community garden projects
- McKern Foundation’s Fresh Fruit Program
- Walking & fitness groups
