Goulburn Local Solutions

Project Report

Population Health

January 2020

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This evaluation has been prepared by Emma Woolley, Natania Copp, Gary Vehtic and Jennifer Mozina on behalf of Population Health at Southern NSW Local Health District. Images generously provided by Caren Florance, Camille Kersley, Southern Tablelands Arts, Goulburn Community Garden, Country Women’s Association NSW – Mulwaree Branch, Bubble Muffin, Goulburn PCYC, Sam Tabner Landscaping, Mulwaree High School and the Hume Police District. This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. It may not be reproduced for commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above requires written permission from Southern NSW Local Health District. © Southern NSW Local Health District 2020 Southern NSW Local Health District

PO Box 1845 QUEANBEYAN NSW 2620 SNSWLHD-HealthPromotion@health.nsw.gov.au Further copies of this resource can be downloaded from www.snswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au Information correct as of January 2020.

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Contents

Project Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 4

Key Learnings and Impacts..................................................................................................................... 5

Goulburn’s Health in Summary ............................................................................................................... 8

Goulburn Local Solutions Grants ............................................................................................................ 9

Application Process ............................................................................................................................. 9

Funded Project Summaries............................................................................................................... 12

Encourage, Support & Promote Breastfeeding in Goulburn Mulwaree ........................................ 12

Cooking Club Workshops .............................................................................................................. 13

Creating Water Efficient Water Beds ............................................................................................ 14

Water Wisely ................................................................................................................................. 15

4M (Meals, Mindfulness, Movement, Mentoring) .......................................................................... 15

Fighting Fit, Food Wise ................................................................................................................. 16

Healthy Eating ............................................................................................................................... 19

Permanent Orienteering Course ................................................................................................... 20

PONi (Paediatric Oral Nutrition Initiative) Support Project ............................................................ 21

Sensory Garden ............................................................................................................................ 21

Creative Fitness ............................................................................................................................ 23

Targeted Support for School Canteens ................................................................................................ 26

Food Safety Supervisor Training ...................................................................................................... 27

Goulburn Local Solutions Grants for Canteens ................................................................................ 28

Goulburn School Canteen Network .................................................................................................. 29

Goulburn’s Koori Cook Off .................................................................................................................... 30

Goulburn Play & Health Forum ............................................................................................................. 32

Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... 35

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Project Summary

Addressing obesogenic environments is complex. In 2018/19, Population Health at Southern NSW

Local Health District undertook a range of activities to support the Goulburn community to improve

their health and wellbeing. The Goulburn Local Solutions project presents a broad-based approach to

community-led initiatives to local health development. Place-based investment was used to improve

health outcomes, maximising positive cycles of health development.

Through the Goulburn Local Solutions Grants, $97,154.20 was provided to local organisations to

deliver 15 individual projects. Proposed projects were assessed against criteria outlining current

health promotion priorities by a committee with expertise in community development, health

promotion, population health and public administration. Ongoing support was provided to grant

recipients, to help them enact their projects and achieve their stated goals

To support the development of a common vision, the Goulburn Play & Health Forum, held in July

2019, brought together those experienced in place-based initiatives with key change-makers from the

Goulburn region. Collective impact concepts were introduced by working collaboratively with

organisations delivering initiatives under the Goulburn Place Plan, and supporting existing NSW

Health initiatives, such as the Healthy Children Initiative, and the Koori Cook Off.

The Collective Impact framework identifies five conditions that must be present to address complex

social issues. A number of these conditions were identified through the Goulburn Local Solutions

project as being present in the community, meaning Goulburn is well-placed to adopt this model for

future interventions.

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Key Learnings and Impacts

Local health promotion grants programs can be effective vehicles for identifying community-led approaches to health development.

The Goulburn Local Solutions Grants program has helped to make a reality of a place-based,

community-centred preventive health approach. Health promotion grants programs place the

community as collective problem-solvers and active delivery partners, rather than passive recipients

of programs and developments. The program provided an avenue for empowering the community:

building their collaborative skills, allowing for them to self-organise, and supporting them with the tools

to solve the problems in the areas where they live, work and play.

Community-led projects achieve a range of valuable outcomes around health development but

sometimes only for relatively small numbers of people. However, it is important not to assess small-

scale, local-level activities only using quantitative measures as they cannot be expected to tackle

larger scale disadvantage or poor health outcomes in isolation1.

The Goulburn Local Solutions Grants program has resulted in a sustainable and effective use of

resources, as the relationships formed through the process will support future work. Although the

program provided one-off funding for projects, these did not occur in isolation. In working across a

local system, and in the context of growing demand and constrained resources, the grants program

and supporting projects demonstrated how to make more effective use of resources across a place –

as well as improve health and wellbeing – through the use of joint commissioning, pooled budgets

and joint delivery arrangements with local non-government organisations (NGOs).

Population Health involvement at place-level is achievable as well as at system-level.

Preventive health can build upon existing community-driven approaches when approached in a place-

based manner. This project focused on the Goulburn Mulwaree Local Government Area and

engaged with existing networks and systems within the LGA. Local coordination with a health and

wellbeing focus is required to bring a strategic approach to prevention, ensuring this sits at the heart

of ambitions for integrated services, extending the goal beyond health service and community

navigation to wider voluntary and community sector provision2.

This includes ensuring that prevention encompasses wider wellbeing and the wider determinants of

health, helping to keep people well in the first place, rather than managing ill health better3. Providing

support for Place Plans (described below) offer an opportunity for cross-government coordination to

create well-connected communities, addressing key determinants of health.

The particular skills and leadership qualities of key individuals, as well as the existence of an active

and supportive voluntary and community sector infrastructure, also emerged as important elements of

success. One implication is that the approaches used may have varying levels of transferability to

other locations. Successful transferability of this project will require having a good understanding of

what others are doing locally, developing good working relationships and complementing and adding

value to other relevant activity in the area.

1 State of Victoria, Department of Health and Human Services, 2016, Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Framework 2 Australian Public Service Commission, 2007, Tackling Wicked Problems: A Public Policy Perspective 3 McGovern L, Miller G, Hughes-Cromwick P, “The relative contribution of multiple determinants to health outcomes”. Health Policy Brief: Health Affairs. 21 August 2014. DOI: 10.1377/hpb20140821.404487

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Working in partnership enables collective impact.

“Large-scale social change requires broad cross-sector coordination,

yet the social sector remains focused on the isolated intervention of individual organizations.”

Stanford Social Innovation Review, 2011

In recent years, an increasing number of initiatives across Australia have adopted the Collective

Impact approach to drive collaborative activity. Collective Impact is a collaboration framework used to

address complex issues in a given community, providing a basis for engagement across sectors and

groups who share a common interest4. The Collective Impact Framework consists of five conditions

drawn from case studies of collaborative projects that have achieved population-level change:

(Kania & Kramer, 2011)

Collective Impact theorises that meeting these five conditions will lead to population-level change on

complex social issues through the emergence and implementation of previously unidentified or

unachievable solutions. A number of these conditions were identified through the Goulburn Local

Solutions project as being present in the community, meaning Goulburn is well-placed to adopt this

model for future interventions.

The Goulburn Place Plan is one of 20 place-based projects being rolled out by the NSW Department

of Family and Community Services to strengthen social housing communities across NSW. Plan

Plans adopt a ‘place-making’ approach to building community, and form one of the service

improvement actions of the 2016 Future Directions for Social Housing in NSW strategy.

The Goulburn Place Plan focuses on the concentrated social housing estates of Mary’s Mount and

Bradfordville and works to break the cycle of disadvantage by strengthening community. There are a

wide range of community-led approaches used and health improvement-related outcomes vary

across and within approaches in terms of scale, nature and timing. The plan and its activities are co-

4 Kania, J. & Kramer, M, 2011, ‘Collective Impact’, Stanford Social Innovation Review, http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/collective_impact

A 'backbone' coordinating

organisation/s

A common agenda for

change

Shared measurement for data and

results

Mutually reinforcing activities

Open and continuous

communications

COLLECTIVE

IMPACT

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designed and implemented with the community, in partnership with state and local government and

local support providers. Through the Goulburn Place Plan, substantial, targeted and sustained

investment for community-led activities in low-income areas increase the scale of outcomes.

The lead partner agency for the Goulburn Place Plan is Mission Australia. Activities undertaken by

Population Health through this project remain differentiated yet coordinated through the mutually

reinforcing plan of action. The Goulburn Mulwaree Council has supported a number of activities

undertaken as part of this project, and as part of the Goulburn Place Plan. The council has organised

itself around creating successful public spaces, enabling it to accomplish a broad range of existing

goals more efficiently. In turn, the community can organise to better contribute to the public realm

and shared value5.

Further work is required to ensure that collecting data and measuring results is undertaken

consistently across all participants, to ensure that efforts remain aligned, and in incorporating the

health system into the governance structure. This could be achieved by further exploring systems

practices alongside local project partners. The importance of ensuring the governance structure,

strategic direction and oversight, and evaluation was co-designed with the community, rather than by

external funders, was described in a case study of The Hive Mt Druitt, who provided leadership and

governance training and support for stakeholders before forming a local leadership group6.

5 Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017, Collective Impact: Evidence and Implications for Practice 6 Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth, 2017, Data and Community: How Collective Impact Initiatives in Australia Use Data to Support Action

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Goulburn’s Health in Summary

The Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area (LGA) is located about 200km south-west of

the Sydney CBD, and 95km north-east of the Canberra CBD, in the northern sector of the Southern

NSW Local Health District. The LGA is bounded by the Upper Lachlan Shire in the north and west,

Wingecarribee Shire and Shoalhaven City in the east, and the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional

Council area in the south. The LGA comprises of the city of Goulburn and the smaller localities of

Bungonia, Lake Bathurst, Marulan, Tallong and Tarago.

The LGA has a total population of 30,8527, living in 13,642 dwellings8, with population growth

projected to reach 34,400 by 20369. While median weekly household income, labour force

participation and rates of home ownership are on-par with other communities in Regional NSW2, the

health of people in Goulburn is generally poorer when compared with the NSW average.

Rates of potentially avoidable deaths for residents are improving, but are still significantly higher than

NSW averages for cancer, diabetes, circulatory diseases, COPD and suicide and self-inflicted

injuries10. Rates of adult health risk factors contributing to the burden of disease (such as smoking,

obesity, risky drinking, physical inactivity and high blood pressure) are all higher Goulburn than the

NSW average4.

Since 2011, the rate of obesity has risen faster in the Goulburn Mulwaree LGA than in other LGAs

within Southern NSW Local Health District11. Obesity rates have risen fastest in males in the LGA

(from 28.5% to 38%)11. The 45-74 years age groups are more likely to be overweight or obese, and

ages 75+ rates are rising fastest5.

7 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, Regional Population Growth (3218.0) 8 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016, Census of Population and Housing 9 NSW Department of Planning & Environment, 2016, New South Wales State and Local Government Area Population and Household Projections, and Implied Dwelling Requirements 10 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2014-15 National Health Survey 11 NSW Ministry of Health, Population Health Survey

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Goulburn Local Solutions Grants

Grants programs are a common health promotion approach used to uncover community-led

approaches to health development. The Goulburn Local Solutions Grants were a funding initiative to

support a range of activities and campaigns designed to promote and encourage healthy lifestyles

within the Goulburn LGA.

Recommended strategies for successful grant programs adopted by Population Health included

facilitating linkages between sectors and developing skill base and resources of communities,

organisations and individuals to improve health. Adopting these approaches as a funder meant

having early conversations with the people and organisations applying for funding, and getting people

involved in decision-making in their area, building on our own knowledge so that we could find out if

what was proposed will be effective.

The grants were available to support clearly defined health promotion activities and programs,

particularly those focusing on priority health issues of reducing harm from smoking and reducing rates

of overweight and obesity. The application guidelines identified priority areas for health promotion

projects as well as target groups which include children, young people and disadvantaged groups.

Applications for innovative, sustainable projects that reach these target groups were particularly

encouraged.

Application Process

Applications were sought from organisations and appropriately registered and insured individuals to

fund new approaches to promoting healthy lifestyles through changing community attitudes and

behaviour, and creating environments that support people to make healthier choices.

Applications were required to focus on one of the below three priority areas:

Children and Young People

Applications were encouraged for innovative projects that support healthy eating and physical

activity amongst children and young people that are consistent with the Australian Dietary

Guidelines and Australia’s Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. Projects

that support the NSW Premier’s target of reducing overweight and obesity in children by five

per cent by 2025 were also encouraged. For adolescents, applications were also encouraged

for innovative projects that reduce smoking related harm.

Healthy Ageing

Applications were encouraged for innovative projects that promote healthy lifestyles in older

people that reduce harm from smoking, increase physical activity or reduce overweight and

obesity.

Priority Populations

Applications were encouraged for projects with groups who may experience poorer overall

health outcomes, or who may be economically or socially disadvantaged, including:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

people with an intellectual disability

people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds

people experiencing or at risk of homelessness

people with a serious mental illness

children in out-of-home care

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All grant applications were assessed by a grant review panel on their merit against seven criteria:

1. Contribution to improvement in health

The application proposes innovative solutions which will contribute to improvements in the

funding priority areas. The application demonstrates the ability to improve health and

wellbeing, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours.

2. Evidence of need

The application provides evidence of need for the particular project and describes the specific

health issues it will address.

3. Value for money

The application represents value for money by matching a realistic budget with potential

population health improvements.

4. A preventive health approach

The proposed project is based on primary or secondary prevention and community based

approaches.

5. Innovation

Projects are innovative and not just ‘business as usual’.

6. Project planning, evaluation and partnerships

The application states clear objectives, realistic timeframes and engagement of appropriate

partners where required. The application demonstrates the capacity to collect and interpret

data, and to evaluate project outcomes.

7. Evidence of health promotion principles

The proposed project incorporates health promotion principles in its design and delivery.

Applications closed on 14 December 2018, with all recipients informed of their application outcome by

21 January 2019, with successful projects also announced on the Southern NSW Local Health District

website and in the Goulburn Post. Project funds were disseminated between March and June 2019.

Funded projects were delivered between March and December 2019.

The Goulburn Post, 30 January 2019

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Funded Project Summaries

Encourage, Support & Promote Breastfeeding in Goulburn Mulwaree Organisation Australian Breastfeeding Association ACT/SNSW Branch Amount Funded $7,759 Project Summary Although breastfeeding is recommended for babies and mothers, it doesn't always come easily and is a learned skill. This project supported mothers and their babies in Goulburn to gain confidence to initiate breastfeeding and continue breastfeeding as their baby grows.

Two Breastfeeding Education Classes were delivered to parents expecting their first baby, to provide expectant parents with the knowledge and confidence to successfully breastfeed their babies. These workshop-style classes were delivered free-of-charge, and attendees also received a 12 month membership to the Australian Breastfeeding Association, to ensure they were supported through their first year. These sessions expanded upon the knowledge gained at antenatal classes, to give up-to-date information and insights into breastfeeding a baby and parenting in the early days. 21 Goulburn families participated in these classes, held on 25 May 2019 and 10 August 2019.

As a follow up to each class, the Australian Breastfeeding Association partnered with accredited dietitians at Nutrition Australia to offer two ‘Introducing Family Foods’ workshops, to help new parents learn about which foods are best to begin with, about baby-led approaches to introducing solids and how to get their baby eating healthy family foods. Attendees received complimentary copies of Australian Breastfeeding Association publications. 24 Goulburn families participated in these sessions, held on 26 June 2019 and 4 September 2019. Two social catch ups were also held in Goulburn in July and October, facilitated by a Canberra-based volunteer. The organisation will continue to support these social catch-ups as they work toward recruiting and training volunteers based in Goulburn.

All events were promoted with flyers placed at Goulburn Hospital Maternity and Goulburn Library, and with community advertising on 2GN/Eagle FM and in the Goulburn Post. The local State and Federal Members of Parliament displayed flyers at their office, and the Australian Breastfeeding Association also promoted events using Facebook groups and pages targeted at Goulburn families.

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“Introducing solids to our babies can be loads of fun but many of us have questions about when, and how to begin. Babies are individuals, and we can help you find out

what works for your family to start your child on the path to healthy eating.”

Megan Fox, Australian Breastfeeding Association

Cooking Club Workshops Organisation Goulburn Agricultural, Pastoral and Horticultural Society Incorporated Amount Funded $2,990 Project Summary The 139th Goulburn Show was held on 2 and 3 March 2019. A Goulburn Local Solutions Grant funded interactive healthy cooking workshops for children, led by Bubble Muffin, aka Kevin Kapusi-Starow, a chef and educator with a passion for inspiring children to cook fresh food. Eight workshops were held across the two days of the show, in the Pavilion alongside the show’s produce and cookery entries. The workshops used local produce, linking with the goals of the Goulburn AP&H Society to help children to understand where their food is grown and sourced from, and seeing the possibilities of fresh, local produce. The workshops received social media coverage, and were included in the Goulburn Post’s coverage of the event.

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Creating Water Efficient Water Beds Organisation Goulburn Community Garden Inc Amount Funded $2,500 Project Summary A Goulburn Local Solutions Grant funded the purchase of materials for the Goulburn Community Garden to construct wicking beds for use at community workshops. A workshop on ‘How to Build a Wicking Bed’ was held on Saturday 11 May 2019. The Goulburn Community Garden developed the workshop material, provided teaching resources and plants. A second workshop on 28 September 2019 followed up the development of the bed over time, and to construct two new wicking beds using another method. The establishment of the wicking beds has allowed the Goulburn Community Garden to promote healthy lifestyles to those in the community particularly with limited mobility and/or language skills. The wicking beds have made gardening more accessible and easier to grow healthy vegetables. The project successfully built on existing community assets and the inclusion of a community education element has meant that the project is sustainable with the wicking beds now available to the community to use all year round.

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Water Wisely Organisation Goulburn West Public School Amount Funded $4,150 Project Summary A Goulburn Local Solutions Grant funded the establishment of filtered water stations for the students at Goulburn West Public School. The project provided better water drinking facilities to minimise packet juice and energy drinks being brought to school. Classes tracked their pre- and post-installation water consumption using the ‘My Water Balance’ App, which demonstrated increased intake of water across the student population following installation of the water stations.

4M (Meals, Mindfulness, Movement, Mentoring) Organisation Mulwaree High School Amount Funded $15,000 Project Summary 4M is a whole-school healthy lifestyle program developed by the school, aimed at improving the nutrition and wellbeing of students at Mulwaree High School. The Goulburn Local Solutions Grant funded a pilot with 224 Year 7 students, implemented during Term 3, 2019. Students, in weekly timetabled classes, participated in hands-on activities that promoted and modelled healthier lifestyle choices. Participants in the program spent time in a productive vegetable garden and home-style kitchen every week. Students were able to grow fresh, seasonal produce and use it prepare nutritious and delicious food. Student also participated yoga, activities on growth mindset, and exercise sessions run by the Goulburn PCYC. In Term 4 2019, the school offered a showcase day, where parents and students from local Goulburn public schools were invited to participate program taster sessions. The school’s overall vision is to become a health-promoting school, constantly strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working. Internal evaluation of the program will be used to determine whether to fund future programs within the school’s Resource Allocation Model (RAM) funding.

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Fighting Fit, Food Wise Organisation Mission Australia Amount Funded $12,200 Project Summary Fighting Fit, Food Wise is a new ten-week group program for young people aged 12-18 years. A pilot of the fitness and nutrition program was held during Term 3 2019 to support disadvantaged young people and their families. This project was delivered by Mission Australia in partnership with the Goulburn PCYC. The program consisted of meeting twice a week on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoons between 4pm and 6pm over a 10 week period. Participants were supported by a personal trainer to design a fitness program they could maintain beyond the classes, and parents were also invited to attend the cooking workshops, to learn how easy it is to eat tasty, healthy food on a budget. Seven youth completed the program, ranging in age from 12-15 years - four boys and three girls. There were additional participants that attended up to four sessions, but not on a regular basis. The program builds on the successful Fit For Life program, delivered by Goulburn PCYC in partnership with the Goulburn Place Plan and a number of local community service organisations. Fighting Fit, Food Wise builds on the existing program by specifically helping vulnerable young people and their families who are facing potential adverse health outcomes from poor health-related behaviours. Participants underwent an initial assessment with a personal trainer and dietitian to establish an exercise and nutrition plan. Each week, participants met with a personal trainer for a group session incorporating a number of activities, including cardio, weight and resistance training, components of boxing training, outdoor walks and activities, stretching, mindfulness and meditation. Participants received clothing, footwear, a sports bag, lunch box and drink bottle to support their participation in the program. These items where worn and/or brought along each week, to ensure participants were well equipped for the program. This also appeared to provide a sense of responsibility and commitment. A PCYC participant mentor was employed to work with each young person and their family throughout the program, and to coordinate all components of the program. The mentor also worked with the group for 2 hours per week delivering education sessions on healthy eating, physical activity, lifestyle choices, sleep, hygiene and screen time. Sessions with local services provided education to participants and families on healthy choices, budgeting and promoting physical activity as part of a regular family routine. Specialist support service information was provided by Headspace and the Hume Police District Participants were supported to explore options for exercise and activities which are of particular interest to them, and to experience new activities. Exercises were aimed at the age and capability of the participants, including light weights training, cardio and stretch exercises. As well as using the PCYC gym, community assets such as walking/hiking paths and outdoor gyms within Goulburn were used to expose participants to low cost/free activities available within the community.

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Healthy Eating Organisation Country Women’s Association – Mulwaree Branch Amount Funded $3,400 Project Summary The Mulwaree Branch of the Country Women’s Association ran six cooking sessions from May to June 2019 to increase the knowledge and skills of women to be confident in preparing healthy meals for their families. Women were supplied with recipes that were easy to follow and prepared with an emphasis on healthy eating. The sessions included information on budgeting, purchasing food, correct storage of food, and the benefits of bulk cooking. The workshops catered to a broad demographic, although attendance was not always consistent. At the completion of the project, community members that attended lessons were given a recipe book containing simple and easy to cook meals plus a hamper with all of the equipment they have used to prepare these meals. A referral partnership was developed with Anglicare, and surplus funds were used to purchase cooking equipment for future workshops. The group plans to continue to support emerging community cooking initiatives, to share their unique skillset with the Goulburn community. The group were connected with Goulburn Mulwaree Council to volunteer at the ‘Tasty Tuesdays’ cooking program alongside headspace Goulburn and Mission Australia, providing weekly cooking lessons to adolescents. Leftover funding was used to provide cooking equipment to the group.

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“After we completed our project, we had some surplus funds available and were

keen to keep going. Emma suggested other cooking programs in our area that we could support. With that in mind, Mulwaree CWA have been assisting with a project

being run by Headspace and Mission Australia, providing cooking lessons for children 12 - 18yrs each Tuesday.

Most of these children are from disadvantaged backgrounds, and we feel this is a fantastic project in helping children learn living skills. Not only have we provided

cooking equipment to the group, we are also volunteering as adult helpers.”

Denise Crouch, Country Women’s Association, Mulwaree Branch

Permanent Orienteering Course Organisation Orienteering ACT Amount Funded $12,155 Project Summary With the support of Goulburn Mulwaree Council, a permanent orienteering course was installed within the Victoria Park recreation precinct. Permanent orienteering courses offer flexibility and cater to a range of levels of experience and fitness. The course is suitable for families, school groups, community groups and individuals, and was launched in August 2019. Orienteering is a sport which involves finding marked control points with the aid of a map and compass. From the starting point adjacent to the centre of the park, there are options for short, moderate and long courses, providing a journey around the park. The course map and an instructional video can be downloaded at http://act.orienteering.asn.au/permanent/. Orienteering exercises have been shown to support participants to practice of map skills while actively exploring their community. In particular, children and school groups are supported to not only practice map reading skills, but to develop an eye for terrain, slope and accessibility, as well as an appreciation of map scale. Orienteering can help to develop confidence with maps and self-reliance outdoors, giving participants for making their own decisions. The permanent orienteering course encourages provides another level of use for Victoria Park, which is undergoing a significant redevelopment, and provides a lasting legacy for the Goulburn Local Solutions project.

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PONi (Paediatric Oral Nutrition Initiative) Support Project Organisation Public Dental Service, Goulburn Community Health Centre Amount Funded $1,500 Project Summary PONi is a dental treatment pathway, designed to identify and educate children and their families who report poor eating behaviours and dietary habits. To support the adoption of PONi at the Public Dental Service at Goulburn Community Health Centre, a tablet was purchased to enable children to be screened using the tool. The project assisted the unit to address childhood dental caries and provide early intervention strategies for addressing childhood obesity.

Sensory Garden Organisation Windellama Public School Amount Funded $6,500 Project Summary Windellama Public School engaged Sam Tabner Landscaping to design an outdoor learning space, incorporating a sensory garden that can be used by the whole school community, to explore their senses and nature within a safe environment. Outdoor learning environments are important for encouraging healthy behaviours and improving the physical, educational and mental wellbeing of children and young people. They allow children to experience nature play for all the benefits it provides: fostering interaction, autonomy, exploration and curiosity. The installation of the sensory garden was augmented by other garden projects within the school. With support from Goulburn Mulwaree Council, a tree was donated and planted to commemorate National Tree Day on 26 July 2019. The K-2 garden bed was replanted with support from Bunnings, who provided staff, plants, potting mix and gardening equipment for the project. The Goulburn Teapot Club donated a Friendship Bench for the space. A gardening roster was implemented, so that all students have the chance to care for the garden, connecting students to the natural world contributing to a sense of responsibility for the environment. Windellama Public School formally opened the garden in November 2019. Goulburn Mulwaree Mayor Bob Kirk and deputy Peter Walker attended the opening of the special new space for the students.

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Photos courtesy Sam Tabner Landscaping and the Goulburn Post

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Creative Fitness Organisation Southern Tablelands Arts Amount Funded $15,000 Project Summary Southern Tablelands Art’s Creative Fitness program explored the positive link between the arts and exercise. Running through March and April 2019, the program was supported by research that has shown physical, social and mental health to improve in those who engage with artistic activities. Classes involved light walking and creative activities in the grounds of the Goulburn Waterworks for people beginning their fitness journeys. Experienced art tutors and a personal trainer were also be on hand to help guide participants’ creative and fitness journeys. The program was intentionally designed for participants just beginning their fitness journeys, with no scales or weigh ins, boot camps or breathlessness. The series of workshops encouraged people to step outside, connect with others and begin the process of finding their fitness through mild exercise, companionship and creativity. Participants were able to choose between four creative practice streams, with three weekly sessions available for each stream:

Creative Writing with Sarah Rice

Ceramics with Camille Kersley

Dance with Zsuzsi Soboslay

Painting and Storytelling with Peter Swain A personal trainer attended each workshop to show participants how to get our heart rates up and exercise within their individual abilities. Over 40 participants were involved in the program with many returning for different artforms and continuing to increase exercise and fitness. There was significant community support for the program, which Southern Tablelands Arts developed into a regular program called Monday Crafternoons. Using leftover funds, the organisation offered 8 more free sessions from October with personal trainer Tess Wharton, followed by a lazy crafternoon at the Goulburn Waterworks, with participants working on their own projects or learning a new skill.

“Participants and instructors were all so open, welcoming and accommodating – only do what you can was a motto for the fitness aspect. It gave me a wonderful

sense of community and I feel that I got to know some wonderful people I otherwise wouldn’t have met.”

Participant Feedback, Creative Fitness

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Artworks from the Creative Fitness Ceramics stream with Camille Kersley

Targeted Support for School Canteens

The Goulburn Local Solutions project provided an opportunity to enhance existing work being

undertaken with school canteens by Population Health through NSW Health’s Live Life Well @ School

program.

Around half of schools in Goulburn Mulwaree LGA have a school canteen. Canteens may be run by

the school, the school council or P&C, or leased to a private operator. In some schools, food is

provided by an external provider, such as a community group, a bakery or a general store. The

canteen manager acts as an employee (paid or unpaid) who is managed by the management body.

The NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy promotes healthy food and drink choices for all students

in NSW. All public schools in NSW must meet the Food and Drink Criteria by the end of December

2019 and Catholic and Independent schools are also encouraged to participate in the strategy. Local

Health Districts are supporting schools across NSW to implement the strategy.

The strategy contributes to the Premier’s Priority 2015-2019 to reduce childhood overweight and

obesity by 5% by 2025. The NSW Department of Education and the NSW Ministry of Health,

Catholic Schools NSW and the Association of Independent Schools of NSW have all contributed to

the strategy.

Challenges commonly reported by canteen managers in Southern NSW LHD include recruiting and

retaining volunteers, accessing training, maintaining profitability and sourcing product suppliers in

rural areas. Tailored local support was provided through several articulating strategies:

Food Safety Supervisor Training

Individual Goulburn Local Solutions Grants

Establishment of the Goulburn School Canteen Network

As long-term adopters of the previous strategy (Fresh Tastes @ School) most canteens in Southern

NSW LHD are ‘healthy’, and are being actively supported by Health Promotion Officers to meet the

new benchmark by the end of 2019. Schools are invited to submit their canteen’s menu to the Menu

Check service, to provide evidence of their achievement of the criteria. Through this initiative,

Goulburn’s public schools had fully implemented the Strategy by the end of Term 3 2019, ahead of

schedule.

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Food Safety Supervisor Training

Food safety in school canteens is essential, particularly as children can be more vulnerable to

foodborne illness. While school canteens are not required to appoint a Food Safety Supervisor under

the Food Act 2003 (NSW), they still need to meet the food safety standards in the Food Standards

Code, and are subject to registration with, and inspection by, local council.

At an information session on the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy in early 2018, local canteen

managers raised that access to food safety training was a barrier to operating their canteen – the

training is required to operate a food business, is expensive for volunteers, and is not frequently

offered in regional locations.

TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute was engaged by Population Health to deliver face-to-face food

safety supervision units of competency, free of charge to local canteen managers, at Goulburn

Community Health Centre on 11 December 2018. 16 canteen managers from 7 primary schools and

4 high schools achieved their Statement of Attainment. As certified Food Safety Supervisors with the

NSW Food Authority, they are not able to provide a better level of onsite protection against foodborne

illness, and can prepare fresh food in their canteen with confidence.

“I feel much more confident to manage our canteen’s Food Safety program now.”

Food Safety Supervisor Training Participant

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Goulburn Local Solutions Grants for Canteens

The NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy has a focus on increasing the proportion of fresh,

homemade food, and the current canteen facilities at selected schools limit the school’s ability to meet

the strategy. Many regional and rural canteens report difficulties in sourcing suppliers of products that

are modified for sale in school canteens, and supporting canteens to prepare their own food mitigates

this challenge, and also assists the canteen to maintain profitability. High quality facilities also

improve the recruitment and retention of volunteers.

Funding for canteen upgrades was provided to four Goulburn schools through their managing P&C

body: Goulburn West Public School, Wollondilly Public School, Goulburn High School and Wollondilly

Public School.

The benefits of high-quality school canteen facilities extend beyond food provision itself. When

schools have upgraded their canteen facilities, they have seen a flow-on improvement to nutrition

education across the school – the facilities can be utilised by class groups, for fundraising activities,

and to support kitchen garden activities at the school.

Display cabinet purchased with a Goulburn Local Solutions grant, Mulwaree High School

“The P&C-supported canteen wanted to encourage a wider range of healthy eating options. A new display cabinet facilitates the active advertising and sale of fresh,

unprocessed foods in our canteen.”

Julie White, Canteen Manager, Mulwaree High School

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Goulburn School Canteen Network

Canteen networks are a common strategy used to allow canteen managers to connect with other

managers, share ideas and receive policy updates. Funding was provided to the Goulburn High

School P&C Association to establish and facilitate a network of school canteen managers for

Goulburn and surrounds, modelled on the established networks in the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla.

The network held their inaugural meeting at Goulburn High School in Term 2 2019, allowing them the

opportunity to meet with representatives from the NSW Premier’s Implementation Unit, the NSW

Department of Education and Southern NSW Local Health District. Following the meeting, the

Healthy Kids Association delivered a workshop on profitability for school canteens. The workshop

provided a basic introduction to the principles of profitability and best practices for running a viable

canteen.

The network will continue to meet each term, supported by Health Promotion Officers from Southern

NSW Local Health District.

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Goulburn’s Koori Cook Off

To celebrate 2019 NAIDOC Week, the Aboriginal Health team partnered with Population Health to

host a Koori Cook Off in Goulburn, building on the success of the inaugural 2018 event. Over 300

community members attended the Goulburn Koori Cook Off at Trinity Catholic College on 2 July 2019.

Both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community members were welcomed at the event, including

representatives from the health, community services, justice and education sectors.

The Koori Cook Off is an initiative of the Heart Foundation, and presents an opportunity to engage the

community in cooking with healthy, fresh and traditional ingredients. The aim of the Koori Cook Off is

to promote healthy eating and showcase how easy it is to cook great tasting and healthy food. The

initiative aligns with the goals of the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2013-2023 and the NSW Healthy

Eating and Active Living Strategy 2013-2018, and is supported by NSW Health’s Make Healthy

Normal social marketing campaign.

The Koori Cook Off is a fun, interactive event with four teams, each with four people. Each team

randomly draws a healthy, quick recipe which they then have to cook and present for judging based

on colour, presentation and taste. The event was opened by Mayor Bob Kirk, with an

Acknowledgment of Country from Chelsea Boney from Pejar Local Aboriginal Land Council, and a

performance from the Goulburn High School Didgeridoo Group.

Teams and judges were sourced from local schools and community leaders. The competing teams

were from Mulwaree High School, Goulburn High School, Crookwell High School, Trinity Catholic

College, The Hume Police District and Charles Sturt University (the NSW Police Academy), with

Goulburn High taking out the first round, and Mulwaree High the second.

The event also incorporated a service expo, with 13 local service providers attending. Wendy

Tuckerman MP also attended, and the event received media coverage in the Goulburn Post, Catholic

Voice and WIN News.

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Goulburn Play & Health Forum

The project team partnered with the Play, Creativity & Culture Project at the University of Canberra

and Southern Tablelands Arts to host the Goulburn Play & Health Forum on 10 July 2019, to explore

the potential of play in Goulburn and surrounds, with three core objectives:

To promote the benefits of play for health and wellbeing across the life-span, within

individuals, community groups, businesses and institutions in diverse and positive ways.

To explore how to make Goulburn a ‘playful’ city by identifying current sites and sources of

play, and develop playful ideas, events and resources for Goulburn and region.

To support cross-disciplinary collaboration with local government to encourage creative

practice, innovation and the efficient use of available resources around play

The forum was facilitated by Dr Cathy Hope at the Play, Creativity and Wellbeing Project, in the

Centre of Creative and Cultural Research in the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of

Canberra. The Centre has successfully delivered symposia in Canberra in partnership with the City

Renewal Authority and Canberra Museum and Gallery.

This forum provided an opportunity to explore health promotion in a novel way, with a focus on

activating rural communities through play. An exciting line up of speakers whose pioneering work in

regional place-making, creativity, the arts and health inspired attendees to think differently about the

many possibilities for enlivening and enriching regional environments. The forum also showcased

some of the work occurring in Goulburn now, with presentations from local community organisations

Attendees were welcomed by the Bridge to Sing Choir, led by music therapist Clare Jones. The choir

was formed in Goulburn in 2017 as a stepping stone for young people with disabilities to continue

singing once they had left school with the intention being a bridge into mainstream choirs.

Forum Presenters:

Dr Cathy Hope, University of Canberra

Play in the Regions

Dr Kylie Bourne, Regional Australia Institute

Liveability in Regional Australia

Jeremy Smith, Australia Council for the Arts

Health and the Regions Through Community Arts and Cultural Development

Kane Sparks, Swan Hill Rural City Council

Engaging Youth in the Regions

Sarah Nash, Clarence Valley Council

Activating Place: The Plunge Festival

Sarah Robin & Carolyn Ardler, North Coast Primary Health Network

The Healthy Towns Initiative: Healthy Placemaking With Community

Deb Muddiman, Mission Australia

Collaboration: Bringing Service Together to Create Communities

Susan Conroy, Southern Tablelands Arts

Making It Happen

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Acknowledgements

Population Health would like to particularly thank Bernadette Arnall, Holly Catt, Susan Conroy,

Kimberley Green, Dr Cathy Hope, Marion Knight, Rick Shipp, Daniel Strickland and Renee

Woodberry for their support of the Goulburn Local Solutions project. Thank you also to the following

individuals and organisations for their support:

Anglicare NSW South, NSW West &

ACT

Australian Breastfeeding Association

Barbara Nell Art Agent

Best Western Plus Goulburn

Bridge to Sing Choir

Camille Kersley

Caren Florance

Catholic Voice

Charles Sturt University

Country Women’s Association of NSW

– Mulwaree Branch

Flourish Australia

Flourish Music Therapy

Georgia Murcell

Goulburn Agricultural, Pastoral &

Horticultural Society

Goulburn Community Garden Inc

Goulburn High School

Goulburn High School P&C

Association

Goulburn Mulwaree Council

Goulburn Post

Goulburn Soldiers’ Club

Goulburn West Public School

Goulburn West Public School P&C

Association

Grand Pacific Health

Groweasy – Daniel Hartwell

headspace Goulburn

Hume Conservatorium

Hume Police District

MAZ Consulting

Mission Australia

Mulwaree High School

Mulwaree High School P&C

Association

NSW Police Force Academy

Orienteering ACT

Park Café

PCYC Goulburn

Pejar Local Aboriginal Land Council

Peter Swain

Play Activation Network ACT

Rainbow Faces

Rural Adversity Mental Health

Program

Sam Tabner Landscaping

Sarah Rice

Southern Tablelands Arts

TAFE NSW Northern Sydney Institute

Tess Wharton

The Smith Family

Trinity Catholic College

University of Canberra

Windellama Public School

Wollondilly Public School P&C

Association

Zsuzsi Soboslay

“Coming together is a beginning,

staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

Henry Ford