Department of Health
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2019 saw the start of a collaboration between Healthy Tasmania and Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania in the Active Living Challenge. Twenty-five houses took up the challenge and completed creative community projects to encourage community members to get active.
Phoenix House
Phoenix Community House supported 42 King Island families to complete their learn to swim and aqua fit programs. The Active Living Challenge enabled the purchase of essential equipment and classes were fully-booked.
One parent said: “PCH Learn to Swim has done an amazing job with Maggie, she now has the confidence in the water and loves swimming.”
“Living on an island, swimming is vital for our community, not just in terms of recreation but survival. We are very thankful to have our children protected while having a lot of fun in the water,” another parent said.
Phoenix Community House project co-ordinator Beth Rosser with swim class.
Goodwood Community Centre
Goodwood Football Club was established in 2018 by families who wanted to provide their young children with a chance to participate in organised sport.
Goodwood Community Centre supported the children’s love of sport by providing uniforms to enable them to play in the Northern Suburbs Junior Football Association competition.
Although currently suspended due to COVID-19, we will see children can take to the field in style in coming seasons thanks to the grant for uniforms.
Goodwood Football Club players in their new uniforms
Devonport Community House
There were some very excited children last Christmas who received a bike and safety equipment after winning a competition held by Devonport Community House (DCH).
The two children and six adults who received bikes, through the Active Living Challenge, participated in a bike maintenance workshop so they could look after their new wheels.
These bikes enabled community members to get active and to cycling to local services, overcoming limited public transport.
DCH hosted an event at a local park, where they awarded the bikes. This event also provided opportunities to discuss ways to overcome safety issues with council staff such as inclusion of a ‘road safety bike trail’ in the park. This is now a project idea being further developed with council and other service providers.
Devonport Community House bicycle winners
Bucaan Community House
The Bucaan walking group enjoyed healthy catering following their walks last year to places including Risdon Brook Dam, Bagdad and Pontville. The Active Living Challenge helped provide walking poles to loan for walks, and subsidised bus trips and lunches. This enabled more seniors to get out and get active.
The community garden at Bucaan Community House continues to attract new participants.
Fruit and vegetable production continues to increase as do social opportunities. The Active Living Challenge helps buy new equipment to use in the garden. Fresh produce was shared among gardeners and enjoyed by all at the weekly community barbecues.
Bucaan Walking Group gatherings
Starting Point Neighbourhood House
More than 55 people have been getting strong and active through regular attendance at the ‘fitball’ and ‘strength and stretch’ classes hosted by Starting Point Neighbourhood House. Participants with chronic health conditions have benefitted from the exercise bands bought through the Active Living Challenge.
The bands allowed them to attend the classes and continue their exercises at home.
One participant was unsure if she was strong enough to get involved in the classes. After joining, she said she felt much stronger after just three weeks and was keen to keep moving.
Starting Point Neighbourhood House Fitball Class
West Winds Community House
Locals are feeling the benefits of getting active when they attend the West Winds Community Gym.
The Active Living Challenge enabled the purchase of a new treadmill. This has allowed more senior community members to use the gym to keep fit and for rehabilitation following surgery.
“Thank goodness the treadmill is back – I’ve missed it” one gym user said.
Personal trainer Carolyn Carius says: “The treadmill is an essential piece of equipment in the gym and is regularly used.”
Over 370 people use the community gym each month ranging from school students to residents over 80.
Active gym user from West Winds Community House
George Town Neighbourhood House
Community members attending events at George Town Neighbourhood House will have the opportunity to get active on a smoothie bike for years to come. It has already proved popular with locals at a New Year’s event.
Midway Point Neighbourhood House
Gardeners can now pause, rest and enjoy the stunning views from Midway Point Neighbourhood House community garden from the locally-made seating bought with the Active Living grant.
Children and the young at heart have more opportunities to get active using the new physical activity equipment. Children in the Kids Club and school holiday programs have had fun using the balls, scooters, badminton, soccer goals and gardening tools.
Construction of the new seat for Midway Point Neighbourhood House Community Garden
Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood House
Made by a local family and installed by locals from the Tasmanian Prison System reintegration program, community gardeners can now find a comfy seat to enjoy their garden produce.
Seven new seats, will enable more residents to enjoy picnics in the garden at Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood House.
Regular garden users, including children from the local childcare centre and permaculture groups, as well as those with limited mobility, will benefit from a place to pause while getting active in the garden.
Leanne, manager of Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood House, enjoying a cuppa on one of the new seats
Okines Community House
Community members can now get active through playing games at Okines Community House. With the purchase of a giant outdoor chess set and connect four, people who visit the centre can now challenge their bodies, minds and each other to a fun outdoor game.
Healthy Living Challenge 2020
Healthy Tasmania is excited to build on our partnership with Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania for the Healthy Living Challenge in 2020. So far nine houses have taken up the challenge and will runinitiatives rangingcooking sessions for children with allergies, connecting people through health and wellbeing evenings, buying equipment for community gyms to facilitating a garden training course to boost the skills of community gardeners.