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Australian Health Promotion Association
News From the West June 2018
The Australian Health Promotion Association is the only professional association specifically for people interested or involved in the practice, policy, research and study of health promotion.
Editors Catrina Wold
Kirsty de Blanken
Carl Heslop
Laima Ziedars
Australian Health Promotion
Association (WA Branch)
Committee 2018 Leadership Group
Co-Presidents: Lorena Chapman & Courtney Mickan
Vice President: Karen White
Secretary: Kirsty de Blanken
Treasurer: Liz Bradshaw
General committee members:
Rudie Marshall-Lang
Carl Heslop
Kirsten Beckingham
Laima Ziedars
Bethany Martin
Alicia King
Daniella Brown
Click here to find out more about your 2018 committee members.
From the Committee
Welcome to the June edition of the News from the West, your member newsletter with updates from
the WA Branch.
After appointing the new committee at the 2018 General Meeting of Members (see page 3 for a wrap up of this event),
we were excited to see the regional representation of the committee grow to nearly 50%. This is the highest we’ve
known it to be and consider it to be crucial part of our endeavours to continue moving forward with the Branch’s
regional and remote engagement strategy. With AHPA members (and committee representatives) working from the
Kimberley region to the far South West, and everywhere in between we want to ensure that our membership services
are inclusive and equitable for all.
The 2018 AHPA year has had a busy start with the committee reviewing the Branch Operational Plan to ensure our
activities align with national priorities and capture the incredible work of the WA Branch. This will help to ensure we
are continuing to bring value to our WA members. The new Operational Plan will be ready to implement from 1 July
2018, for 12 months, to bring us in line with strategic activity happening at a national level.
You will have seen that the applications for Health Promotion Practitioner Registration opened on 1 May. This is an
exciting initiative for the health promotion sector as it will help to ensure the quality and credibility of the Australian
health promotion workforce. If you haven’t already done so, we strongly encourage you to submit your applications to
earn the title of IUHPE Registered Health Promotion Practitioner. Additionally, we encourage employers of health
promotion practitioners to start using the Health Promotion Practitioner Registration in the recruitment process for
health promotion positions. For more information visit the AHPA website.
We hope you enjoy this update from the AHPA (WA Branch).
Happy reading!
Scholarship Update AHPA (WA Branch) Health Promotion Scholarships funded by Healthway
Keira Bury
The 2018 Health Promotion Scholarship recipients are now well underway with their projects addressing a diverse range of populations
and health promotion issues. Regional scholarship recipient, Tori Jamieson, is working with the Kimberley Population Health Unit on a
community development project to improve social inclusion and mental health outcomes in a neighbourhood in Broome. Tori is
designing, implementing and evaluating a series of pay-as-you-feel suppers where people can come together to eat, drink, make art,
listen to music and meet new people. The project offers a mentoring program for young people which leads to involvement in the
‘Supper Club’ events. The first events held in April involved students from Clontarf Academy who assisted in preparing food for over 50
attendees. Tori is further developing partnerships with community members and stakeholders to ensure cultural competency,
continuous improvement and sustainability.
Aboriginal scholarship recipient, Suzanne Clews, is working with the Child and Adolescent Community Health (CACH) to establish health
promoting playgroups for Aboriginal children aged 0-4 years in the Perth metropolitan area. So far, two playgroups have been
established in the Cockburn and Maddington area in partnership with Arche Health achieving a great turnout from the local Aboriginal
community during term 1. Working with the CACH Aboriginal health team, Suzanne has assisted in linking families with another
Aboriginal playgroup in Redcliffe and is liaising with a local primary school to commence a Bentley playgroup for term 2 which will focus
on increasing enrolment of Aboriginal families into the KindiLink Program. The next stage of Suzanne’s project will be working with the
CACH Research and Evaluation team to evaluate the playgroup program.
Graduate scholarship recipient, Melissa Evans, is working with Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health (CERIPH)
at Curtin University. Melissa is exploring the different influences on alcohol consumption, healthy eating and social connectedness
amongst young people involved in sports clubs through a quantitative survey and case studies. So far, Melissa has developed the survey
which will be open to young people aged 18 – 30 years old who play sport and live in WA. The survey includes questions on alcohol
consumption, alcohol-related harm, healthy eating options and social connectedness (including volunteering) and is being distributed
online via social media. It is hoped that the survey data will inform health promotion strategies for sports clubs in WA. During the next
phase of the project, a case study approach will be used to support two sports clubs develop strategies to address issues that affect
young people in their clubs. To help develop these strategies, focus groups with young people (aged 18-24) and interviews with key club
contacts will be conducted.
Graduate scholarship recipient, Shea Hatch, is working with the Heart Foundation (WA) to develop a framework for translation of
evidence for the Healthy Active by Design (HAbD) tool. The project involves a robust evaluation of the HAbD tool and will investigate
opportunities in which it could be utilised and recognised by relevant stakeholders as part of their core business. To date, an evaluation
survey has been prepared to measure stakeholder engagement with HAbD, specifically reviewing barriers to implementation of the
tool. A review of relevant policy and publications is also being undertaken to provide a strong framework for the research moving
forward. The next phase will include key stakeholder engagement and an in-depth review of relevant case studies and partnerships from
around Australia. Shea aims to establish systems for continual quality improvements in program implementation, increased uptake of
the HAbD tool, and dissemination of the outcomes to relevant stakeholders.
Reflection on Ray James Memorial Lecture: Isabel Ross
Luke Ringin
At the WA Branch 2018 General Meeting the annual Ray James Memorial Lecture was presented by Isabel Ross and Chantelle Jeffery. Isabel gave
an interesting look into the opportunities and challenges associated working in a regional setting. Isabel conducted the lecture remotely via a
video link from Geraldton to help represent the day-to-day responsibilities of working regionally and to advocate for an increased regional
presence across the health promotion sector.
Isabel discussed the elements of health promotion program planning, implementation and evaluation, partnerships, communications and report
writing, technology and knowledge. Informing us of the opportunities associated with working in a regional setting, Isabel taught us how she is
given the opportunity to fill many health promotion roles in projects including planning and decision making on funding and future strategies. The
flip side is that you are often seen as the content expert among the community, whereas other health professionals may be a better choice for
queries.
Unfortunately, over the years Isabel has seen a reduction in health promotion jobs in regional settings and many jobs are now short-term
contracts, leading to a decrease in the quality of work you're able to implement as a professional. Isabel went on to mention how the decrease in
jobs has been caused by a decrease in funding, knowledge and support for health promotion.
The fantastic presentation was concluded with some strong recommendations on how to improve health promotion in regional Australia, including
greater mentoring programs, and increasing skills and knowledge of health promotion among managers and leaders to support prevention
activities.
WA Branch 2018 General Meeting Wrap Up
Reflection on Ray James Memorial Lecture: Chantelle Jeffery Melissa Evans
Chantelle’s presentation on working regionally was both inspiring and motivating. Chantelle began her presentation with a brief introduction of herself. Chantelle was born and raised in regional WA, and then
moved to Perth to study and begin her career in health promotion. Chantelle has since returned to the country and is currently the manager of the Wheatbelt Public Health Unit. A day in Chantelle’s life starts and
ends with long drives in the countryside (something of which I am envious of) and involves regular meetings with her team.
Throughout her presentation, Chantelle discussed how she still uses a health promotion approach to guide her work, and how working regionally allows you to incorporate all of the health promotion principles into
your work. I found this to be incredibly appealing as you have more opportunities to be directly involved, and you can see first-hand how your work is helping the local community to be healthier.
Like Chantelle, I was born and raised in the country and moved to Perth to attend university. I have just begun my career in health promotion, and I have always thought that I would move back to the country after I
had retired. However, Chantelle’s presentation has given me the realisation that returning to the country lifestyle and having a rewarding career in health promotion is much more achievable than what I previously
thought.
So in response to Chantelle’s concluding question: are you up for the challenge? I’d say yes, I am up for the challenge of working regionally in the future.
Reconciliation Action Plan WA Branch
The WA Branch launched the initial phase of our Reconciliation Action
Plan (RAP) journey, Reflect March 2018-2019. Lisa Rooke discussed
the journey the WA Branch has taken thus far and reflected on
activities to further the WA Branch’s reconciliation path. The occasion
was highlighted by the release of artwork completed for the WA
Branch by Dr Mick Adams, a descendent of the Yadhiagana/Wuthathi
peoples of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland (on his father’s side)
and having traditional family ties with the Gurindji people of Central
Western Northern Territory (on his mother’s side).
2017 Co-Presidents Award
The WA Branch would like to congratulate Kirsty de Blanken in recognition of being awarded the 2017 Co-Presidents
Award. Kirsty has given her time and expertise to the WA Branch for three years, serving on the Member Services
subcommittee, chair of the Advocacy and Partnerships subcommittee, and currently on the Leadership Group as Branch
Secretary. In addition, she gives her time on the national NAO Communication Committee, and the Membership and
Communications Committee. Kirsty’s skills have helped support the WA Branch through the development of the What is
Health Promotion Poster, multiple advocacy submissions, the development of the 2017 State Election Guide, and valuable
contributions to the Member Services promotional plan.
WA based health promotion reports & resources
Health Promotion in the Pilbara WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Health Promotion Team
The WACHS Health Promotion team in the Pilbara recently refined the What is Health Promotion poster to specifically represent
their work regionally within the Pilbara.
Will we be seeing you in Canberra?
The AHPA Health Promotion Symposium Better Practice Better Placed is
heading to Canberra on 23 and 24 August 2018.
The Symposium aims to encourage analysis, debate and provide opportunities
to network, discuss, and share practices, research and policies that have led,
or will lead, to better and more equitable population health outcomes. It is an
opportunity to share and assess where we are in health promotion and what
we need to do, to be better placed to ensure a healthier population within
supportive social, built and natural environments.
In Australia, a rapidly growing, ageing, and diverse population along with
substantial ecological, political, economic and social change has led to broad
and complex health needs and inequities. At the same time we face a range
of planetary level challenges that will have or are already having an impact on
population health and wellbeing.
At the Symposium we will explore challenges and identify opportunities and
actions in policy and politics, places, partnerships and programs that
contribute to building sustainable and liveable places with equitable
opportunities and a healthy planet for all, now, and for future generations.
The Symposium’s main focus areas are: Policy, Power and Politics;
Populations, Partnership and Programs; and Planet and Place.
For more information and to register visit: http://ahpa2018.com.au/
Quick links to resources
HPJA virtual issue: Looking Back, Looking Forward - 30 years of the Ottawa Charter
HPJA virtual issue: Health Promotion Workforce
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and youth justice: a prevalence study among young people sentenced to detention in Western Australia
What is known about pathways to mental health care for Australian Aboriginal young people?: A narrative review (with links to work completed in WA)
Healthier Workplace WA, Decoding food labels: Food marketers commonly use words like natural, lite, superfood or gluten-free to convince us that what we are buying is a food that is more wholesome and
healthy. Unfortunately, this is just silly marketing tactics. Read more here.
New Sexual Health Quarters (SHQ) Consumer Engagement Group: SHQ is trialling a new Facebook group to allow interested consumers to have a say in the design, delivery, evaluation and improvement of their
services and resources in WA. You are welcome to respectfully share your thoughts, access the group here.
Be Safe, Stay Well Campaign: The Department of Health is rebooting its ‘Be Safe. Stay Well’ sexual health campaign for international students in 2018. The four short videos were developed in consultation with
international students and aim to give students from across the world a good understanding of sexual health topics and the health care system in WA. ‘Be Safe. Stay Well’ posters can be printed and free fold-out
wallet cards can be ordered via [email protected].
Base Camp aGender: Base Camp aGender is a monthly drop-in space for trans and gender diverse young people who are experiencing homelessness and disconnect from family in WA. It’s a place to be with peers
and be themselves in a safe and supportive space. Open Saturdays once a month – contact [email protected] or 9388 2791 for details.
Vaping: Electronic cigarette use and their online promotion: Do you, or someone you know currently use e-cigarettes, or have done so within the last 12 months? Researchers from Curtin University are seeking
current and past users who are 18-39 years old and live in within the Perth metro or Peel region of WA. This research aims to better understand the reasons why people initiate, continue and cease electronic
cigarette use, and how they are promoted and discussed online and on social media. For more information please email [email protected].
The Find Cancer Early ‘Rural doctors bathroom’ TV ad campaign: Launched 8 April and aims to increase community awareness of the early symptoms of the five most common cancers (bowel, breast, lung,
prostate and skin) and encourage people to visit their doctor, Aboriginal health worker or clinic nurse if they notice any unusual changes in their body. Find Cancer Early is funded by the WA Department of Health
and targets people aged over 40 living in regional WA, with a particular focus on people in remote and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The TV commercial will be on regional WA channels
until early July 2018. This campaign will be complimented by radio, newspaper, Facebook, YouTube and Gmail advertising. Click here for more information.
FREE Aboriginal Health Promotion Short Course 23-27 July 2018 Submit your EOI now for this 5 day short course at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies at Curtin University, Bentley. The course is suitable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples already working in the health sector, those wanting to move into the area and those wanting to incorporate health promotion principles into their role. Please share with your colleagues and community and be quick as we are limited to 25 places! Download the EOI and submit to [email protected] by 6 July 2018. View the short course flyer for more info. This course is supported by the AHPA (WA Branch), Healthway and Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet.
Did you know we are on Twitter & Instagram?
We now have 3,577 followers on Twitter. The Branches take turns hosting the twitter account each month to ensure we keep you up to date on relevant health
promotion information from the twittersphere.
@AHPA_AU
@AHPA_AU
Australian Health Promotion Association (WA Branch)
Address: 38 Surrey Road, Keswick SA 5035
Tel: 1300 857 796
International: +61 8 8120 2022
E-mail: [email protected]
www.healthpromotion.org.au
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