PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION 1:
THE ROLE OF NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT
ORGANISATIONS
Unit 3
Area of Study 1
Chapter 3
KEY KNOWLEDGE
 The role of government and non-government organisations
in promoting adherence to the National Physical Activity
Guidelines in schools, workplace and communities,
including VicHealth, National Heart Foundation, State and
Federal Government departments

A range of individual and population-based Australian
physical activity promotion initiatives and strategies.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION – WHY DO IT?

As a class, discuss the relevance and importance
of physical activity promotion, reflecting on what
was learnt last lesson
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 Why promote physical activity?
 How could physical activity be promoted?
 Who should it be promoted to?
 What are some potential benefits of promoting PA?
 What are some of the potential barriers of
promoting PA?
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO PROMOTE ACTIVE LIFESTYLES
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As a result of social, environmental and lifestyle
changes over many years, opportunities to move
and expend large amounts of energy as part of a
daily routine are becoming limited due to such
things as:
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Increasing use of technology & labour-saving devices
Increased reliance on motorised transport
Urban planning
Increased working hours
Increased demand on public open space
Increased demands on the education curriculum
Changing leisure patterns
ROLE OF GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS
IN PA PROMOTION
 The
Australian Government’s Department for
Health and Ageing is responsible for the
monitoring and promotion of health
behaviours, including physical activity
 The
Government commits millions of dollars
to the establishment of a national
monitoring, evaluation and research system
to the promotion of physical activity
ROLE OF THE HEART FOUNDATION IN PA
PROMOTION

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The Heart Foundation works closely
with all levels of government and other
health organisations, community
groups and the media to promote heart
health and implement policies and
programs that improve the
cardiovascular health of Australians.
This includes preventative programs related to
cardiovascular health risks (such as smoking or
physical inactivity), and programs catering for
patients in recovery from cardiovascular events
ROLE OF THE HEART FOUNDATION IN PA
PROMOTION
The Heart Foundation’s mission is to reduce
suffering and death from heart, stroke and blood
vessel disease in Australia.
 The heart Foundation has an enormous array of
programs and resources to promote physical
activity and the adherence to physical activity
guidelines
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Some examples of physical activity promotion through the
Heart Foundation include …
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Promoting awareness of healthy lifestyles via massmedia campaigns
Forming partnerships with government departments
to provide advice about physical activity research and the
development of guidelines and policies
Educating and informing people by publishing an
enormous array of print and web-based information
about the benefits of physical activity
Promoting physical activity in schools via Heart Week
and programs such as Jump Rope for Heart
Raising funds for heart health research
Coordinating Heart Foundation Walking, Australia’s
largest network of community-based walking groups lead
by volunteers
GROUP RESEARCH TASK

In small groups, use the Healthy and Active Australia
website (http://www.healthyactive.gov.au/) to research one of the
following health promotion strategies:
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Getset 4 Life
The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
The 2007 Australian National Children’s Nutrition and
Physical Activity Survey
Healthy Weight
How do you measure up?
Australian Sports Commission Active After-school
Communities
Get Moving
…GROUP RESEARCH TASK
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You are to find out the following information for your
initiative:
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The organisation behind the program
Year of implementation
What type of initiative it is (i.e. TV commercials, policy,
print media, numerous types, etc.)
The aim of the initiative
The target population
Any other important information
You are then to summarise the information, filling in
the class table on the whiteboard, and copy out the
completed table of each groups’ initiative into your
books.
(Summary table on following slide)
SUMMARY TABLE FOR GROUP RESEARCH TASK
Initiative
Organisation
Type of
initiative
Target group
Aim of
initiative
Year of
release
Important
info
Getset 4 Life –
Habits for
Healthy Kids
Stephanie
Alexander
Kitchen Garden
National
Program
Healthy Weight
National
Children’s
Nutrition &
Physical
Activity
Survey
Active AfterSchool
Communities
How Do You
Measure Up?
Get Moving
MULTI-MEDIA PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAMPAIGNS
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Watch the following short clips as a class, and discuss
after each, the target audience; what you think about the
particular approach taken; pro’s & con’s, etc.
Get Moving Campaign (Aus - Kids)
http://youtu.be/JPQjLeeooKo
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Find 30 (Aus – Adults)
http://youtu.be/xzEiHLUnjtU
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Life. Be in it. (Aus - 1980’s - jingle)
http://youtu.be/LQ5KC1s3YZo
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Swap it, don’t stop it (Aus – current)
http://youtu.be/FG8IAxHqtFo
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Get Active Campaign (Soccer – Europe)
http://youtu.be/AY5AILaXDdA
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Move Your Body (USA – Beyonce – NABEF – ‘Let’s Move! Flash Workout’)
http://youtu.be/mYP4MgxDV2U
BE ACTIVE AUSTRALIA
A FRAMEWORK FOR HEALTH SECTOR ACTION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
2005-2010
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The Strategic Inter-Governmental Forum on
Physical Activity and Health (SIGPAH -1999) of
the National Public Health Partnership (NPHP 2004) developed the Be Active Australia
framework.
BE ACTIVE AUSTRALIA…
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Figure 1 showed the overarching strategies for
achieving long-term and sustainable physical
activity improvements within various settings
The Be Active Australia framework specifically
focuses on population groups most at risk of
being insufficiently active for health, including:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
 People who are culturally and linguistically diverse
 People with a disability or chronic condition
 People who are geographically isolated
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BE ACTIVE AUSTRALIA…
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The following figure shows a summary of the
BAA framework, including the strategic focus
and identified action areas
STATE GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
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State governments also have important roles to play
in the promotion of physical activity by funding
research, mass-media campaigns and local initiatives
within a range of settings
Victorian government departments (including the
Department of Health, Department of Education and
Early Childhood Development) in partnership with
other organisations (such as Bicycle Victoria,
VicHealth, Kinect Australia, Diabetes Australia,
Cancer Council, and universities) fund a broad range
of health initiatives and educational programs
designed to promote physical activity.
VICHEALTH
The Victorian health Promotion Foundation
(VicHealth) is a statutory authority which fosters
change in the social, cultural and physical
environments that influence the health of all
Victorians
 VicHealth provides support across a wide range
of health areas, including physical activity,
mental health and wellbeing, tobacco control,
healthy eating, alcohol misuse and health
inequalities.
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THE ROLE OF VICHEALTH IN PROMOTING
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Promotes physical activity by providing an array of
information via print and web-based media
 Promotes strategies for increasing participation by
funding sporting clubs so that they can buy equipment
and train coaches and staff
 Tackles inequalities in sport and active recreation
by supporting community organisations that conduct
programs for disadvantaged or at-risk youth and
groups with limited access to PA and sporting
opportunities
 Provides funding in the form of scholarships and
grants for individuals and clubs
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VICHEALTH SUPPORTED INITIATIVES
Initiative
Target
group
Description
Strategies used
Cycling for Health
(Bicycle Victoria)
Women 35+yrs
Program designed for
women to build cycling into
their daily lives
• Testimonials
• Goal setting
• Created partnerships
Creating a sporting
Chance
(RMIT, Vic Uni,
Bundoora Netball &
Sports Centre)
People with
intellectual
disabilities
Development of a netball
program
• Undergraduate
students as program
leaders
• Tailored for people
with special needs
• Affordable
Bridging Gaps with
Basketball
(Northern Migrant
Resource Centre in
Preston)
New immigrants
(teenagers)
Program to establish
ongoing basketball teams
for teenagers from
culturally & linguistically
diverse backgrounds
• Developed an
understanding of the
issues new arrivals
face in their daily lives
• Developed strategies
to overcome language
barriers
• Made uniforms
available & affordable
OTHER STATE GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES
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A few examples of major initiatives supported by
the State Government in Victoria include:
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Go for your life
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(Promotes active living, walking, active recreation, sport)
Kids – Go for your life
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(School and community programs)
Walktober
 Walking School Bus
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