Healthy Lifestyle Expo

1. Healthy Lifestyle Expo Town of 1770 July 21st 2013 Click here for audio

3. Agnes Water/Town of 1770 Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 is located on the coast between Gladstone and Bundaberg in Central Queensland. The population of Agnes Water/1770 is 1830 permanent residents with a very high transient population. The main industry is tourism with the population doubling during school holidays and it remains a popular destination for the ‘grey nomads’. Included in the catchment area for this health promotion activity is the Rural southeast and its population of 3643. This covers the area from Turkey Beach to Baffle Creek inclusive of Miriam Vale, Rosedale, Bororen, Colosseum and Lowmead.

5. Background The Discovery Coast Community Health Service (DCCHS) successfully applied for funding from the Rural Primary Health Services (RPHS) through the Preventative Health Initiative (PHI) to provide and maintain access to relevant health promotion and health preventative programs and activities designed to promote health and wellbeing. The purpose of the Expo is to showcase healthy living as well as providing an opportunity for local vendors to offer samples of locally grown produce and promote the purchase of local produce. Service providers display information on the services available in the area. The community are able to try then enrol in sporting activities available in the community. The inaugural Healthy Lifestyle Expo was held in August 2011. Utilisation of a community capacity building approach was to be implemented to help develop local solutions for local health issues.

6. My placement is with the Discovery Coast Community Health Service (DCCHS) in Agnes Water. I work Wednesday from 9-4.30 and started my placement on May 1st. My work schedule will be flexible as an increase in participation will be required as the date of the Expo draws closer. I was required to participate in an interview process to ensure DCCHS could meet the requirements of the university and supervise a productive placement and complete an orientation day with Gladstone City Council. DCCHS is administered by the Gladstone City Council with funding for services and programs from the Department of Health and Ageing until June 30th then it will become part of the Bundaberg Medicare Local. My direct supervisor is Deb Sanderson (Community Support Worker) and I am also required to report to the manager Cheryl Barrett. DCCHS provides many services for the local community including a youth support program, counselling services, community nurse, dietician and child health nurse with a visiting podiatrist, physiotherapist and diabetes educator.

7. Roles and Responsibilities • My role is to • Plan • Implement • Evaluate • the Healthy Lifestyle Expo working closely with my supervisor and other team members. To achieve this I am currently reviewing the processes followed when conducting the last two Healthy Lifestyle Expos. Extending this to include the community I have scheduled participation in local community events including the 1770 Captain Cook Festival and attending the local market days.

8. Planning • Familiarising myself with the outdoor venue • Promoting the event on the DCCHS Facebook site and in the local newsletter The Monthly Check Up delivered to all households • Participating in local Community events • Supporting my supervisor with the distribution of Registration forms and flyers to individual vendors, sporting groups and businesses • Informing and updating guest presenters and visiting service providers and exhibitors • Liaising with local vendors and ensuring they are aware of what is available at the venue and what they will be required to provide • Reviewing previous evaluations, identifying improvements that may be introduced and presenting them to other members of the planning team • Attending planning meetings • Providing all documentation for review by my supervisor

9. Implementation • Maintaining an accurate record of the steps taken to stage the Healthy Lifestyle Expo • Promote the Expo through all media venues • Support all staff and participants in the lead-up time and throughout the event • Encourage community and individual participation in the event and evaluation • Explore the capacity of the community to sustain the event • Identify potential leaders, clubs or individuals who will support and run the event in the future • Promote physical activity by encouraging the community to walk to the event on the day

10. Evaluation • Design individual evaluation documents for the exhibitors, vendors and the public • Set up an evaluation station at the Expo • Present the evaluation questions to all team members for input prior to distribution • Review all evaluations • Complete a report on the Healthy Lifestyle Expo • Include recommendations community commitment to continuing the event

11. The expo provides a fun day out for the whole family. The community and visitors have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in some great outdoor activities with Life-Be-In-It, sample locally grown produce, view different cooking techniques demonstrated by the visiting celebrity chef, challenge their skills by competing in a cook off, review local services and sign up for their favourite sporting activity before rewarding themselves with a healthy lunch off the BBQ. Fellow students are welcome to attend.

12. References Issel, I 2009, Health program planning and evaluation, Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury. McKenzie, J, Neiger, B & Thackery, R 2005, Planning, implementing and evaluating health promotion programs, Pearson Education, San Francisco. http://profile.id.com.au/gladstone/home Wagemakers, A, Koelen, M, Lezwijn, J & Vaandrager, L 2011, ‘Coordinated action checklist: a tool for partnerships to facilitate and evaluate community health promotion’, Global Health Promotion, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 18-28, (online ProQuest).