ECEC recipients win share of $1.7 million in grants from ACT Gov to encourage health

The ACT Government has recently awarded $1.7 million in grant funding to ten community programs which encourage people to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and create supportive environments for this to happen. 

 

The latest round of Healthy Canberra Grants have included two early childhood education and care programs, which are offering programs to create a positive food and healthy eating culture within early childhood settings and to encourage physical activity and healthy eating for families with children and young people.

 

The broader focus of the Grants is to continue the Government’s emphasis on supporting healthy ageing, reducing alcohol-related and smoking-related harm and reducing overweight and obesity in the community.

 

ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Government was “continuing our investment in targeted programs that will make a real difference to the positive health and wellbeing of our community”.

 

“The knowledge, skills, resources and relationships of local community groups are invaluable in supporting Canberrans help tackle risk factors that contribute to chronic disease,” she added. 

 

The full list of 2019-20 and 2021-22 Healthy Canberra Grants recipients and summary of their program:

 

• Northside Community Service will receive $495,502 for the Community Health Activation Network (CHANGE) program, supporting marginalised or at-risk members of the community to access, engage in and lead a healthy and active lifestyle.

 

• Worldview Foundation will receive $233,787 for the Smoke, Booze and Drug Free Prison Post-Release program, providing pre- and post-release alcohol and other drug related support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander detainees at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

 

• OzHarvest will receive $225,000 for the NEST 2.0 (Nutrition Education Sustenance Training) program, to build on NEST activities focused on improving the food literacy and dietary behaviours of vulnerable adults.

 

• Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education will receive $181,801 for the Pregnant Pause – Be a Hero, Take Zero program. This program will build on the Pregnant Pause (swap the pub for your bub) campaign to create an environment where women are supported by the whole community to have alcohol-free pregnancies.

 

• Nutrition Australia ACT will receive $147,900 for the Nourishing Little Minds in Early Childhood Settings program focused on creating a positive food and healthy eating culture within early childhood settings.

 

• Uniting Church Kippax will receive $144,869 for the United Healthy Ageing program, a holistic program focused on supporting healthy ageing in adults aged 50 years and above.

 

• Companion House will receive $141,390 for the Healthy Happy Life حياة سعيدة صحية program. This is an Arabic language-based program focused on encouraging physical activity and healthy eating for families with children and young people.

 

• MARSS Australia will receive $82,368 for the Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) program, a nutrition education and physical activity program for migrants and refugees from various culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

 

• Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education will receive $79,021 for the Reaching Men in the ACT program, exploring the most effective methods to engage with men about their drinking habits and aims to increase awareness of the harms associated with risky drinking.

 

• The Woden School will receive $59,160 for the Stronger Us program, a whole school community program primarily focused on creating an environment that provides healthy nutrition and physical activity opportunities.

 

For more information on the Grants, please see here.