Between May 17th and 20th, the North Queensland Sports Foundation (NQSF) travelled along the Overlander’s Way, meeting with each Council to discuss the Move It NQ project and Glencore Overlander’s Way Festival of Sport. During this time, they also attended and sponsored the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils Assembly. The assembly provided the NQSF with the opportunity to meet numerous Mayors and CEOs from councils throughout Western Queensland, sharing both NQSFs events and projects portfolio.
Bella Hickson (Program Coordinator) and Stephen Farrell (NQSF CEO) met with representatives from the Flinders Shire Council, Richmond Shire Council, McKinlay Shire Council, Cloncurry Shire Council and Mount Isa City Council. They were able to discuss the common and unique challenges of each LGA to better understand how the NQSF can support its’ LGA members and sustainably impact the health of communities. The NQSF has identified a shortage of trained personnel available to deliver community health and wellbeing programs in rural and remote Queensland as a shared barrier. To increase the resources available within remote communities the NQSF is investigating training opportunities to upskill locals with a Certificate III in Fitness and increase community capacity to deliver programs.
These discussions are merely the beginning and will inform the development of a Capacity Building Program for the 2021/22 financial year. The NQSF’s objective for a capacity building program is to identify and provide place-based programs that will effectively deliver a long-term sustainable solution across the region. With the aim to partner with LGAs; build the communities capacity to take ownership of community physical activity, health, and well-being; assist communities to take control of their health promotion initiatives; increase community ownership of the health agenda; and improve the success of community health promotion programs. Place-based programs are essential to address the unique health and capacity building needs of rural and remote Queensland. Move It NQ’s sustainable place-based programs are designed and delivered in partnership with LGAs, sharing a commitment to collaboration and outcomes. The programs are designed around local needs, local solutions, and the unique attributes of each community, using local knowledge.
Move It NQ anticipates community needs-analysis to be completed in August 2021 and understands that the delivery model of the Capacity Building Program will depend on the individual needs of each identified region. Community capacity building is central to the foundation of health promotion, with strengthening community action being a core strategy of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO 1986). All Move It NQ programs are based on evidence collected during needs-analysis and consultation processes, to optimally meet each individual community’s needs. The NQSF is eager to continue community needs-analysis and expand its service delivery into the area of community capacity building for NQSF’s North Western LGA members.
