We all know Queenslanders love to win, and on Friday 21st October, Move It NQ represented all of Queensland at the National AUSactive Industry Awards in Sydney and walked away with the inaugural National Award for the “Most Inclusive and/or Diverse Program” in the Community category of these awards.
The Move It NQ program is operated by the North Queensland Sports Foundation (NQSF) and an excited NQSF Chair, Cr Maurie Soars, sees this achievement as a wonderful recognition for the hard work and professionalism for the NQSF team to be recognised as the best in Australia after just four years of operation.
“This is wonderful recognition for the hard work and professionalism of the NQSF team,” said a very excited NQSF Chair, Cr Maurie Soars, “to be recognised as the best in Australia after just four years of operation is an extraordinary achievement.”
AUSactive Awards
AUSactive is Australia’s peak Health and Exercise Industry Association with the largest register of exercise professionals and facilities across Australia. The Community categories recognise the great work that individuals, gyms, studios, fitness centres, businesses, local Councils, not-for-profit groups and clubs to every day to provide exceptional physical activity participation in their community through health, well-being and exercise programs.
The introduction of the new community categories at this year’s awards was about recognising programs and initiatives at a community level that have been specifically developed to target specific needs within a local area.
According to AUSactive CEO Barrie Elvish, “Move It NQ is a shining example of how to help more people in our communities live more active lifestyles by reducing barriers to exercise.”
Move It NQ
The Move It NQ program started in 2018 in partnership with the North Queensland Primary Health Network to deliver place-based activity programs targeted at issues relating to obesity and ageing.
Since then, Move It NQ has also partnered with the Western Queensland Primary Health Network and now delivers programs across the 24 North Queensland councils that are members of NQSF.
“The support of the Public Health Networks across northern Queensland for the Move it NQ Program has been outstanding” said Cr Soars, “and with that support the program is delivering life changing activity experiences for Queenslanders across our northern regions from the Torres Straits to Isaac, and from Mornington Island to the Whitsundays.”
The Move It NQ program has achieved extraordinary results, particularly in the delivery of programs to the small local government areas in regional and remote North Queensland. In the past four years Move It NQ has established 202 activities/programs with 4048 individual sessions held and 52,514 participations. These participants have rated their sessions 4.9 stars out of a possible 5.0, with 77% of respondents reporting an improvement in the health and 19% identifying as Indigenous.
Cr Soars added that providing activity, nutrition and well-being support for regional and remote communities, where issues of obesity and ageing are impacting these communities, is critical to both community health and good economic and social community outcomes.
