Health Innovation Grants

ROUND #1 2017-2018

Amazing Anatomy
A grant to Amazing Anatomy in the amount of $9,796.00 was approved for Amazing Anatomy Health Education. Amazing Anatomy is a health education program that aims to educate, encourage and inspire enthusiasm for children to optimise their health and well-being and make informed healthy decisions. By understanding how our body systems function; children can then identify the link between making healthy choices and optimising their health and well-being.

Newborough Primary School – Bridges Reading Support Training for Community Members
A grant to Newborough Primary School in the amount of $10,000.00 was approved for Bridges Reading Support Training for Community Members. The bridges program provides training for adult community members (and staff) who would be able to assist Primary school students 1:1 in developing their reading skills.

United Way Australia
A grant to United Way Australia in the amount of $10,000.00 was approved for Building Literacy for Children in East Traralgon with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. This program provides free monthly age appropriate books selected by early childhood specialists and delivered to the homes of 80 children deemed at risk of vulnerability through United Way’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL). The main goal of this is that all children in the East Traralgon area are healthy and successful learners in the early years of their formal schooling.

Flexible Learning Option – FLO Life Skills Centre upgrade
A grant to Flexible Learning Option (FLO) Kurnai College in the amount of $9,852.00 was approved for FLO Life Skills Centre Equipment Provisions. Funds were required to enhance the FLO Life Skills Centre Equipment as a lot of the equipment is second hand & is heading quickly towards the end of their life span. The Centre has been completed to serve as an instructional kitchen but to also offer other life skill competencies for example domestic cleaning, laundry and garment maintenance, budgeting, grooming & hygiene along with resume advice and interview techniques. They will also acquire a barista certificate, a food handler’s certificate and an RSA Certificate. As the students in at the FLO campus are somewhat disengaged from education, their skill levels are therefore quite low – which can decrease the likelihood of them moving onto further or higher education. Therefore, it is the aim of this Centre to address the need of increasing their employ-ability but also to engage them in a variety of activities to provide them with inspiration and aspiration for the future.

Flexible Learning Option – FLO Robotics Lab
A grant to Flexible Learning Option (FLO) Kurnai College in the amount of $10,000.00 was approved for Latrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option Robotics and Coding Lab. The vast majority of students at the ‘FLO’ school are present with significant behavioural, social and mental health issues. We understand the damaging effect these factors can have on general health and hope to mitigate this through a real world, hands on program focusing on robotics and coding that will give them practical, employable skills of the future. The project will also develop self-esteem, co-operative skills and cognitive skills such as creative problem solving through a mathematical, technical, and engineering framework.

Gippsland Centre against Sexual Assault
A grant to Gippsland Centre against Sexual Assault in the amount of $6,400.00 was approved for Gippsland CASA Connection Camp: Building attachment through adventure. To address the importance of family connections in the promotion of recovery & behavioural change, specialist clinicians developed a ‘Connection Camp’ to which was held at The Summit Adventure Camp in Trafalgar East. The ,main aim of this was to cultivate trust and attachment between young people and their parents. The project involved planning, delivery, and evaluation of a 3-day therapeutic adventure camp for GCASA SABTS (Sexually Abusive Behaviours Treatment Service) clients and their caregivers.

Val-YOU Reading Program
A grant to Kindred Spirits Enterprises in the amount of $10,000.00 was approved for Val-YOU Reading Program. The program will equip 30 local educators, parents, carers and community members with the knowledge and tools required to work with their own children to develop foundational language and literacy skills through an ASQA accredited Certificate IV (10028NAT) course. The program will work to mediate the current issues we face & positively impact children’s school readiness engagement/attendance.

Little Saints Early Learning Centre
A grant to Little Saints Early Learning Centre in the amount of $4,000.00 has been approved for Yard Revamp. The Yard Revamp would include things such as: obtaining a new fort/cubby house, as well as laying a section of synthetic turf. As well as a mud kitchen. The alterations will be completed by working bee’s attended by parents as well as members from the local community. These improvements would provide the community with a sense of ownership & accomplishment and it would also help the children to feel proud to attend the Early Learning Centre, as well as making centre more enticing & more welcoming for new families.

Mindful Living & Wellbeing
A grant to Mindful Living & Wellbeing in the amount of $7,500.00 has been approved for Latrobe Mental Health and Wellbeing Skills Course. This course is led by an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker with appropriate qualifications and over 20yrs experience in mental health care/promotion.
The reason for this grant is because it has recently been found that costing has been a barrier for some residents in the Latrobe Valley who would like to access the course to promote their mental health. The course will be delivered by targeting 3 groups – Low Income & unemployed residents of Latrobe, Young People & Parent/Carers living in Latrobe & People with mild to moderate mental health concerns who cannot otherwise access group mental health programs. Each group will have around 8-10 sessions each and each session will have content that teaches daily living skills, distress tolerance methods, preventing/managing crises, managing emotions, promoting healthier lifestyle choices, eating, sleeping, hygiene & much more.

Central West Gippsland Primary Care Partnership
A grant to Central West Gippsland Primary Care Partnership in the amount of $9,373.10 has been approved for Consumer Participation – Creating services that are easy to access and use through increasing consumer participation in health service planning and design.

Active Kids Churchill
A grant to Active Kids Churchill in the amount of $5,000.00 has been approved for Active Kids 2018 Expo. The expo is designed to promote local sports and recreation in Latrobe, steering children away from the mass of on line & digital engagement that is slowly becoming more & more apparent. The expo will see all Churchill sporting/recreation clubs presenting their activities/sports, along with Federation University. The aim is to get a good representation from children of all ages in the area.

Baringa Specialist School
A grant to Baringa Specialist School in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Bike Fitness and Education Program. The bike program is already currently underway for secondary students, however Baringa is seeking assistance to expand the program to their younger students. It is aimed to not only encourage physical activity amongst the students from a younger age, but also to educate the students in the essential skills of bike & road safety. Baringa would also like to see the students tracking their physical activity, with the use of a Fitbit or something of the like. They would record their distance daily, monitor their total km’s travelled, then enter their results on a chart when they return. This would not only encourage them to progress, it would also teach them skills in data recording, numeracy & literacy, benefiting the students far beyond the physical aspects of the program.

Boolarra Community Development Group
A grant to Boolarra Community Development Group in the amount of $3,800.00 has been approved for Boolarra and District Bike Trails. At the moment, Boolarra sees thousands of people coming to the town to ride the Grand Ridge Rail Trail. However, the Boolarra Community Development Group would like to see other trails exposed to the public. They believe that there are dozens of more interesting rides available & to assist with publicising these areas, they have proposed developing a functional website which lists all of the possible tracks/trails in the area.

G & S Tennis Academy
A grant to G & S Tennis Academy in the amount of $8,035.00 has been approved for Girls in Tennis. After noticing a massive decline in the number of girls participating in junior Tennis, G & S Tennis Academy have decided to offer Introductory Tennis Clinics offered to Latrobe Valley Grade 5/6 Girls from local primary schools at their local tennis clubs. The clinics will be followed up with 5 x 1hour tennis sessions which include a skills session, social chat session & match play. Incentives such as a free tennis racquet & subsidised Tennis Club Memberships will be key drivers to encourage participation of these clinics.

Kurnai College – University Campus – Movers & Shakers
A grant to Kurnai College – University Campus in the amount of $3,938.50 has been approved for Kurnai Movers and Shakers. As the Senior Students (years 10-12) of Kurnai College University Campus are based on Federation Uni grounds, the campus has very limited space & access to permanent outdoor equipment. These funds will be used to purchase portable outdoor sports, fitness & play equipment to encourage and help to get their students moving. This will not only increase physical activity within the students, but will also help to improve their mental health/wellbeing, increase their concentration abilities, decrease stress levels & increase their social interaction in a positive & healthy environment.

LV Bus Lines – Employee Health & Wellbeing
A grant to Latrobe Valley Bus Lines. in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Tackling health and wellbeing amongst the transport industry – Latrobe Valley Bus Lines Employee Health and Wellbeing Initiative. It is known that Transport Industry workers have a lot higher prevalence of modifiable lifestyle disease factors compared to other industries. Higher levels of obesity, inadequate fruit & vegetable intake, lack of physical activity & experiencing abuse/aggression are just some of these attributes. LVBL will implement an initiative led by two Health & Wellbeing Team Members, aimed at improving the overall health and wellbeing of their employees by highlighting the above mentioned areas.

Energetic Gymnastics
A grant to Energetic Gymnastics in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Learn to Move Latrobe. Learn to Move is a program aimed at 1-3 year olds and their parents which involves combining fundamental movement classes with healthy eating and positive parenting support. The program will be delivered at Energetic Gymnastics in Morwell and Traralgon and there is capacity for multiple classes per week. It is intended for local children to experience the benefits of gymnastics and for their parents to be empowered to create a healthy and nurturing home environment that enables themselves & their children to reach their full potential.

Yinnar Primary School – Learning Landscapes
A grant to Yinnar Primary School in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Learning Landscapes. This grant will be used to redevelop the traditional school playground into an innovative and inclusive environment for children to enjoy & flourish. Some of the landscapes to be developed over time will be: Vegetable Garden, Chicken Coop, Desert Garden, Orchard, Dry Creek Bed, Wetlands, Native Bushland Teams which will consist of Primary School Staff, Student Leaders & representatives of the wider community will be involved in the introduction of the areas and will closely support the children transitioning into the 21st Century learning landscape.

Yinnar & District Community Garden Inc
A grant to Health Champions Latrobe in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Let’s Grow Food Program. The Let’s Grow Food initiative aims to help to improve food security, reduce food miles and educate the Latrobe community on the benefits of locally grown food. This project plan aims to expand and further develop the existing Let’s Grow Food – seed sharing initiative into a program that combines the seed distribution component with education and resources to support and build the capacity of the Latrobe Community to grow their own food. The program aims to increase community connectedness, promotes healthy eating and improves opportunities and environments for healthy eating.

Health Champions Latrobe
A grant to Yinnar & District Community Garden Inc. in the amount of $7,837.00 has been approved for “Moving & Feasting” – with Yinnar Community Outdoor Pizza Kitchen & Kitchen Pantry workshops. The outdoor Pizza Kitchen will be built via community workshops & will provide new opportunities for the celebration of good healthy food via community cook ups whilst harvesting fresh food directly from the community garden. Led by the Yinnar Community Garden, who have held 30 community workshops in their seven-year history, the workshops will provide valuable lessons in self-sufficiency & will enhance the health & wellbeing of our community members. .

Steven Murphy – Beekeeper
A grant in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Beekeeping, Health and Independence. Steven has proposed a ‘Pride of Place’ Project, teaming up with ‘Bees’ as the facilitators. The project which will be broken into two components (Human & Environmental), will see 5 attendees attend a five-day course (4 weeks in total) and they will encompass the health benefits of being a beekeeper & the various products sourced from Bee’s, how to extract & process the various beehive products, how to use the tools & equipment correctly/safely, basic beekeeping business introductory, organic beekeeping practices & learn how bees interact with our environment. The project is aimed the change people’s perception of bees and beekeeping from simply a ‘hobby’ to something that can become a self-sufficient & rewarding business as well as provide some environmental awareness to those that attend the courses.

Traralgon Neighbourhood Learning House Inc
A grant to Traralgon Neighbourhood Learning House Inc. in the amount of $10,000.00 has been approved for Serving the Valley – Kitchen Challenge. Working with Rob Rees to start a Kitchen Challenge event as part of Serving the Valley project. The kitchen challenge takes 6-8 participants and works over an 8 week period to culminate in a meal for 40 people. Participates come away with an improved relationship and understanding of food and of themselves. Rob Rees is a UK’s leading chef and food hero dedicated to creating a better food culture for Britain and Australia. Traralgon Neighbourhood Learning House Inc believe that bringing Rob to the Valley will build capacity & innovation in our community as well as build awareness of the value of fresh local food.

Federation University, Clemente Steering Committee
A grant to Federation University, Clemente Steering Committee in the amount of $9,894.00 has been approved for Clemente – Community-Embedded Education. Clemente provides courses in the humanities and social sciences for marginalised and isolated members of the community. The project will see students complete four courses, one per semester, provided free of charge by Federation University Australia and supported by community and human services organisations. The main objectives of the program are to increase the commencing number of students to 17 per semester, increase awareness of Clemente in the community, increase the number of Clemente sites & also to bring in additional partners capable of contributing support.

ROUND #2 2018-2019

Quantam Support Services
A grant to Quantum Support Services in the amount of $7,540.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for the Quantum’s Unification, Engagement, Strengthening and Transition (QUEST) program. The purpose of the QUEST program is to bring women aged over 50 together to engage in a “safe space” where they can explore their talents, skills and expertise. The group provides an opportunity for participants to develop friendships and connections, to explore their own abilities, encourage one another and find their place as members within the community, in whatever form that takes. The grant application seeks funds to meet costs associated with activities such as craft, art in various forms, outings, excursions, market trips, op shop trips etc. A bulk of the program staffing costs are currently unfunded and expenses met by Quantum.

Gippsland Womens Health
A grant to Gippsland Women’s Health in the amount of $9,090.91 (excluding GST) has been approved for the Gender Equality Artwork Project. In a Gippsland wide poster competition, school students who have participated in the Respectful Relationship in School initiative submitted posters of what gender equality means to them or what respectful relationships look like. These beautiful posters have been displayed across Gippsland in art galleries and other public spaces during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. To extend the reach to the wider community, this project will display some of these posters on the back or sides of buses in the Latrobe Valley, to highlight the importance of and to promote respectful relationships and gender equality in the community.

Kurnai Secondary College
A grant to Kurnai Secondary College in the amount of $9090.91 (excluding GST) has been approved for the Morwell Kurnai Performance Arts Centre Speakers and Hearing Augmentation Project. Part of the rebuild of Kurnai Secondary College Morwell campus includes a new auditorium. The school has self-funded the additional space to have a stage area however sound is not within the scope of funding provided by DET for projects. The school has become more and more an open door community school and this will only enhance this. Part of our learning community has previously been disengage with education and any actions that break down these barriers can only improve educational outcomes.

Moe Neighbourhood House
A grant to Moe Neighbourhood House the amount of $8,272.73 (excluding GST) has been approved for the Participant/Volunteer/Staff Cool Zone project. This project aims to provide a safe environment for participants, volunteers, and staff to work, learn, and connect with their community, that is of a comfortable temperature, particularly during the warmer months, that can be a refuge for people who cannot afford the cost of running heating/cooling in their own homes. By making upgrades to their facility, Moe Neighbourhood House can provide a ‘designated cool zone’ where people could spend time engaging in social inclusion in an environment that is adequately cooled & comfortable.

Soroptimist International Gippsland Inc
A grant to Soroptimist International Gippsland Inc. in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Gippsland Women’s Network – Web Portal. The project is aiming to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ which will bring together community and service groups for women & girls through the central Gippsland region. The web-based portal will have two key functions: to assist women in need to find the relevant services and community groups & also to provide a mechanism for women involved in community groups to help each other. The GWN Web Portal allows women and girls to find out what is available for support, and learn about the services and community groups, before the intimidating experience of walking in the room for the first time. Groups can also coordinate events, share resources and cross-promote their individual services.

Aussie Broadband
A grant to Aussie Broadband in the amount of $9,088.64 (excluding GST) has been approved for the outdoor area revitalisation project. To assist in encouraging the broader community in developing health habits for life, Aussie Broadband would like to revitalise their outdorr space to encourage more outdoor socialization and physical activity across their two call centre locations in Morwell. They would like to also boost their healthy eating initiatives by adding a staff-maintained herb & vegetable garden. There are approximately 170 staff at Aussie Broadbands’ two call centres in Morwell, and each of those staff members are part of a family and wider community that live, work and play in Gippsland. Improving the ordinary lives of our staff members has flow-on affects to the quality of life in their families and local communities.

Energy Australia Yallourn Pty Ltd – Power to the people
A grant to Energy Australia Yallourn Pty Ltd in the amount of $9,200.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Power to the People – Tackling health and wellbeing amongst the Power Generators Industry. Energy Australia Yallourn would like to extend their focus in preventing injury/managing health by now reducing risk to mental illness & promoting further the physical health/wellbeing of their employees. This will be implemented by organised physical activity during lunch breaks, specific back strengthening exercises, & a series of lectures delivered by health professionals (subject catered specifically to the demographic of workers at Energy Australia, Yallourn.

Prema Shanti Yoga and Art
A grant to Prema Shanti Yoga and Art in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Embedding Yoga and Mindfulness into Primary Schools in Latrobe City. This project will see smaller rural schools participate in a Yoga and Mindfulness Program connecting to art and literacy within the school curriculum. The project, led by Yvette Atkins, will train students and teaching staff & provide the mechanisms to embed a comprehensive curriculum based program within each school.

Morwell Central Primary School
A grant to Morwell Central Primary School in the amount of $6,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Fruit & Serial. The funds will be used to provide fresh fruit in classrooms, every day for the students to eat during story time – teaching students that fruit is the easiest, healthiest & tastiest snack to reach for. Students will then be encouraged to bring other fruits & vegetables to school from home, expanding their knowledge of the different fruits & vegetable available to them & also educating them on the different seasons of the year.

Kurnai College, Latrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option
A grant to Kurnai College, Latrobe Valley Flexible Learning Option in the amount of $9,059.09 (excluding GST) has been approved for Green Valley Gardens. The Green Valley Gardens is a program that aims to help FLO students learn about growing your own food and how to use this food in order to maintain a healthy diet. This project would also hope to garner community support and involvement to build and forge links with the local community. It will also help to educate the students further on sustainable living and healthy eating.

Newborough Men’s Shed
A grant to Newborough Men’s Shed in the amount of $8,840.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Healthy Microwave Cooking for Men. This project is aimed for men who do their own cooking & due to certain circumstances may or may not have experience is using an oven or other cooking tools. Therefore, they often opt for unhealthy take-away options. This program will take these men through a 6 x session course, which will teach them skills in purchasing, preparing, cooking & preserving healthy food. Lessons will be provided by staff of LCHS & will aim to prevent men from falling into unhealthy eating habits.

Latrobe Valley Bus Lines
A grant to Latrobe Valley Bus Lines in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for improving Health and Wellbeing within the Latrobe Valley Bus Lines. Latrobe Valley Bus Lines (LVBL) has a strong focus on staff health and wellbeing, having delivered a number of initiatives. LVBL wishes to extend this, and create a healthy workplace and workforce by: Providing outdoor kitchen and break out area and additional garden beds, providing healthy interactive cooking sessions, encouraging staff to also conduct healthy interactive cooking sessions with each other and also provide sporting equipment. Bus Driving is largely sedentary, with only brief periods of physical activity, which can lead to serious health issues such as obesity, diabetes & cardiovascular disease.

Newborough Primary School
A grant to Newborough Primary School in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for improving health and fitness to improve academic outcomes. Newborough Primary wishes to expand their current Physical Education &Kitchen Garden classes to include health elements which would focus on areas such as: Physical Activity, Healthy Food, Mental Health & Dental Health. These additional elements would require external groups/organisations such as Dental professionals, Medical Professionals, Rural Ambulance Victoria, CFA, Victoria Police, Nutritionists & hopefully many more. The main drive for this is that majority of the students from Newborough Primary are from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, many live and/or are living in traumatic home environments where domestic violence & drug abuse is high. The staff of the school see this initiative as a great way to hopefully guide/steer the students in the right direction.

Regional Roads Victoria
A grant to Regional Roads Victoria – Eastern Victoria in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Staff Health & Well-being Program. This program will assist to raise awareness and educate staff on the importance of healthy eating, physical activity & positive mental health. A Range of activities will be undertaken during this project, including onsite health checks, motivational speakers, walking step challenges & many more – all of which will be led by Eastern Victoria HWB Group.

Traralgon Bowls Club
A grant to Traralgon Bowls Club Inc. in the amount of $10,000.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Junior School Bowling. Traralgon Bowls Club/Committee have noticed that there is an extreme need for students (especially Primary) to learn and participate in a non-contact, non-gender based, family friendly sport such as Lawn Bowls. TBC have a highly motivated and keen voluntary group of our Members who look after the program and are eager to expand it much further from 2019 onwards. Between both the Traralgon and Morwell Bowls Clubs it is a goal to each set-up “Junior Acadamies” that will provide a future path for keen and talented bowlers to pursue a career nationally and internationally. The Acadamies will open up opportunities to compete in metro leagues, major local, state and interstate tournaments and also give them the opportunity to compete for State and National selection.

Tyres Pilates Program
A grant to Tyers and District Community Association in the amount of $3,750.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Tyers Pilates Program. This project designed to increase the number people participating in physical activity through attending weekly pilates classes for two terms as well as creating an opportunity for connecting with other community members at the activity. The classes will be tailored to suit both the more and less active. It is hoped that this project will lead to other physical activity initiatives in the town including walking groups as people get to know their neighbours and share their common interests.

Latrobe Valley Beekeepers Association Inc
A grant to Latrobe Valley Beekeepers Association Inc. in the amount of $7,636.36 (excluding GST) has been approved for The Value of Bees – Educational Events Trailer. The Value of Bees – Educational Events Trailer will be the centrepiece of the educational & awareness program that the LVBA will be rolling out. The purpose of this project is to build on the success and the huge attention and interest the club received at the Morwell Rose Garden Festival. The club is now required to be able to attend events, garden shows, schools, agricultural shows, markets and the like and to spruce the benefits of the club; the importance of beekeeping to society and especially to the Latrobe Valley; and to bring together members so that both knowledge and fun can be shared.

Traralgon Community Development Assoc. Mental Health Education in LV Secondary Schools
A grant to Traralgon Community Development Association in the amount of $4,200.00 (excluding GST) has been approved for Mental Health Education in Latrobe Valley Secondary Schools. Latrobe City has been highlighted as having significant disadvantage, including mental health problems and above average state and national suicide rates. The teen & youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program is aimed to increase the volume of students, parents, teachers & community members in recognising mental health problems, intervening early, dealing with crisis and where to go for help.

Therapy Dogs in Schools – Morwell Park Primary
A grant to Morwell Park Primary School in the amount of $9,454.55 (excluding GST) has been approved for Therapy Dogs in Schools. After noticing the significant benefits that Therapy Dogs have on children’s mental health & wellbeing, Morwell Park Primary wants to arrange for Therapy Dogs to be placed into at least 4 schools’ across the Valley. They will work with trained Wellness Coordinators and Teachers to help children with anxiety, anger issues, behaviour & wellbeing. To ensure that the dogs are used correctly, safely & to their best potential, the school would like to put the dogs through the ‘K9 Support’ training program which helps train the dogs & their handlers.