Food Security

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Health Promotion is about improving people’s control over the determinants of their health. It focuses on making population health better, before individuals become ill.

The key objective of the Colac Area Health’s Health Promotion program is to work with, and for the community to achieve positive health outcomes for the Colac Otway region.

A person’s health is affected by many factors such as environment, access to housing, safety, social and economic circumstances known as the social determinants of health. If we improve the social determinants in people’s lives we improve their health. 

The Health Promotion Program works with partners and other organisations in the community, including the Colac Otway Shire, and schools to improve these social determinants, Health Promotion focuses on everyday life. Examples of health promotion work include:  

• Advocating for smoke free playgrounds
• Creating safe sidewalks and tracks for walking and cycling
• Setting up community gardens or community kitchens

Colac Area Health guides its work in Health Promotion through our Integrated Health Promotion Plan and the following principles:

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion

World Health Organisation 1986

The Department of Human Services (2003) guiding principles for Health Promotion

1. Address the broader determinants of health, including the social determinants

(Listed below):  

Base activities on the best available data and evidence.

1. Act to reduce social inequities and injustice.
2. Emphasise active consumer and community participation.
3. Empower individuals and communities.
4. Explicitly consider differences in gender and culture.
5. Work in collaboration.

The Health Promotion Program at Colac Area Health uses a ‘whole of community’ focus and works with partners to plan and develop ideas. The three priority areas of action for Colac Area Health’s Integrated Health Promotion Plan (2012-2013) are:  

HEALTHY EATING

Colac Area Health aims to support the community to access food that is nutritious, affordable and secure. Projects include: Food security mapping (food retail and transport), Victorian Healthy Food Basket Survey and identification of emergency food relief programs.

ORAL HEALTH

Colac Area Health aims to increase positive oral health outcomes for Early Years. This includes programs such as: Smiles 4 Miles, Kinder Kapers, and the Achievements Program.

TOBACCO CONTROL

Colac Area Health aims to reduce the harm of tobacco in the community. Projects include: Advocating for smoke free environments, Smoking Cessation clinics, World No Tobacco Day and previously completed a ‘No Tobacco’ film project at Colac Secondary College.

Colac Area Health is a member of the Victorian Network of Smoke Free Healthcare Services.  For more information, click here.

To view details of our Smoking Cessation Clinic, click here. 

For further information please contact

Health Promotion Coordinator  

Tel:  5232 5140

healthpromotion@cah.vic.gov.au

To view the Health Promotion Plan for 2012-2013, click here

To view the Health Promotion Plan for 2009-2012, click here

To view the Health Promotion Plan for 2006-2009, click here