Media Release
31 August 2022
Positive Outcomes for Local Wellbeing Program
The Naracoorte Lucindale Wellbeing Program has evolved from a pilot program into a successful model, according to its 2021-2022 Evaluation Report.
The Evaluation Report, which was presented to Naracoorte Lucindale Council’s August meeting, reflects on a year of successes, key achievements and significant community impact in the 2021-2022 financial year.
The Naracoorte Lucindale Wellbeing Program was established in January 2021 when Council secured funding through Wellbeing SA to co-design and implement the Program and funding is now secured until October 2023.
Throughout 2021-2022, extensive data was gathered to measure the success of the Program’s initiatives and impact in the community.
Focus areas for the Program were: increasing opportunities to be active, improving wellbeing through food, strengthening community engagement and social connectedness, and supporting positive mental health and wellbeing. The Program is predominantly targeted at children, young people and their families; older adults; and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Key findings from the Evaluation Report include:
*The program delivered 22 initiatives with the help of 38 delivery partners, reaching more than 1,650 people.
*The average score given by participants regarding the impact of initiatives on their immediate wellbeing was 4.46 out of 5, indicating that participants felt the initiative had a high and positive impact on their immediate health and wellbeing.
*The initiatives were found to achieve increased physical activity, inspired people to become healthier, increased knowledge about health and wellbeing, supported positive impacts on mental health, reduced social isolation and increased sense of belonging in community.
Notable achievements of the Wellbeing Program in 2021-2022 highlighted in the report include:
*Demonstrated immediate and medium-term impacts on participant health and wellbeing.
*The appointment of a Project Officer.
*Establishment of a Community Reference Group.
*Development of a Wellbeing Plan to align the direction of the Program with the overall regional and State level approach to health and wellbeing.
Through Wellbeing SA, the Evaluation Report will be tabled with the Minister for Health and Wellbeing and the Chief Executive and Executive Directors at Wellbeing SA.
Over the next 12 months, the Naracoorte Lucindale Wellbeing Program will have a strong focus on new initiatives with a particular focus on improving wellbeing through food and supporting positive mental health and wellbeing.
Some of the new initiatives include:
*Development of a mental health resource to support children, young people, and their families in identifying and accessing local mental health services.
*Integration of health promotion messages, in particular healthy eating, into programming at the Naracoorte Library.
*Working with local youth to increase the accessibility of activities.
To read the 2021-2022 Evaluation Report in its entirety and find out more about the upcoming initiatives of the Naracoorte Lucindale Wellbeing Program, go to Council’s website at https://bit.ly/nlcwellbeing or to see more about what our partner Wellbeing SA is doing to support wellbeing visit wellbeingsa.sa.gov.au
‘This is a joint project between the Naracoorte Lucindale Council and Wellbeing SA’