{"id":591,"date":"2025-05-28T09:30:09","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T23:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/stagingpartyline\/?p=591"},"modified":"2025-05-29T16:46:35","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T06:46:35","slug":"building-a-healthier-future-in-rural-nsw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ruralhealth.org.au\/partyline\/building-a-healthier-future-in-rural-nsw\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a healthier future in rural NSW"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two innovative and community-driven programs are tackling the vast distances and limited services that shape health and daily life in regional New South Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HealthWISE, a not-for-profit organisation serving North West NSW and Southern Queensland pioneered the Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) and the Nutrition Education and Skills Training (NEST) Regional programs, both previously only available in metropolitan areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHealth outcomes are strongly influenced by social factors like housing, education, employment, and access to nutritious food,\u201d HealthWISE manager of impact Sarah Dean explained. She said the programs are making a meaningful impact in rural communities by equipping everyday people with the knowledge and skills to enhance their own wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empowering Youth for a Healthier Future<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Transforming health education in high schools across the New England North West region, SALSA equips Year 10 students with leadership and communication skills, enabling them to mentor younger students on the importance of physical activity and healthy eating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKids are usually in the passenger seat when it comes to health advice,\u201d HealthWISE executive manager of strategy Sally Urquhart said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSALSA has momentum of its own because it\u2019s peer-led. The program takes the teenager out of the passenger seat and into the driver\u2019s seat because they\u2019re<\/a> the ones sharing the message with their peers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023-2024, SALSA reached five regional high schools in Glen Innes, Tamworth, Gunnedah and Narrabri, with 163 year 9\/10 students trained as peer leaders. These senior students then reached over 600 year 7\/8 students, inspiring them to set personal health goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through engaging, interactive lessons delivered by University of Newcastle Department of Rural Health students, the teenagers were encouraged to become change-makers in their schools and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m excited to pass this down to the year sevens because it teaches them how they can move forward and live a healthy lifestyle and also have a lot of fun while doing it,\u201d Farrer Memorial Agricultural High student Liam Griffiths said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact extended beyond the classroom, leading to a school breakfast program at Oxley High, which provided over 6,300 nutritious meals in its first year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One previously metropolitan based university student, Sophie Cann, discovered her love for rural health while volunteering as a SALSA educator, and has since joined HealthWISE as a graduate dietitian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI enjoyed learning about this program, and I know how much it taught me. Being able to teach that to other students has further enhanced my knowledge,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutrition Education for Stronger Communities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Providing hands-on education to improve food literacy, cooking skills, and overall wellbeing, since January 2024, the NEST Regional program has reached a diverse range of country people, many who face food insecurity and come from low socio-economic backgrounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFood insecurity often leads to less nutritious diets,\u201d HealthWISE health and wellbeing officer Emma Knights said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNEST can help by improving confidence and self-efficacy to budget for, buy and make affordable nutritious meals, that are both tasty and easy to prepare.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The six-week workshops focus on preparing low cost, zero-waste, healthy meals while fostering social connection and emotional wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI loved seeing participants who were previously unknown to each other working together as a team in the kitchen and sharing stories about their lives,\u201d Emma said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since January 2024, HealthWISE has delivered six NEST programs. Over half of participants surveyed said they had increased their vegetable intake, while 70.6% reduced discretionary food consumption and 76.5% said their cooking confidence had improved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy partnering together with schools, universities, and local organisations, HealthWISE is creating sustainable change, proving that small, community-driven interventions can have a lasting impact on the health and resilience of rural communities,\u201d Sarah said.<\/p>\n

\r\n
\r\n\r\n
\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"A\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Beyond the bedside: cultural immersion in rural nursing placements <\/a>\r\n\r\n

\r\n Rural healthcare remains the lifeblood of the nation's health system, grounded in community connection, resilience, and adaptability. As a nursing Read more<\/a> <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"High\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Building a healthier future in rural NSW <\/a>\r\n\r\n

\r\n Two innovative and community-driven programs are tackling the vast distances and limited services that shape health and daily life in Read more<\/a> <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"Photo\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Ageing in Place: A student-led aged care initiative in rural WA <\/a>\r\n\r\n

\r\n Walking into Northcliffe Family and Community Centre for the first time, two occupational therapy students and their supervisor are met Read more<\/a> <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n

\r\n
\r\n \r\n\r\n \"BSHS\r\n\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n \r\n Rural allied health student placements strengthen aged care at Beaufort & Skipton Health Service <\/a>\r\n\r\n

\r\n Across rural and regional Australia, communities are ageing, and the shortage of health professionals is increasingly evident. At Beaufort and Read more<\/a> <\/p>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\r\n\r\n