Brimbank
Physical Activity
Strategy
A more active Brimbank is a
happy and healthy Brimbank
3 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
1. Introduction
Physical activity is critical in everyday life to
support good overall health and wellbeing. Regular
participation in physical activity reduces the risk
of chronic diseases, including diabetes and some
cancers and is also associated with improved mental
health, wellbeing and community connectedness.
The negative impact of physical inactivity on life
expectancy is similar to those of smoking and obesity.
The annual economic cost of physical inactivity in
Australia, including healthcare, productivity and
mortality costs, is estimated at $13.8 billion.
Brimbank residents are amongst some of the most
vulnerable communities to a range of health issues.
The Brimbank community has high levels of obesity
and has the second highest rate of diabetes in
Melbourne with Type 2 diabetes twice as prevalent in
Brimbank as in Melbourne and Australia.
Regular physical activity can have
substantial health benefits even in
small doses. However one-third of
adults and four-fifths of adolescents
worldwide do not meet recommended
levels of physical activity. Inactivity
rises with age, is higher in women
than men, and is increased in high
income communities and countries.
(Physical activity, sport, and health in the City of
Brimbank, A report to Mitchel Institute for Health
and Education, 2014)
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 4
2. Vision
Empowering the Brimbank community to be happy, healthy and active.
3. Purpose
To provide opportunities for the entire Brimbank community to be physically active resulting in a healthier and
happier community through improved health outcomes and stronger community cohesion.
4. Key Principles
The Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy plays a key role in achieving Council’s commitment to supporting and
developing physical activity participation as part of its broader health and wellbeing approach. This provision is
underpinned by Council’s Community Strengthening Policy (2014) which outlines 10 principles to guide Council
when planning and delivering services and activities.
Availability and affordability
Programs, activities, facilities and resources will be available for all people in Brimbank. Programs will be
developed in response to identified community needs and priorities and will be affordable for all people in the
community.
Accessibility and equity
Programs, activities, facilities and resources will be planned and delivered on the basis of equitable access for
all people in Brimbank.
Valuing and respecting diversity
Programs and activities will be provided in welcoming environments which embrace and promote cultural
diversity. Programs, activities, facilities and resources will be planned and delivered to meet the needs of a
diverse community. This includes diversity of language, religion, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status,
geographic location, sexuality, ability and age.
Social and economic inclusion
Programs, activities, facilities and resources will support social and economic participation for all people,
actively reaching out to people who find it difficult to participate and that are often excluded.
Social connection, wellbeing and lifelong learning
Programs and activities will be planned and delivered to provide opportunities for people to build greater skills,
community connections and learning pathways; and that promote physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Valuing community contributions
The contributions of community members and community groups will be recognised, valued and respected.
People will be encouraged to contribute to their communities through offering their time and skills.
5 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
Strengthening and valuing community leadership and participation
Support and training will be provided to individuals and communities to strengthen local leadership.
Information and assistance will be provided to increase knowledge of community members so they can assist in
delivering physical activity outcomes and contribute to their local communities.
Informing and responding to the community
Information will be provided in forms that are user friendly and easy to access. Programs, activities, facilities
and resources will be improved and adapted in response to the changing needs and priorities of the community
and, where appropriate, supported by a process of community consultation.
Advocacy and partnerships
Initiatives will be supported that identify and develop partnership opportunities that advocate for community
issues and needs. Developing partnerships where a range of community groups and organisations can assist in
the planning, development and implementation of various programs, activities and facilities.
Continuous improvement and sustainability
Council will seek and encourage feedback from community members and groups about programs, activities and
facilities. Council will support initiatives that encourage self-sustainability in the longer term.
5. What is Physical Activity?
“The World Health Organisation describes physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal
muscles that requires energy expenditure.” ; for the purpose of this strategy the definition of physical activity
focuses on leisure-time physical activity or 'discretionary' physical activity (which includes leisure-time and
transport related physical activity).
Physical activity is important in achieving and maintaining good overall health and wellbeing.
Some benefits of physical activity
• Decreases the risks of cardio-vascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and certain types of
cancers
• Alleviates stress
• Decreases and assists in the treatment of mental illness such as depression and anxiety
• Improves concentration and sleeping patterns
Physical inactivity is now identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality.
(World Health Organisation)
Physical activity relates to leisure-time physical activity and active recreation activities, examples include
playing modified sport in parks and open space, walking, running, cycling, group fitness classes, pilates,
swimming, dancing etc.
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 6
6. About Brimbank
Brimbank is a vibrant, growing community in the heart of Melbourne’s west. Diversity is central to the city’s
identity. Brimbank’s estimated resident population of 202,863 in 2016 makes it the third most populous
municipality in Greater Melbourne.
Brimbank is the second most socio-economically disadvantaged municipality in the Greater Melbourne area
and the third most disadvantaged in Victoria. The level of socio-economic disadvantage is also unevenly spread
throughout the municipality.
Of the total area of Brimbank, 15% is classified as open space and the area has a diverse range of walking trails
that are steeped in natural beauty, amazing flora, fauna and history.
7. Background
Council has undertaken work in partnership with Victoria University (VU) in relation to physical activity research
and analysis, this work has identified the importance and benefits of physical activity to Brimbank residents.
The Growing Brimbank collaboration with VU has been the catalyst for a number of reports that focus on
improving physical activity and health in the Brimbank Community.
Growing Brimbank – The Brimbank collaboration
Growing Brimbank is a long-term collaborative program between Brimbank City Council, the Australian Health Policy
Collaboration and Victoria University that aims to lift health and education outcomes in the local community.
Through a place-based approach the focus is to apply evidence to interventions to increase individual capability
and community capacity for better outcomes, building on the community strengths.
The Growing Brimbank partnership has resulted in four key pieces of work that provide a basis for strategically
planning for physical activity as part of this strategy.
The Brimbank Atlas of Health and Education (2014)
Factors contributing to poor health and development outcomes in Brimbank are consistently low rates of
people who meet recommended guidelines for daily fruit and vegetable intake; low levels of physical activity;
high prevalence of male smoking; and harmful behaviours (alcohol and gambling), all of which are associated
with factors such as poor self-assessed health, female obesity, diabetes and psychological distress and,
importantly, low socioeconomic status.
Physical Activity, Sport and Health in the City of Brimbank (2014)
The report identified the relationship between participating in organised sport or leisure time physical activity
and the associated health and education outcomes. The indicators for the City of Brimbank were benchmarked
against other local government areas (LGA’s) in Melbourne.
The characteristics of the Brimbank community are such that participation rates in physical activity and sport
are relatively low, both with regard to the specific traditional sporting activities examined in the report (7 major
sports but excluding soccer) and also for sport and physical activity in general.
7 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
The key findings of this report identified that overall any form of physical activity, either organised sport
or leisure time physical activity is associated with better all-age, across community health outcomes, and
specifically for diabetes, child vulnerability and psychological distress.
The report identified a gap in available data for individual’s participation in physical activity and the relationship
between participation in physical activities and better health outcomes.
The Brimbank Spatial Map of Physical and
Social Infrastructure (2017)
The Spatial Mapping report uses geographic information systems to map the distribution, availability and
contribution of significant physical and social infrastructure to health and education outcomes in the community.
Features were selected and mapped that promote or hinder health and wellbeing (such as parks and bike
trails); and their numbers, distribution, proximity to residences, roads and schools correlated with health and
development outcomes.
Areas of socio-economic disadvantage consistently showing stronger correlations with poorer outcomes were St
Albans North – Kings Park and St Albans South – Sunshine North, and that relatively advantaged areas of Brimbank,
such as Taylors Lakes and Keilor Downs, have greater concentration of natural and physical features (open spaces
with trees, bike paths, drinking fountains and parkland area) associated with better health outcomes.
The report also identified that there is a consistent pattern of distribution of poor outcomes (such as self
reported poor health, female obesity, diabetes, psychological distress, men smoking and children who are
developmentally vulnerable) in a band across the (public health area) PHA’s of Sunshine, St Albans and Kings
Park in Brimbank.
Community-Based Interventions to Improve Physical Activity in
Socially Disadvantaged Communities: Evidence Review (2017)
As part of the development of this Physical Activity Strategy, Bimbank City Council commissioned ISEAL
and AHPC at Victoria University (VU) to conduct a review of best available evidence of the most effective
interventions to improve low, moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity in the Brimbank community.
The Evidence Review focuses on;
• Interventions for socially disadvantaged communities
• Interventions that are cost effective
• Interventions that show evidence of sustainability
The aim of this evidence review was to identify effective interventions for improving physical activity among
people who are socially disadvantaged to guide the principle focus of the Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
towards physical activity as a means of addressing health and wellbeing and development risk factors in
Brimbank.
The evidence review report includes
• An overview of best available evidence with regards to interventions to improve physical activity among
socially disadvantaged children (up to 12 years), adolescents (13-17 years), adults (18-64 years) and older
adults (65 years and over),
• Interventions that focus on the built environment and policy, which are likely to affect the whole population,
• An estimate of cost (for Council) and potential sustainability of effective interventions, and
• Case studies to illustrate selected interventions
This report provides the evidence base for interventions recommended by life stage and actions around policy
and the built environment. The most relevant to the Brimbank community have been included within the
Recommendations section of this strategy.
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8. Strategic context
The Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy was informed by the following strategic documents:
Brimbank City Council Plan 2017-2021
The Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy aligns with Council Plan’s Goal of An Inclusive Community, in particular
the strategic objective of “Our community are safe, healthy and well. Strategies to support this strategic
objective include: Support increased participation in physical activity in healthy eating.”
The Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy is a Year One (2017-2018) Action from the Council Plan.
Community Plan (2009-2030)
Brimbank’s Community Plan describes the community’s vision and priorities for the next 20 years and
establishes a shared basis for joint planning, service delivery and advocacy.
Brimbank’s Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan is embedded within the Community Plan and outlines Council’s
commitment to adopting the Environments of Health Framework to support health and wellbeing planning,
recognising the influence of the built, social, economic and natural environments in influencing the health and
wellbeing of the community; most particularly this is relevant to supporting environments which supports
physical activity.
By 2030 the Community Plan aims to create healthy, safe communities, the community have expressed how
they would like to achieve this; they include the following relative to physical activity:
• Providing accessible places for the community to participate in passive and active recreation
• Providing opportunities for all members of the community to participate in physical activity, especially
communities that are vulnerable or disadvantaged
• Promoting use of active transport for travel
• Assessing the health impact of new initiatives
• Providing preventative health and wellbeing programs that address national, state and local health priorities
and cater to all groups in the community
• Promoting healthy living and providing information about health and wellbeing programs
• Upholding and increasing population health standards
9 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
The 2017 Brimbank Health and Wellbeing Status Report
This report carries out an analysis of available evidence sourced from Council policies, plans, strategies, current
literature and community aspirations and views to understand the current and future health and wellbeing
status of the community. Other comments in the consultation also focussed on the needs of children, and
particularly the need to offer alternatives to sedentary, screen-based activities.
The following Council strategic documents also align and inform with the Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy:
• Brimbank City Council Plan 2017-2021
• Community Plan 2009-2030
• Brimbank Health and Wellbeing Status Report 2017
• Sports Facility Development Plan (Updated 2018)
• Creating Better Parks Policy and Plan (Revised 2016)
• Walking and Cycling Strategy (Revised 2016)
• Council Plan to Prevent Men’s Violence Against Women: Towards Gender Equity 2015-2019
• Brimbank Strategy to prevent Violence and Promote Gender Equality 2018-2022 (Draft)
• Social Justice Charter 2012
• Age Friendly City Plan 2018-2022
• Youth Strategy 2015-2019
• Community Strengthening Policy 2014
9. National Approach
Physical Activity Guidelines
The Australian Government has developed Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for each life
stage, the guidelines were developed following an evidence review that investigated the relationship between
physical activity (various levels, type and frequency) and health outcome indicators as well as the relationship
between sedentary behaviour (sitting time) and the related health outcomes. These guidelines also include
muscle strengthening activities ( for adults) and reducing sedentary behaviour.
The guidelines provide age based recommendations across the life span as follows:
Life Stage
Recommendation
Children (Birth – 5 years)
At least 30 – 180 minutes daily (depending on age from
infant, toddler to pre school)
Children (5-12 years)
At least 60 minutes daily
Young People (13-17 years)
At least 60 minutes daily
Adults (18-64 years)
Be active every day and accumulate 75-300 minutes per
week depending on level of intensity
Older Adults (65 years & older)
Be active every day for at least 30 minutes
A recent report by the organization Healthy Active Kids Australia indicates that less than one in five Australian
children aged between 5 and 17 years meet the recommended 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity
physical activity each day. In addition, only 55% of Australians aged between 18 and 64 met the guidelines in
the most recent Australian Health Survey, while 14.8% were considered inactive.
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 10
State Approach
Active Victoria
From a state wide perspective, the Victorian Government has developed the Active Victoria - A Strategic
Framework for Sport and Recreation in Victoria. Active Victoria is the State’s plan to strengthen the sport
and recreation sector with a focus on boosting participation to increase the proportion of Victorians that are
physically active. The strategic framework includes the following strategic directions:
1. Meeting demand
2. Broader and more inclusive participation
3. Additional focus on active recreation
4. Build system resilience and capacity
5. Connect investment in events, high performance and infrastructure
6. Work together for shared outcomes
VicHealth Physical Activity Strategy 2018 - 2023
VicHealth has released a physical activity strategy to increase the number of Victorian’s that are physically
active. This strategy uses the national guidelines for physical activity as the basis for how much individuals
should be active. The strategy has a targeted approach towards children, young people and women and girls.
Adult Victorians spend 736 million hours a year on physical recreation, exercise and
sport. Eighty per cent of these hours are spent in active recreation and 20 per cent in
sport. The three most common activities – walking, fitness and gym, and jogging or
running – make up 44 per cent of all recorded sport and recreation activity.
(Active Victoria- A Strategic Framework for Sport and Recreation in Victoria)
11 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
10. Brimbank’s current investment
in physical activity
Council facilitates and supports physical activity through a range of strategies and plans to provide up-to-date,
safe and inclusive environments for physical activity to take place, they include:
Sports Facility Development Plan 2018
Council’s extensive range of sport facilities provides important opportunities for physical activity when they are
not being used for formal sport.
Since 2012 Council has invested over $51M into developing sports facilities as a result of the strategic direction
of the Sports Facility Development Plan 2018. The plan identifies the sporting needs of the community,
strategies to address these needs and provides a prioritised list of projects to upgrade, improve or build new
sports facilities to facilitate sports participation.
The Sports Facility Development Plan 2018 has identified the emerging trend of casual or unorganised sports
that usually take place in parks and open space. Many State Sporting Associations are also developing new less
formal programs with more flexibility to take advantage of this trend. The projects carried out via the Sports
Facility Development Plan improve opportunities for physical activity by supporting environments for casual or
unorganised sport to occur when not in use by local sports clubs.
Creating Better Parks Policy and Plan 2016
Council’s Creating Better Parks (CBP) Open Space and Playground Policy and Plan (updated in 2016) identifies
parks, playgrounds and open space as important places that:
• Provide communities with spaces to exercise, socialise and relax,
• Contributes to the physical and mental health of residents
• Create better connected communities.
• Transformed the municipality’s park network.
Council has invested over $35m to upgrade over 90 parks to date and has resulted in a significant increase in
park use by residents and in turn increased physical activity.
An update of the plan in 2016 identified the need to design parks to further support physical activity, most
particularly in the following ways:
• More sporting infrastructure in designing of parks to support informal sport in parks
• Public toilets in parks (Public Toilet Strategy)
• Skate facilities (Skate Park Strategy)
Increasing participation in active recreation offers the best opportunity to improve
Victorian’s health and wellbeing. Physical activity in outdoor green spaces is also
strongly connected to health and wellbeing.
(Active Victoria- A Strategic Framework for Sport and Recreation in Victoria)
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 12
Council’s Walking and Cycling Strategy (revised 2016) guides’ actions to better support and promote walking
and cycling, this is key to supporting environments for physical activity for the local community.
Since 2008 the strategy has resulted in the construction of 20kms of off-road trails and around 21kms of on
road cycle routes. Over $13m has been invested in trails and path networks to date ($6.5m of which has been
funded externally) and another 32 strategic network improvements are planned.
Walking and cycling are some of the most highly participated physical activities for all age ranges, either directly
such as organised activities as walking groups, bush walks, planned bicycle rides or indirectly such as using
paths for active transport to commute to and from home to work and school.
Regular physical activity such as walking, cycling, or dancing not only makes you
feel good, it has significant benefits for health. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular
disease, diabetes and some cancers, helps control weight, and contributes to mental
well-being. Taking part in physical activity also increases opportunities for making
friends and feeling part of the community.
(World Health Organisation)
13 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
Council's Leisure Centres
Council owns and manages two leisure centres across the municipality. The St Albans Leisure Centre and the
Sunshine Leisure Centre provide the community with a wide range of physical activity opportunities, offering
activities and programs from the swimming pools, gyms, group fitness classes, personal training as well as
other physical activity related programs.
St Albans Leisure Centre
Council is planning for the replacement of the St Albans Leisure Centre to meet the current and future health
and wellbeing needs of the Brimbank community. The replacement planned for construction to start in 2019
will transform this centre into an industry leading state of the art health and wellbeing centre with a range of
related services in conjunction with like-minded agencies and organisations.
Sunshine Leisure Centre
The Sunshine Leisure Centre requires improvements to expand the site where possible to cater for the current
and future physical activity needs of the community. A master plan of the facility is being completed in 2018 to
ensure that the facility can be optimised.
Community Services and Infrastructure Plan
Council’s draft Community Services and Infrastructure Plan (forthcoming) provides Council with an evidence
based approach to guide decision making on future community infrastructure projects. The document is a long
term plan that outlines significant investment in community infrastructure over a 20 year period.
The draft Community Services and Infrastructure Plan scope includes community infrastructure such as
Neighbourhood Houses, Bicycle Education facilities and Community Centres and Halls; all of which provide
spaces for physical activity programs such as Planned Activity Groups, Playgroups and a range of classes such
as dancing, pilates, yoga, etc.
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 14
11. Council’s Role
As the level of government closest to the community, Council has the ability to facilitate, support, provide and
build the capacity of the Brimbank community to deliver, influence and advocate for physical activity. Council
plays a significant role in creating environments that promote the optimal health, safety and wellbeing of all
community members.
The role of council in providing physical activity includes:
• Planning
• Delivering
• Advocacy
• Facilitation
• Support
• Build capacity
• Partnership and collaboration
• Promotion
Council also plays an important role in the service delivery and management of the following facilities and
services related to physical activity:
• St Albans Leisure Centre
• Sunshine Leisure Centre
• Keilor Basketball Netball Stadium
• Keilor Public Golf Course
• Neighbourhood Houses
• Community Centres
• Community Halls
• Youth Services
• Maternal Child Health
• Libraries
• Parks and Open Space
• Sporting fields and outdoor sports courts
This strategy emphasises the need for these facilities and the spaces and services they provide to enable and
advocate informal physical activity participation for the community. Council has an important role to play to
ensure collaboration and coordination between the facilities and the programs they offer to enable a consistent
approach.
15 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
12. Focus Areas
The Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy identifies five key focus areas that will holistically guide Council when
implementing the Strategy’s recommendations. The five key focus areas include:
1. By Life Stage
2. Policy and the Built Environment
3. Partnerships and Collaboration
4. Advocate and Promote
5. Consultation and Evaluation
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 16
1. By Life Stage
Council acknowledges that providing diverse informal physical activity opportunities to people throughout all
stages of their life is fundamental in changing lifestyle behaviour and forming healthy habits. There will be a
particular focus on those community members that are under-represented in physical activity participation
statistics. Recognising and breaking down the barriers that people face to physical activity participation within
each life stage is an important aspect to this focus area.
The Evidence Review undertaken as part of the development of this strategy identified a number of strategies
for each life stage, a number of Strategy Recommendations have been developed in response.
Children (up to 12 years)
Evidence review intervention strategies for this life stage include:
– Parent focused, group-based interventions to improve preschool children’s physical activity
– School-based interventions that incorporate extra-curricular activities
– Reimbursement for PA related expenses
– Multi-component interventions to promote active travel to school
Strategy Recommendations:
• Work to include physical activity programs within playgroups and pre-school programs.
• Work with other community health organisations and local schools to develop and promote physical
literacy programs and extra-curricular activities around physical activity.
• Seek funding to support physical activity programs that look to reimburse individuals in taking part
in physical activity program, this may involve extending out the In2Sport funding program to physical
activity opportunities.
• Investigate ways in which Council can support and provide active travel options for school aged children
to be physically active on their travel to school.
Adolescents (13 – 17 years)
Evidence review intervention strategies for this life stage include:
– Council to advocate and support whole-of-school programs
– Peer-leadership, actively involve students to deliver intervention components
– Council to advocate for physical education to be mandatory throughout schooling
Strategy Recommendations:
• Work with local providers and local schools to support physical activity programs in school curriculum.
• Continue to support and develop Brimbank Youth Leaders program to incorporate physical activity
programs and leadership opportunities.
• Council to advocate for physical education to be mandatory throughout schooling.
Adults (18 – 65 years)
Evidence review intervention strategies for this life stage include:
– Group-based interventions
– More intensive interventions are more effective
– Interventions should be guided by theoretical frameworks
– Physical activity focused interventions (rather than multi-behaviour interventions)
17 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
Strategy Recommendations:
• Continue to support, develop and promote group based physical activity programs across Council’s
facilities and open spaces including leisure centres, neighbourhood houses, parks, playgrounds and
walking and cycling networks. Improve alignment of current and future programs.
Older adults (65 years and above)
Evidence review intervention strategies for this life stage include:
– Include print or audio-visual materials as part of intervention
– Interventions should be guided by theoretical frameworks
– Intervention delivery by range of personnel
– Interventions delivered through existing social groups
Strategy Recommendations:
• Develop a range of targeted promotional and marketing material that communicates available physical
activity programs.
• Include content of the health and wellbeing benefits of physical activity opportunities (education).
• Investigate existing social groups available to the older adults life stage to understand how physical
activity can be included within existing structures.
2. Policy and the Built Environment (including Infrastructure)
Council will continue to develop and implement strategic Council policies that enable, encourage and enhance
inclusive physical activity opportunities within the Brimbank municipality. This also includes implementing the
related actions plans to ensure continual upgrades are made to Brimbank's built environment including paths,
parks, playgrounds and multi-sport spaces.
The Evidence Review undertaken as part of the development of this strategy identified a number of strategies
in relation to Policy and the Built Environment, a number of Strategy Recommendations have been developed in
response.
Evidence review intervention strategies include:
– Make structural changes to the environment, such as; adding walking paths, providing access to
appropriate physical activity opportunities and creating walking groups.
– Include multiple settings (e.g., schools, community organisations, family), include community
engagement (e.g., including the community in planning of the program), and focus on social support (i.e.
group settings).
– Interventions that include physical activity programs combined with physical changes to the built
environment (e.g., enhancements to parks) are more effective in increasing physical activity than
changes to the built environmental alone.
– Activate parks through integrated planning and design of Brimbank parks and playgrounds to ensure
community members have access to physical activity opportunities locally.
– Assess and review the use of parks and playgrounds for physical activity including carrying out an cost/
benefit analysis.
– Further investigation into how Council may support active travel for residents should be conducted, a
focus on providing safe and routes for children and young people to travel to school should be a priority.
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 18
Strategy Recommendations:
• Continue to support the delivery of planned projects identified within Council’s Creating Better Parks
Strategy and Cycling and Walking Strategy.
• Further enhance the design of future playgrounds and parks by engaging a working group when
necessary to understand the needs of each life stage when designing these spaces; such aspects as
incorporating further infrastructure to cater for young people and older adults may be strengthened by
engaging with users through the design phase.
• Ensure targeted and inclusive programming of spaces occurs following the completion of any new
infrastructure in parks, playgrounds and open space.
• All programs should be measured and evaluated to gather participation data and analyse the success of
programs.
• Investigate current and future opportunities with local schools for active travel arrangements.
3. Partnerships and Collaboration
Internal and external stakeholder collaboration is vital to ensuring programs and initiatives are well planned,
resourced and sustainable. Cross-collaboration and joint initiative opportunities will be continually investigated
to complement and minimise duplication of services delivered to the community.
Strategy Recommendations:
• A review of services provided across various departments in Council is required to understand current
work carried out across the organisation in relation to physical activity. This piece of work will include
a scan and inventory of all programs and services provided by Council. A review of services will lead to
identification of opportunities for future planning and delivery of physical activity.
• Following the review, develop a Physical Activity Task Force to encourage cross collaborative work across
the organisation and with external providers in developing and delivering physical activity programs. The
group will have representation from each life stage and will focus on collaborating with external health
service providers to understand current programs offered to the community from other providers, and to
continue to develop and foster external partnerships.
• A focus on developing physical activity in schools in partnership with local providers should be explored.
4. Advocate and Promote
Council understands the importance of providing information and education regarding physical activity
opportunities and the benefits of participation reaching those that require that information the most. Ensuring
processes are in place to simplify and streamline the provision of this information, this is important for Council
to advocate and promote physical activity to Brimbank’s diverse community.
Strategy Recommendations:
• A branding strategy should be developed to consolidate Council’s physical activity programs and services
into one brand to make it easily identifiable to the local community. The brand will create awareness of
the range of services available to the community and should be available in a range of languages and
communicated in a range of ways, ie: web based, signage and advertisements.
• A promotional platform should be then developed to promote the new brand, available programs across
all sites and facilities and the benefits of physical activity to the wider community; this may include the
introduction of a new webpage/app that makes it easier for people to find physical activity opportunities
in their local area.
19 Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy
• Seek to incorporate the latest technology into the designing of programs where practicable.
• Advocate on behalf of the Brimbank community to government and other peak bodies when opportunity
arises in relation to available funding or opportunities for additional resources for physical activity
programs and related infrastructure.
5. Consultation and Evaluation
Consulting and engaging within the organisation and externally strengthens Council’s approach to delivering
appropriate and accessible programs and services for the community to be more physically active.
Improved data collection and monitoring methods to measure the effectiveness of participation initiatives and
track program participation and outcomes is critical. This ensures the programs and initiatives that are being
delivered are meeting community needs.
Strategy Recommendations:
• A Physical Activity Community Working Group should be developed; the group will be a gathering of
government, community organisations, state sporting associations and peak providers that plan and
provide physical activity programs for the community. The group will have a shared aim of bringing about
positive change to levels of physical activity in Brimbank. The group purpose will be information sharing
to understand the current trends or local community need and integrative planning to support successful
delivery of physical activity opportunities.
• Ensure physical activity programs are evaluated to monitor the impact of programs to the Brimbank
community’s health and wellbeing. Outcomes of evaluation will be dependent on the objectives and aims
of specific programs however all evaluation should result in a report including attendance, key learnings
and areas for improvement.
Brimbank Physical Activity Strategy 20
Brimbank City Council
Telephone
9249 4000
Email
info@brimbank.vic.gov.au
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PO Box 70, Sunshine, VIC 3020
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