VicHealth initiates new sports programs to get Victorians active

Health promotion foundation VicHealth is supporting new ways for Victorians to get active with three new innovative sport concepts greenlighted as part of the Innovation Challenge Sport program.

Australian Sailing, Lacrosse Victoria and Paddle Victoria will share in more than $230,000 to develop new ideas and programs to attract less active people to give their sport a go.

The projects funded as part of 2018’s Innovation Challenge are:

• Sail Pass – a flexible, low-cost way for people to try sailing on a casual basis

• Kayak Paddle Ball – fast, fun and social water sport games for teenager

• Battlecrosse – a social lacrosse program for university students.

Advising that the Innovation Challenge wanted to support new ways to get people active, VicHealth Chief Executive Jerril Rechter stated "less than one third of Australians get enough physical activity to benefit their health.

"Our research shows many people are reluctant to get involved in sport if it’s too competitive, difficult to get to, expensive or requires a big time commitment, amongst other challenges.

"We want to help sports trial new ways of making their programs accessible and enjoyable for a wide range of people – that’s what the Challenge is all about.

"We’re excited to be partnering with these organisations as they trial their programs and get even more Victorians active in new and creative ways.”

The Challenge, now in its sixth round, has previously kick-started highly innovative and successful programs such as Basketball Victoria’s Walking Basketball – a huge hit amongst seniors, AFL Victoria’s AFL Blind and Bushwalking Victoria Club Escaping Your Comfort Zone, a body positive hiking group for plus size women.

Advising that VicHealth is committed to working with the sports sector to make sport and physical activity accessible to more Victorians, Rechter added “VicHealth is proud to support such exciting and innovative concepts. We know that being more active is good for the health of all Victorians, however there are certain barriers including age, cost and skill which prevent people getting involved.

"These new sport and recreation programs will give exciting new options for people who don’t want to or aren’t able to take part in traditional sport.”