WynActive partnership delivered health and fitness support to women during Victoria's COVID-19 lockdown

A successful partnership between WynActive and the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation (WBCF) provided vital online health and fitness support for women across Victoria’s Wyndham City region during the COVID-19 lockdown.

WynActive was a key partner in the facilitation of this year’s Daughters of the West (DOTW) program, which is a core program under the Health and Wellbeing pillar of the WBCF.

Due to the difficulties faced delivering the program in 2020, which traditionally is delivered to participants in a face-to-face forum, DOTW was taken online and included an eight-week challenge in partnership with WynActive, as well as VicHealth and This Girl Can, encouraging participants to stay physically active via low risk elective activities that they were able to do in their own time, regardless of age or ability.

Weekly Facebook Live classes conducted by a WynActive trainer across pilates, yoga, dancing and general fitness were also offered. Links to pre-recorded videos, including VicHealth and WynActive videos were available on the DOTW web hub.

WynActive provided expertise on the appropriate challenges and program development via qualified health and fitness staff, with the program running from October until the start of December.

Statistics included:

•             Almost 2,000 video views (live and catch-up) and more than 1,300 engagements with the Facebook Live workouts

•             Over 300 engagements for the 8-week challenge

•             Almost 600 women registered for Daughters of the West in 2020

WynActive (Western Leisure Services) Chief Executive, Alison Dixon said the results were outstanding and the partnership provided an opportunity to make a positive contribution to both mental and physical health during a period of forced isolation.

Dixon notes “I don’t think we can underestimate how important it was to provide support to people who were cut off from regular social activity during the COVID emergency. Women in particular, were often alone and needed support, reassurance and motivation during this time. The Daughters of the West program provided this and I am very proud that our partnership with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation had such a positive impact.”

The WBCF surveyed women prior to the DOTW program starting and found women were motivated by exercise challenges, exercising with others, exercising outdoors, exercise that can be done at any time and exercise at a set time each week.

This was the catalyst for the partnership with WynActive and the formation of the DOTW online program.

Western Bulldogs Community Foundation General Manager, Kashif Bous added “the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation is extremely proud that, even in a year as challenging as 2020, we were still able to support our local community by delivering our key programs online.

“We are extremely grateful to WynActive for their support across the year, in particular with their innovation and collaboration in encouraging our Daughters of the West participants to focus on their physical activity during lockdown.”