The Rural Health Innovation Fund is proud to announce its successful inaugural grant round recipients.
The Rural Health Innovation Fund (RHIF) has been overwhelmed with the level of interest and the breadth and ideas in the applications received. We have been honoured to hear from people all over country South Australia and listen to the needs of our individual communities.
We are thrilled to be able to provide this opportunity to support communities to achieve their goals and positively impact the lives of country South Australians.
The successful Rural Health Innovation Fund Community Grant 2023 recipients are:
- Barunga Village
Focus on falls prevention program - supporting people across the Yorke, Mid North, and Barossa regions.
- Diabetes SA
Type 2 diabetes awareness and training program to be held at the Paskeville Field Day.
- Hawker Community Development Board
Purchase updated gym equipment and enablement of a virtual gym for online exercise.
- Our Town Ceduna/Far West
Side X Side Mateship for Life - Community driven and led, lived experience men's mental fitness event.
- Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service
Elders and community Heart Safety First community awareness campaign and purchase of crucial medical equipment including defibrillators.
- Port Vincent Progress Association
Community health and wellbeing initiatives, the extension of weekly community exercise classes with additional equipment run by a trained, locally based coordinator.
- Riverland Youth Theatre
Community arts and wellbeing festival to connect allied health practitioners with regional artists - focused on disability and health and wellbeing.
- The Embrace Collective
“Activate by Embrace” regional community programs in Port Lincoln and Mount Gambier - youth focused events to boost body image and enhance physical and mental health.
- Whyalla Men’s Shed
Improving health literacy and knowledge of local health and support services program via monthly men’s health and wellbeing meetings.
Barunga Village is pleased the Rural Health Innovation Fund grant will enable them to offer an eight-week falls prevention program to older people in the Mid-North region.
“The Stepping On Program aims to reduce falls in the community through raising awareness of falls prevention strategies amongst people over 65 living independently and who have had a fall or are fearful of falling,” said Barunga Village CEO, Elizabeth Carroll.
“The internationally recognised program can reduce falls in older people living in the community by 31%.”
Diabetes SA will be using its grant funding to bring awareness and their screening program to the Paskeville Field Day.
“South Australia has the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in Australia with 6.8% of our population living with the condition. In some rural and remote areas, the figures are almost double at 12.2%.”
“The Yorke Peninsula Field Days present a great opportunity to bring type 2 diabetes screening and awareness to the regional community. We are grateful to the RHIF for funding this important initiative and honoured to be a recipient in the inaugural year,” said Diabetes SA CEO Angelique Pasalidis.
The Our Town Ceduna/Far West is excited to receive the Rural Health Innovation Fund grant which will allow them to respond to the community’s mental health and wellbeing needs.
“This initiative is an example of responding to community need and supporting community to lead.” said Sandy Taylor Team Lead Our Town Ceduna Far West.
“Both the Ceduna Foreshore Community Hotel and Our Town Ceduna/Far West are interested in allowing the space for community volunteers like Don Seneca and his team to land an initiative that supports mental health and wellbeing.’
“At the heart of it we hold the notion that the people of our community are the experts in their own lives.”
The Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service’s (PLAHS) Rural Health Innovation Fund grant will allow them to purchase vital life-saving equipment.
“With the assistance of funding from the Rural Health Innovation Fund PLAHS can purchase defibrillator equipment,” said PLAHS Business Services Manager, Teresa Szumski.
“This will support our clients and give them confidence knowing PLAHS has suitable equipment and knowledgeable staff who are able to operate and administer urgent first aid if required.”
The Port Vincent Progress Association is thrilled their Rural Health Innovation Fund grant will enable them to continue their community exercise classes for free and buy new equipment.
“We are so grateful to the Rural health Innovation Fund for this grant,” said Port Vincent Progress Association Assistant Treasurer Sue Hall.\
“It enables the extension of our popular community exercise classes allowing participants to continue on their health and well-being journey and achieve their goals.”
“This is an amazing initiative,” said exercise class participant Rosemary Button.
“It is wonderful to feel connected with others and our instructor Jo knows exactly how to keep us motivated”.
The Riverland Youth Theatre is excited to have been awarded a Rural Health Innovation Fund grant to be able to offer the Riverland community a disability and health and wellbeing weeklong arts event.
“This partnership will enable us to create a remarkable new festival of art, play and games for children with disabilities,” said Riverland Youth Theatre Artistic Director Fleur Kilpatrick.
“We are proud to always be radically accessible in how we work but Allied Arts Festival will be a huge step forward.
I am a carer for three children with disabilities and I know the feeling of looking for programs and activities that might support them and wondering if staff will be overwhelmed by their needs: at Allied Arts Festival, they will not only be supported but celebrated.
I can't wait to welcome families into our festival and let them know "your child isn't too much. We've got you. Get your butt in here. Come and play."
The Rural Health Innovation Fund was officially launched in December 2022 to provide funding opportunities through grants for community led programs to drive health and wellbeing initiatives that support positive outcomes for country South Australians.
“We are passionate about supporting rural communities by strengthening and encouraging innovative programs that will have lasting impacts,” said Doctor Simon Lockwood, Country SA PHN, Chair of the Board of Directors.
“The Rural Health Innovation Fund will create positive change through supporting community-based programs that address the diverse health and wellbeing needs of the rural community.”
RHIF is a stand-alone charity made possible by Country SA PHN who enables RHIF to accomplish their vision for better health and wellbeing for all country South Australians.
“Country SA PHN is pleased to facilitate the Rural Health Innovation Fund to create opportunities for communities to run their own initiatives based on individual need,” said Mark Hartigan, Chief Executive Officer, Country SA PHN.
“We look forward to continuing to bridge the gap in health inequity for country South Australians.”
“We are very pleased that the funding will reach broadly throughout rural South Australia and across varied projects that align to RHIF’s objectives,” said Trudi Penrose-Starr, Rural Health Innovation Fund Coordinator.
“It’s an exciting time as we collaborate with community organisations to turn their project ideas into a reality to realty benefit their community.”
Rural Health Innovation Fund’s sustainability will be provided by offering opportunities for key stakeholders to partner with us to further enhance positive outcomes for country South Australians.
“I look forward to building relationships and growing the Rural Health Innovation Fund, with others getting involved, partnering with us and supporting this great work to positively impact the lives of country South Australians now and into the future.”
The Rural Health Innovation Fund’s objectives are to:
- Provide one-off funding for community-based projects targeted at innovative initiatives that support quality health outcomes for people living in country South Australia.
- Enable grant recipients to drive health care improvements (outcomes and experience) for people living in county areas, through projects and initiatives that are effective, efficient, sustainable and in support of equitable access to care.
For more information contact Rural Health Innovation Fund Coordinator Trudi Penrose-Starr:
W: https://www.countrysaphn.com.au/rural-health-innovation-fund/
E: [email protected]
M: 0499 508 937
F: Join the Rural Health Innovation Fund Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2177011069158163
