A Newcastle-based online platform providing free health and wellbeing support is available for anyone to use.

Healthy Change Village is an online platform bringing health and wellbeing capacity-building services to people of all abilities, all ages, and those in rural and remote areas.

Community members can choose activities, including exercises, cooking classes, mindfulness sessions and games, all run and taught by qualified trainers, coaches and health professionals.

Founder Lloyd Valentine said the COVID-19 pandemic was the inspiration for the platform. 

“We wanted to start a free website that anyone could access, anywhere and anytime, reaching people in rural and remote areas and perhaps people who may be struggling financially,” he said.

“We have a whole range of videos from movement and strength to mindfulness meditation, healthy eating, cooking and family fun games, all of which have been put together by Newcastle trainers and health professionals.

“We are adding new presenters and videos every week. We currently have about 75 videos and 24 presenters.”

The new program also has some national contributors, including the Black Dog Institute, That Sugar Movement and, most recently, a potential collaboration with The Heart Foundation. 

Valentine said that even though the website was free, they also accepted voluntary contributions. “Villagers” (people using the website) can choose from one-off payments or a recurring monthly contribution. 

Plan and self managed participants can use their NDIS funding to make a contribution aswell.

“We are hoping if we gain enough traction and receive website contributions that it will be just enough to hold the project and keep it sustainable,” Valentine said. 

“The more contributions we receive, the more quality content and capacity-building health and wellbeing support we can provide.”

Healthy Change Village was also inspired by Valentine’s other successful program, Healthy Change Challenge.

“Run by qualified trainers and health professionals in the community, Healthy Change Challenge empowers people of all intellectual and physical abilities to make long-term improvements to their health and wellbeing while having fun,” Valentine said.

“It’s a fun and positive program where people can learn to conduct their own exercise sessions, run their own cooking sessions and also do cost-effective and healthy shopping.

“We actually go one step further and they are learning how to actually instruct other people.”

The NDIS-registered service runs over 12 weeks, four times a year. Each “12 Week Challenge” provides a different activity, theme and new experience that aligns with the Challengers’ goals and interests.

Healthy Change Challenge is a day program offering face-to-face sessions in public places in and around Newcastle.

“Merewether Surf Life Saving Club helps us host beach boot camps where they do activities down on the beach and run surf life-saving skills,” Valentine said.

Healthy Change Challengers with the Merewether Surf Life Saving Club volunteers

“The club has been an integral part of the program, where they volunteer their time writing up exercise programs and help facilitate some really fun days.

“We also encourage the general public and other service providers to join us. It’s very much a public and general community integration.”

Valentine said the program’s premise was to help participants understand the importance of healthy habits.

“We want them to understand why they are doing things because, like anyone in society, when you know why you’re doing something, you’re much more likely to do it on a long-term basis,” he said.

“And that’s what the program is about. It’s about making long-term changes to people’s eating, exercising habits and building the independence and capabilities with the participants.”

For more information, visit @healthychangevillage or the @healthychangechallenge on Instagram and Facebook.

Hayley McMahon