Held at the Hamilton Institute of Rural Learning (HIRL), the GenR8 Change workshop saw themed tables set up for participants to move between and discuss ideas that could improve health outcomes locally.

GenR8 Change coordinator, Karen Huf, said there are many factors that can influence the health of the community, with big or small ideas able to make a substantial impact.

Ms Huf said the response to the second workshop was overwhelmingly positive and created a strong feeling of motivation and teamwork amongst the group.

“It’s again sharing ideas and we want to walk out of here with action plans,” she said.

“It’s great to talk about these things but we want something done rather than just sharing ideas all the time.

“I want everyone to walk away with their list of what they want to do.

“We are trying to upskill our community in the healthy eating and active living space and every little bit helps.”

Similar to the first workshop, Ms Huf said last week allowed people from a range of backgrounds to network and build on pre-existing relationships so positive change could take place day-to-day.

“We can’t just wait for this opportunity each time, actions have to be spontaneous,” she said.

“We do have all these people and many more who are interested out there that just can’t get to the meeting or just don’t know about it yet.

“You try to grab people from community organisations and businesses to get as diverse a group as you can, so everyone is being represented.

“I can’t wait for the next catch up to see what everyone’s done and what’s happened in that space and a whole range of ideas coming from that.”

Among the group were staff members from local schools such as Penshurst Primary School and Good Shepherd College, employees from Western District Health Service, Southern Grampians Shire Council representatives, and people from Brophy Family and Youth Services.

Some ideas discussed during the session included creating a downloadable and widely accessible traffic light system catering form for use at community events as well as canteens, as this would reinforce healthy eating behaviours and normalise conversations around categorising food based on their health rating.

Encouraging healthy eating amongst school students through providing morning tea was also discussed as a positive action that can influence lunchbox habits and home shopping.

Other ideas such as educating families on healthy and easy meals they can make at home and increasing physical activity were also discussed by participants.

The third GenR8 Change workshop is set to be held in early May, with Ms Huf saying it will focus on reviewing the actions people took, working through any challenges faced, and expanding on activities.

“Next session we want to share stories of what’s actually happened, so we want to say how did it go and what happened,” she said.

“I want (participants) to celebrate even the smallest wins they have out there because those are really exciting - just to have those little wins and for someone else to see that can have a ripple effect.”

GenR8 Change launched in 2015 after recognising there is no one magic solution that can change the world to make it a better place for children to grow and thrive.

More information on the GenR8 Change program can be found by visiting their Facebook or Instagram page. Anyone interested in attending the next workshop is encouraged to contact Ms Huf through email at kfinch-huf@wdhs.net