The COVID-19 pandemic changed everyone’s way of life virtually overnight. Businesses were forced to close, children were asked to stay home from school, hospitals became inundated, and many people found themselves feeling lonely and isolated. Though it was a challenging time, the pandemic was also an opportunity for reflection and a chance to build resilience.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland launched Queenslandher to highlight the many different stories of strength and resilience that Queensland women were demonstrating in the face of adversity. The state-wide campaign aimed to inspire other women to remain positive, embrace change, and to nurture their own health and wellbeing during this time.
Campaign overview
In 2020, following devastating bushfires, extreme floods and drought, and a worldwide pandemic, Health and Wellbeing Queensland could see the impact this was having on the physical and mental wellbeing of many Queenslanders. As people’s lives came to a jarring halt from COVID-19, and no clear answers as to when life would return to normal, many people were feeling stressed and uncertain about the future.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland could see a gap in public messaging and the need to inspire and remind people that there were not alone. In response, we developed Queenslandher – an online campaign that gave a voice to 8 Queensland women from different walks of life, and how they were embracing adversity. Some of their stories included:
- Rochelle, a registered nurse and single mother, who found strength, compassion and perseverance through the pandemic to be able to show up to work each day and support her community.
- Kerrie, a business owner, who learned how to adapt quickly during the pandemic and pivot her business to become a true leader.
- Irene, a retiree with a husband living in high care, who found support from neighbours during the pandemic to combat feeling lonely and helping her become more resilient.
- Jillian, a medical practitioner and mother of two, who learned how to prioritise her mental and physical health during the pandemic, and found a renewed sense of what really matters.
Being both a nurse and a single mum made the pandemic particularly frightening for Rochelle. Find out how she took it in her stride.
Like most business owners, Kerrie felt fearful of the implications of the pandemic. Hear how she transformed her business to help support the community during COVID.
With her husband living in high care, Irene found herself feeling more alone than ever during lockdown. Hear how Irene overcame her loneliness.
Health and Wellbeing Queensland invited other Queenslandhers to share their own stories of what adversity they had faced in 2020 and how they managed to overcome it. Many of these submissions were published on our website and shared on social media.
Queenslandher sporting heroes share their stories
Research conducted by Health and Wellbeing Queensland during 2020 revealed that 37% of Queensland women felt that they were not doing well with physical activity. And 51% agreed that the most significant motivator to physical activity was having a positive mindset.
So, in 2021 Health and Wellbeing Queensland launched a second iteration of the Queenslandher campaign, this time sharing the stories of 3 Queensland Women’s State of Origin Stars and their tips for maintaining their health and wellbeing.
The campaign had 3 components:
1
Video testimonials and interviews with 3 NRL players, who shared how they had overcome adversity, what drives them, and how they prioritise their own health and wellbeing
2
A competition which invited Queensland women and girls to submit their best chant of ‘Queenslandher’ and embrace the spirit of this movement
3
Resources to support Queenslanders to embrace physical activity, healthy eating, and good quality sleep
The Queenslandher spirit lives on
The Queenslandher campaign helped pave the way for a more prominent focus on women and girls by Health and Wellbeing Queensland today. Initiatives like our Clinician’s Guide to Women and Girls’ Health podcast series, and our Before the Baby Bump campaign about preconception health, are just some of the ways we are supporting Queensland women and girls to live healthier lives and thrive.
