Health and Wellbeing Queensland and Deadly Choices champion You for 2032
Amazing health and wellbeing activities are already happening across Queensland because Brisbane is hosting the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
To ensure these activities and opportunities are available in First Nations communities, Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) has teamed up with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health’s (IUIH) Deadly Choices program to deliver a series of Olympic community activation events as part of the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) You for 2032 program.
These activation events aim to raise awareness of the Deadly Choices program and promote opportunities for Indigenous community participation in physical activity, as well as promote the health checks available through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs). Importantly, these events also provide the opportunity to identify and nurture budding First Nations athletes and provide support to access pathways towards the Olympic games.
HWQld CEO Dr Robyn Littlewood congratulated the Deadly Choices program on its series of events that leverage off the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to promote health and wellbeing initiatives in First Nations communities across Queensland.
“The health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a key priority of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, which is why we are delighted to support the roll-out of the Deadly Choices’ Olympic Activation project in partnership with the You for 2032 program across urban and regional areas,” Dr Littlewood said.
“Health and Wellbeing Queensland is proud to provide additional funding to our Deadly Choices program partner to support delivery of the QAS You for 2032 program and inspire more physical activity and health checks in First Nations communities across the state.
“It is welcome news that the Deadly Choices program has already partnered with QAS to deliver the You for 2032 series of events in Cunnamulla, Brisbane, Normanton and Cairns in March–April and will continue to support delivery of the events in Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton and Hervey Bay in May.
“Partnering in the delivery of the You for 2032 series of events with the Deadly Choices program demonstrates how we can work together to make sure the Brisbane 2032 games deliver lasting health benefits to Queensland while also reducing health inequities in First Nations communities.
“Health and Wellbeing Queensland welcomes and supports partnerships that inspire healthy behaviours, which is why we are delighted to endorse the Deadly Choices Olympic Activation series of events and its alignment with the QAS Indigenous talent identification activities.”
The discovery of budding athletes and opportunities to nurture talents to elite levels may be further fast tracked through the You for 2032 program, under activities directed by its leadership.
IUIH’s Deadly Choices Ambassador, Patrick Johnson, a Kaanju man from Far North Queensland and an Olympian and current Oceanian and Australian sprint record holder, is not only supporting the Deadly Choices Olympics Activation project, Patrick is also a Board member of the Brisbane Organising Committee for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
Through supporting programs such as the Deadly Choices program Olympic Activation series of events, and alignment with QAS You for 2032 program, HWQld is actively supporting the Brisbane 2032 games to achieve more positive health outcomes in First Nations communities and identify and nurture the next generation of elite athletes.