Member Spotlight: Healthy Cities Australia

1. What were the origins of Healthy Cities Australia?

Healthy Cities Australia evolved from Healthy Cities Illawarra which was established in 1987 as one of three Federal government pilot sites to replicate the growing World Health Organisation’s Healthy Cities movement in Europe and North America (the other cities being Canberra and Norlunga in SA). Last year, we rebranded as HCA as a bold strategic signal to further champion the Healthy Cities approach in Australia and leverage our leadership of the movement across the Asia-Pacific.

2. How do you advocate for cities to be healthy?

Health challenges are increasingly urban challenges. More than half of humanity now lives in cities, projected to be 70% by 2050. These are the places where climate pressures, chronic disease, and inequality collide.

Healthy Cities Australia advocates for healthier urban environments by focusing on prevention (not treatment), equity and collaboration. We recognise that the environments (built, natural, digital etc) in which people live, work, and play significantly influence their health outcomes and so we advocate for policies and actions that make the healthy choice, the easy choice. We have decades of experience in place-based public health initiatives, environmental health, active transport, food security, and community wellbeing. Genuine inter-sectoral partnerships are fundamental to our approach; with local governments, academic institutions, health services, community organisations and passionate individuals to encourage community participation and collective impact.

In addition to advocating for healthy public policy, we deliver community programs which try to address the social determinants of health and target the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations who are disproportionately impacted by chronic disease.

3. Tell me about your programs that work with young people and what impact they have on them.

One of our flagship programs is called ‘Active in Betweens’ – an after school health and wellbeing program for children aged 8–12 living in socially disadvantaged communities in the Illawarra region. It provides a safe, supportive, and fun environment where children participate in:
• Physical activity through structured and unstructured play
• Healthy eating education, including cooking and exposure to new foods
• Social and community engagement excursions

It might look like fun and games on the outside, but underpinning it is place-based community development and trauma-informed practice. The program is delivered at local community centres by trained Health Promotion Officers and volunteers and is designed to build confidence, social skills, healthy habits, and resilience. Over half of the children attending identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander which also shows that it is a culturally safe program.
We measure aspects such as physical activity, heathy eating and social connection and over the last couple of years 84% of children became more physically active, 54% gained practical knowledge about healthy eating and cooking that they intended to use at home, 94% felt more socially connected. 97% felt safe, and 91% felt a strong sense of belonging.

It is a much-loved program in our community and supports kids in what can be a really challenging transition period into high school and adolescence.

4. What are the biggest one or two changes our city leaders can make to ensure we’re all healthier?

1. Prioritise health-supportive urban environments
This includes creating more walkable neighbourhoods, green spaces and meeting/play places, safe active transport networks, and clean-air environments. These are core WHO Healthy Cities objectives to improve quality of life and reduce preventable disease. Healthy Cities Australia reinforces that prevention is far more effective and cost-efficient than treatment—and environmental design is central to this.

2. Embed health and equity into all city policy decisions
A healthy city requires political commitment and cross-sector coordination so health is considered in every decision across all sectors housing, transport, planning, climate policy, etc. It is here where health is created – the ‘health system’ is a by-product of these decisions – city leaders must make decisions with the future in mind, not just to ‘band-aid’ the immediate issue before them.