About the Centre

The North East Health Promotion Centre is an innovative coordinating unit for health promotion in the North East Region of Melbourne. It was established in 1997 as a pilot model for facilitating a coordinated and strategic approach to health promotion. The Centre works with a local network of agencies involving community health, general practice, local government, a hospital, a rehabilitation centre and a university.

The Centre is a unique joint venture being funded by contributions from its participating agencies and the Victorian Department of Human Services. The Centre has a catchment area, defined geographically by the boundaries of four municipalities in the North East region of Melbourne. (Refer to below map)

The participating agencies include:

  • Banyule, Darebin, Plenty Valley and Eltham Community Health Services,
  • the Cities of Banyule, Darebin, Whittlesea and the Shire of Nillumbik,
  • the North and North East Valley Divisions of General Practice,
  • the North Western Health Care Network (Northern Hospital, Bundoora Extended Care Centre) and
  • La Trobe University.

The concept of the Centre arose from a recognition that the health promotion activities of local agencies could be enhanced with support given to cross sectoral collaboration. The involvement of La Trobe University provides an academic focus to complement the practical aims of this collaboration.

The purpose of the North East Health Promotion Centre is to improve coordinated planning and action for health promotion on a local level. By working with the network of agencies the Centre has been able to develop a shared understanding of health promotion and work towards an agreed strategic framework for high quality health promotion in the North Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The Centre also:

  • Creates and supports opportunities for coordinated health promotion programs and activities across organisations and communities;
  • Strengthens integrated planning for health promotion within local government and community health. The Centre facilitates their collaborative work with each other and with their stakeholders.
  • Enhances individual’s and organisation’s knowledge of health promotion theory and practice
  • Coordinates collaborative joint funding submissions
  • Provides workforce development opportunities
  • Conducts reflective practice sessions providing workers with an opportunity to discuss their health promotion practice in a supportive environment
  • Houses an extensive health promotion resource library to assist participating agencies in health promotion planning, research and evaluation.
  • Endorses the Municipal Public Health Plan as the key document for health promotion planning at a local level.

The Centre employs a Director and a Project Officer. A Steering Committee, on which all participating agencies are represented, sets broad policy guidelines and provides direction for the Centre. The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation is also represented on the Steering Committee because of its key role in funding health promotion developments in Victoria.

The Centre’s participating agencies have an agreed shared understanding of health promotion based on the World Health Organisations Ottawa Charter (1986) and Jakarta Declaration (1997) and are committed to collaborative health promotion activities in the sub-region.

 

CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF CATCHMENT AREAS

In 1998 the North East Health Promotion Centre received an award for Excellence in the Development Category of the Department of Human Services Public Health and Development Awards. These awards recognise Excellence and Innovation in the Victorian Public Health Sector.