Trust grants $290,700 to support health and wellbeing

Trust grants $290,700 to support health and wellbeing in the Nelson region

The Canterbury Community Trust has announced $290,700 in grants into the Nelson region for its Health and Wellbeing funding sector. The Trust received funding requests totalling nearly $680,000.

According to Chief Executive, Louise Edwards, applications in this area over the last three years are almost double the amount of the Trust’s available budget for this sector, with grants approved totalling $1.3 million against $3.1 million in funding requests.

Ms Edwards noted when measured against the 13 priority population health objectives in the New Zealand Health Strategy (2000), the health of people in the Nelson region appears better than the national average overall.

“It is pleasing to see across all age groups in the Nelson region higher levels of participation in physical activity than the New Zealand average,” she says.

Two high health needs groups have been identified by the Nelson/Marlborough District Health Board - Maori and low socio-economic groups.

Research also indicates while smoking rates in the region are continuing to decline, it is still a major health problem and is inequitably higher amongst Maori and Pasifika people.

“Focus areas for the community gathered through the District Health Board’s health needs assessment are around chronic illness, oral health especially for children and the number of smokers,” says Ms Edwards.

One of the Trust’s applicants Nelson Asthma Society states asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are both serious and highly prevalent illnesses. Health inequalities are stark for asthma, with often worse health outcomes for people from deprived areas, Maori and Pasifika. In many cases, quality of life can be significantly improved by good management, quality housing and better understanding of the illness.

Ms Edwards says Nelson Asthma Society provides respiratory education, information and support delivered by a registered nurse and offers a COPD support group and pulmonary rehabilitation which has been successful in keeping people out of hospital and improving quality of life.

“Health and Wellbeing is not a stand alone sector. In the future funders, alongside service providers, will need to factor in the embedded nature of health outcomes across society – social, cultural, economic and environmental – in prioritising for this sector”, says Ms Edwards.

“The Trust already supports other organisations providing services which contribute to health and wellbeing such as young people, education, social services and sport and recreation sectors. Our recent Young People funding sector certainly emphasised the importance of getting it right in a child’s formative years,” says Ms Edwards.

Applicant Victory Community Health Centre is an organisation which understands health is one important aspect of a community’s wellbeing. They have worked closely with other agencies to reduce barriers, as well as increase opportunities and active participation for their community around health and wellbeing.

Ms Edwards says while health outcomes in the region remain reasonably positive the Trust is conscious these health outcomes are not equally experienced. Disparities still exist between people not only because of genetics but also because of where they live, work, play and who they are.

“As a funder committed to social change and delivering impact where it is most needed, The Canterbury Community Trust would like to see a flattening out of this trend,” concludes Ms Edwards.

“A healthy community is one that has access to the services it needs and engages at all levels and sectors. The Trust applauds the work being carried out at a grassroots level in Nelson to ensure where possible everyone in the community is catered for and included.”

ENDS

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