SDG3 Good Health and Wellbeing

• CQuniversity's 10,00 Steps program - led by Professor Corneel Vandelanotte, and Health and Wellbeing Queensland have joined forces encouraging Queenslanders to take on '10000 Steps Challenge' to boost physical activity.
• Regional Medical Pathway - CQuniversity has partnered with The University of Queensland, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service and Wide Bay Hospital and Health Services to address the difficulties in attracting and retaining doctors in regional, remote and rural areas.
• Hands On Health Australia (HoHa) - CQUniversity partnered with Hands On Health Australia (HoHA) to provide chiropractic care to members of the local community who were in need of chiropractic care and were unable to afford it previously. This partnership started in 2019 and continued throughout 2021.
• Mackay Hospital and Health Services (MHHS) - CQUniversity entered into a partnership with MHHS to enhance the leadership and clinical capabilities of their clinical and non-clinical staff by delivering a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management. Thi partnership commences in 2019 and concluded in 2021.
• CQUniversity partnership with Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service on research opportunities and student placement opportunities.
• CQUniversity works in collaboration with Yuma Bimbi Support Services to improve literacy and numeracy for people with a disability.

Ongoing outreach initiatives

University Student Health Clinics

• Our Student Health Clinics operate in Rockhampton, Mackay, Sydney and Brisbane. These clinics are a collaboration between health care practitioners and our students to deliver local health services in oral health, speech pathology, physiotherapy, podiatry and chiropractic services.
• A project, funded by the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future, led by Melissa Plath, called Tarumbal Smiles involved exploration of a cavity-free future for children at a Central Queensland Kindergarten
• A partnership with Hands on Health Australia (HoHA) and Mackay's student Chiropractic Clinic provided opportunities for clinical chiropractic students to gain experience by providing support and treatment to the elderly and homeless in Mackay. This partnership started in 2019 and continued throughout 2021.

CQUniversity Performing Arts Initiatives

• A theatre production involving Bachelor of Theatre and Bachelor of Music students and the Queensland Police Force. This collaboration has received recognition as a successful community engagement health promotion initiative.
• Choices – conveys personal safety messages to high school students about to celebrate leaving school. This project has been running since 1999.
• Safety Circus – conveys road safety and personal safety messages to year 3 school students. This production has been operating since 2012.

Poop It Kit

Professor Kerry Reid-Searl is using humour to teach children about the link between eating well and making healthy poo.

The 'Poop it' kit uses illustrated stories and rewards to educate four to eight-year-olds about what a healthy poo looks like. This project was developed through a partnership between paediatric nurses, academics, and undergraduate students. The inspiration behind the project comes from the professor's desire to take the embarrassment out of talking about what we flush down the toilet.

2021 outreach initiatives

Local Outreach Programs

• Hands on Health Australia (HoHA) - A partnership with Hands on Health Australia (HoHA) and Mackay's student Chiropractic Clinic provided opportunities for clinical chiropractic students to gain experience by providing support and treatment to the elderly and homeless in Mackay. This partnership started in 2019 and continued throughout 2021.
• 10,000 Steps Program - we lead the 10,000 steps program to improve community health and wellbeing. It is a program that started in Rockhampton and is now a national community-based health initiative.
• Women's National Basketball League - Cairns’ Exercise and Sports Science students have been called on for their expertise to host a ‘recovery hub’ for the Chemist Warehouse Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL).
• Tarumbal Smiles - A project, funded by the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future, led by Melissa Plath, called Tarumbal Smiles involved exploration of a cavity-free future for children at a Central Queensland Kindergarten. Bachelor of Oral Health students provided treatment to the kindergarten students.

Outreach Programs for Disadvantaged People

• Physiotherapy and Chiropractic students volunteered their time at 2021 Homeless Connect event to offer advice and free treatment to people experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness.
• Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology students volunteered at Beach Day Out to provide support and facilitate beach accessibility and activities to children and adults living with disabilities.
• The eighth annual Options Day was held in Bundaberg and is the largest local disability event in the Wide Bay Region showcasing support services, community programs, employment, and education options for people living with a disability. The inclusive event had plenty of hands-on activities and was co-founded by Accessibility Consultant Elizabeth Hamilton.

Outreach Programs for Refugee/Immigrant Communities

• Pokhara Fishtail Hospital, Nepal – our University and the Pokhara Fishtail Hospital have an established relationship with the Nepalese Hospital hosts students on clinical placements and we support local health initiatives. This is an ongoing collaboration that has been in place for over a decade.
• Salaam Baalak Trust, India – we are a partner with the Salaam Baalak Trust and supports its WALK project. Our health students visit Salaam Baalak and participate in local health projects.
• Central Queensland Multicultural Association -  located on Rockhampton North campus, has supported the work of CQMA for over 3 decades.
• Multiculturalism and Health -  offered through the Centre for Professional Development, this short course  introduces the healthcare needs of Australia's newer members of Australia's multicultural landscape.

Our commitment to health and wellbeing extends to community use of our Community Sports Centre.

We open our Sports Centre facilities for use by the community and the general public with affordable rates for a gym membership and use of the ovals and stadium at our Rockhampton North campus.

In addition to this, community organisations regularly use our Community Sports Centre facilities. To discuss use of our facilities, please contact the following:

• Gym/Fitness Centre, Functional Training, Tennis Court enquiries sportscentre@cqu.edu.au
• Ovals and Stadium enquiries ovalandstadium@cqu.edu.au
• Sponsorship/In-kind enquiries sponsorship@cqu.edu.au

Sport Centre activity

We are proud to have regular users of our Community Sports Centre, and some of these clients include:

Ovals Activity
Cancer Council - Relay for Life, CQ Athletics, CQ Capras, Emu Park Rugby, Local school use of athletics oval for carnivals, RACQ Community Open Day, Rockhampton Road Runners and Rugbytots CQ

Stadium Courts Activity
CQ Junior Robotics Competition, Frenchville Panthers Basketball, Rockhampton Basketball - CQ Cyclones Team and Rockhampton Netball Association, CQU Basketball Club, University Life Sports programs

We also support community organisations with in-kind access and use of the Community Sports Centre.

We are committed to promoting better health and wellbeing for staff and students and offers a wide range of employee health benefits to staff.

Employee Assistance Program

All employees have access to a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). The EAP is a confidential coaching, counselling and wellbeing service for employees and their eligible family members provided by an independent, professional organisation that consists of qualified, experienced professionals who have extensive training and experience in counselling, coaching and workplace consulting. The EAP provides a range of support and resources to assist employees to manage and enhance their work, health and life.

Student Counselling and wellbeing programs

Students have access to a wide range of health and welfare support programs including academic and personal counselling services.

Mindwaves – mental health strategy

We are committed to developing and implementing a mental health strategy that promotes student and staff mental health and wellbeing and provides a positive educational and workplace experience via a healthy, resilient, inclusive, compassionate and connected University community.

MindWaves recognises the importance of a stepped care model to ensure that students and staff receive the support relevant to their needs. The three-tiered model demonstrates how the strategy is relevant for the three population groups.

• INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH: Offering Health Promotion and prevention initiatives for all students and staff.
• TARGETED ASSISTANCE: Offering Early Intervention initiatives for students and staff with identified coping concerns.
• INDIVIDUAL INTERVENTION: Providing treatment, services, and crisis response management for students and staff with mental health concerns.

Mental health promotion activities

Throughout 2021 we celebrated the work of our staff, student and alumni in promoting good mental health within the community.

• RUOK Day
• End Loneliness Inc.
• Alex raises mental health awareness
• Inside Out Art Exhibition raises mental health awareness
• International Men's Health Week
• My Mental Wellness Consultancy

Sexual healthcare

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service recently ran a pop-up health clinic for staff and students to make appointments for a free and confidential Sexual Health or Cervical Screen.

We provide free Sexual Health online courses for students, staff and the community to access.

The modules cover the following:

• Sexual Health in Australia - Sex for Seniors
• Sexual Decision Making - Positive Youth Development
• Sexuality Issues of Women with Disabilities
• Understanding Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

Smoke-free campus

In 2018, we proudly became a smoke-free campus across our entire footprint. Read more in our Smoking, Alcohol and other Drugs in the Workplace Policy.

We are a member of the Queensland Health Ready to Quit Program. This is a free program for all Queensland Staff. Contact the OHS Unit for more information.

Smoke free campus

In 2018, we proudly became a smoke-free campus across our entire footprint. Read more in our Smoking, Alcohol and other Drugs in the Workplace Policy.

COVID response and services

The year 2020 will forever be remembered as a year that the world changed. Without warning, people across the globe had to quickly adjust to a new environment that was unfamiliar and uncertain. We were quick to implement a number of changes and services to support students and staff during the unprecedented changes that Covid-19 brought.

Student and Staff Support

We are supporting students via a number of different means in the areas of financial, mental health, learning support, connection opportunities. Visit the How We're Supporting Students During Covid-19 page on the website for more information.

Similarly, Staff Support was provided in a number of ways including:

• Employee Assistance Program
• Financial Support (CQUni Cares Staff Emergency Fund Grant)
• Online Teaching Support

COVID-19 Research and Outreach

COVID-19 research on Indigenous populations 

First Nations people will face some unique challenges with COVID-19, including risks for infection, availability of preparedness plans, the applicability of quarantine and isolation and risks of severe disease given the high prevalence of cardiovascular disease and hypertension in First Nations people.

To assist with understanding and alleviating those challenges, this week the Paul Ramsay Foundation committed $2 million in grant funding to support the Australian Partnership for Preparedness Research on Infectious Disease Emergencies (APPRISE) COVID-19 research.

Science for primary school students 

Queensland primary school teachers making the shift to COVID-19 digital delivery have a new tool at hand with an online science classroom now available.

Developed by science lecturer Leanne Voss in conjunction with Darryl Clare, Senior Project Officer Digital Learning, the Science for Primary School Students tool features learning activities grouped into five different fields: biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, physical sciences, and games and quizzes.

Respiratory rate pattern and relationship with COVID-19 symptoms 

We have partnered with human performance company WHOOP and will collaborate with Cleveland Clinic in Ohio to investigate a potential connection between changes in respiratory rate and COVID-19 symptoms.

The University plans to conduct a study using 24/7 physiological data, collected via the wrist-worn WHOOP Strap 3.0, from hundreds of self-identified COVID-19 cases among WHOOP members, to better understand the current health crisis.