Published 24 Aug 2023
As a regionally based health fund, our focus is on improving the health of our members and our community. One way we do this is through meaningful community partnerships that are aligned to our vision and that can show real impact.
In 2023 we invested more than $420,000 in the community, through partnership programs, staff volunteering and other activities.
Highlights for 2023
GMHBA Healthy Heroes
Our long-running partnership with Geelong Football Club delivers the Healthy Heroes program to primary schools across Geelong and the western region. It engages kids with important messages on nutrition, physical activity, sleep, water, and screen time, in a fun interactive way.
As part of the program, students interact with AFL and AFLW players and practice practical skills to support healthy habits. Over the past 12 months, the program was delivered in to 120 primary schools, reaching 8655 students.
Read the Play
We continued our support of Read the Play, an important initiative that aims to build confidence in young people to seek support for mental health.
Our contribution supported the delivery of programs in sporting clubs across the Geelong region, providing players, referees and player wellbeing officers access to information and resources relevant to young people.
GMHBA staff also participated in a forum with Read the Play CEO Michelle Gerdtz and Read the Play Patron Cameron Ling, discussing strategies to prioritise mental health.
Give Where You Live Foundation – Conversations that Matter
The Conversations that Matter series of talks, encourages discussion on issues that matter in our community, giving people a voice and creating positive change.
We supported the inaugural event, where 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame shared her story advocating for survivors of sexual assault and her journey becoming a leader of positive change.
We continued our support with the 2023 reconciliation talk where Nova Peris OAM OLY, Yorta Yorta woman Allira Potter, Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles and Simon Flag CEO of Wathaurong, shared their deeply personal experiences of being a First Nations person in Australia.
Our People
GMHBA employees are passionate about giving back. Collectively, we contributed more than $25,000 through Workplace Giving to Give Where You Live Foundation. The foundation aims to make a fairer Geelong, delivering programs that address employment and education inequality and those experiencing life crisis.
We also provided hands on support to local charitable organisations, helping tackle social inequity and family crisis, and contributing to local regenerative farming and environmental management.
In total, we provided more than 540 hours of staff volunteering to the community with organisations including Geelong Mums, Bellarine Catchment Network, Common Ground Project and GenU Enterprises.
Social procurement
Where we can we source goods and services that have a positive social benefit. In the past year, we spent more than $60,000 with social enterprises, helping support and empower local opportunities through GDP Industries, GenU and the Wathaurong Aboriginal Cooperative.
Environmental commitment
Through our e-waste partnership with Pony Up for Good, we kept 282kg out of landfill, with over 60% of materials being re-used.
Healthier Together
GMHBA is proud of our support in the community and to our members and staff over the past twelve months. As we enter our 90th year of operation, we look forward to continuing our meaningful community impact.
