HEALTH and well-being organisations across the city are joining forces for a bumper event to break barriers to women investing in their physical and mental health.
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YMCA Ballarat healthy living coordinator Georgia Savage said each group generally worked with different female demographics but their mission to get women moving more was the same. This was why they hoped collaborating in a free event would help extend their reach.
"We want to provide opportunities for physical health, mental health and healthy eating," Ms Savage said. "We hope this will be a pathway for women to explore new activities and groups in Ballarat. There might be a woman who says, 'you know, I really enjoyed cardio drumming' and then know there is a group she can do that with."
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Jean Hailes' annual women's health survey found time and guilt to be the major barriers for women in trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The Australian women's health promotion charity is calling for women to put themselves on their to-do list, despite leading increasingly busier lives.
Make Your Move Ballarat is a free Saturday morning event to coincide with women's health week in early September. The event is a joint project between YMCA Ballarat, Sports Central, City of Ballarat, Ballarat Health Services and Ballarat Community Health with state government funding under the Change Our Game campaign.
A planning committee, meeting on Wednesday morning, is finalising a range of guest speakers to share health and well-being experience and advice. There will also be a wide range of active recreation classes and modified sports for all ages from drumming, yoga and mindfulness to Rock Up Netball and self-defence.
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Sports Central's Andrew Milligan said re-engaging women in active recreation - and keeping them engaged - was critical to each organisation's programs.
Sports Central, which facilitates the holistic Western Bulldogs-led Daughters of the West, has a series of modified sports like soccer and cricket to help entice mums into trying the game as their children play.
BCH predominantly works in an older demographic while BHS has a big workforce of shift workers and the YMCA's focus is on youth engagement.
Make Your Move Ballarat is at Barkly Square on September 7: facebook.com/MakeYourMoveBallarat.
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