RiverConnect has announced a partnership with Goulburn Valley Health, bolstering its mission to harness nature’s restorative powers to benefit the community’s wellbeing.
As the largest public health institution in Greater Shepparton, GV Health brings invaluable expertise and guidance.
A notable development of this partnership is the appointment of a GV Health representative to the RiverConnect Implementation Advisory Committee.
This committee plays a pivotal role in overseeing the execution of the RiverConnect Strategic Plan.
GV Health executive director of community care, mental health and chief allied health officer Joshua Freeman was appointed as the representative to join the committee.
Mr Freeman said the collaboration aligned seamlessly with GV Health’s recently launched Primary Care and Population Health Plan 2023-2029 and its mental health services.
It identifies interconnections within relevant organisations and takes the lead in co-ordinating major projects from their respective organisational perspectives.
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali enthusiastically welcomed GV Health to the RiverConnect family and said working together on the natural environment and helping to co-ordinate great outdoor events was a win for everyone.
“Working alongside community and partners helps to improve our community’s relationship with the river and nature,” he said.
“There are many similarities between the health outcome objectives of Goulburn Valley Health and the RiverConnect Strategic Plan, and this partnership is a great next step to improving how we can all work together.”
Implementation Advisory Committee councillor representative Sam Spinks said she was excited to see positive health and environmental benefits flow from this partnership.
“This partnership is a perfect fit for council and GV Health, and one which is expected to achieve many positive outcomes for the community,” she said.
“We know how important the natural environment can be on people’s health, and we want to ensure we can promote this and encourage people to get outdoors and feel the benefits of connecting with nature.”
Promoting the health benefits of the natural environment and encouraging people to embrace the outdoors are key aspirations of this collaboration.
Numerous studies affirm that connecting with the natural environment significantly improves mental and physical health.
This enhancement stems from three main categories: air and water filtration, local climate regulation and recreation-related services.
These improvements correlate with a reduction in chronic diseases, which subsequently alleviates the burden on the healthcare sector.