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Working together wins acclaim

A group of organisations in Noarlunga in South Australia, aiming to provide better run, more accessible, quality sports and recreation facilities in the City, has won 'Best Community Recreation Program' in South Australia's Homestart Recreation and Sport Industry awards. The Noarlunga Community Sports and Recreation Forum was established in recognition of the value organised sport and recreation provide in the community, and the difficulty such bodies often have in raising funds for development.

Groups as diverse as health agencies, local tourism agencies and disability action groups joined with schools, Local Government, sporting clubs and other community recreation groups to acquire funding, promote their organisations and learn valuable skills. The Forum aims to promote a healthy lifestyle and a sense of community through participation in quality community sport and recreation activities in Noarlunga.

Networking, pooling of resources and sharing of information and skills development has seen positive growth in access to and equity of recreational activity throughout the City. Among the Forum's many achievements is the endorsement by the World Health Organisation of Noarlunga as a 'Safe Community' for its Noarlunga Towards a Safe Community Project.

A Smart Management Workshop, this involved people from 50 organisations learning skills in fundraising and promotion, and sponsorship of the Noarlunga Community Sport and Recreation Expo which promoted member groups to 3,000 visitors.

The Forum has been successful in providing a powerful voice for local sport and recreation, the promotion of healthy and accessible sports facilities and an increasingly professional approach to the management of local sports and recreation at all levels. Links have been established with Life Be In It, the Australian Council for Health and other State and Federal sports and recreation initiatives.

Although the program has always welcomed participants from outside Noarlunga's borders, now that Noarlunga has amalgamated to become the City of Happy Valley, Noarlunga and Wilunga, negotiations are taking place to re launch the Forum to attract wider membership.

For further information contact Laura Dixon, Recreation Officer, telephone (08) 8384 0513.

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