Community invited to have their say on wellbeing in regional survey

Residents across North East Victoria and the Goulburn Valley are being encouraged to share their experiences of health, wellbeing, and access to services as part of Women’s Health Goulburn North East’s (WHGNE) new Community Minded Survey. The short, anonymous survey aims to build a clearer picture of how people in rural and regional areas are coping in everyday life and what support they need. WHGNE CEO Mandy Macdonald said the initiative is an important opportunity for community voices to shape future services. “The Community Minded Survey is about hearing directly from people across our region about what’s affecting their health and wellbeing in everyday life,” she said. She said WHGNE is seeking input from people of all backgrounds, ages and locations, whether they live in small towns, regional hubs, farming communities or anywhere in between. “The more voices we hear from across the region, the clearer the picture we get of how people are really coping and what access to services looks like in everyday life,” Ms Macdonald said. Although WHGNE focuses on women’s health, the survey is open to people of all genders. Ms Macdonald said the survey will play a key role in shaping how services respond to community needs over the coming years. The results will help WHGNE and partner organisations better understand local challenges, from mental health pressures to the ease or difficulty of accessing services, while adding human context to statistical data. “The survey helps us understand the story behind the statistics and identify where support and services are most needed across our region,” Ms Macdonald said. A report summarising the findings will be released mid-year and shared widely with health providers, community organisations and local councils. WHGNE also plans to meet with stakeholders later in the year to explore collaborative actions based on the results. Ms Macdonald said gaining feedback from a wide range of demographics is essential to understanding the complexities of community wellbeing across the region. Factors such as age, gender, cultural background, disability, caring responsibilities, and access to transport can all shape people’s experiences. “Different communities experience challenges in different ways, so hearing from a wide range of people helps make sure the regional conversation about wellbeing reflects real lived experience,” Ms Macdonald said. WHGNE also hopes the survey will highlight how community needs have evolved since they last conducted a similar consultation in 2022. The Community Minded Survey is open until 31 March and takes only a few minutes to complete. While the survey is anonymous, participants can choose to provide their contact details if they are interested in joining an in-person consultation in April. The survey can be accessed via the WHGNE website at: whealth.com.au/news/community-minded/.

Community invited to have their say on wellbeing in regional survey

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