Building a healthy West
As the University of the west, we are actively helping to improve the health and well-being of our community.
The people who live in Melbourne’s west come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Research tells us that some of these people face more challenges when it comes to health and education, meaning they are at greater risk of chronic disease and socioeconomic disadvantage.
VU has a crucial role to play in undertaking research, developing effective partnerships and influencing policy to help overcome these challenges.
We are actively engaged in research and collaborative programs to improve wellbeing in the west.
The Australian Health Policy Collaboration (AHPC) promotes and supports a national policy agenda for the prevention of chronic diseases that improves population health and wellbeing in Australia.
Our mission is to inform and influence public policy and its practice, through the translation and application of evidence, to improve health outcomes in Australia and particularly for socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.
The Growing Brimbank Collaboration
Established in 2013, the Growing Brimbank Collaboration is a joint enterprise between VU’s Australian Health Policy Collaboration and Brimbank City Council.
Brimbank, a rapidly growing region on the north-western urban edge of Melbourne, is undergoing substantial economic and social change.
The socioeconomic disadvantage experienced by many can have lifelong impacts on health, learning, wellbeing and development if not addressed early. These risks contribute to the onset of chronic disease and reduce economic prosperity.
With your contribution, we can:
- develop and implement interventions that respond to chronic diseases, applying them across Brimbank
- measure the project's impact and make the economic case for investment
- inspire policy change across Australia.
Read the Growing Brimbank Collaboration report.
