Children's Physical Activity Foundation

Latest News

• Children's Physical Actviity Foundation - 2008 Grant Recipients
• Minister's Physical Activity Challenge - REGISTER NOW
• Children's Physical Activity Foundation - Launch

Foundation Overview

The ACT Government has established a Children’s Physical Activity Foundation, which will work to promote physical activity to children and to assist primary schools in the delivery of physical activity opportunities through resources and additional support.

Research support for the Foundation has demonstrated that children who cannot perform fundamental movement skills are less able and often less willing to persist with learning more complex skills and will avoid activities that expose them to failure. This in turn leads to a less active lifestyle in adolescence and adulthood increasing the risk of chronic diseases later in life.

The Foundation will be championed by Order of Australia recipient and dual Olympian Adam Pine and involve high profile sporting figures from the ACT’s national league teams, providing encouragement to primary schools, teachers, children and families through strong promotional messages.

Funding from the foundation will be made available to all public and non government schools across the ACT region through the Foundation’s grant and assessment program. In addition to funding schools, Sport and Recreation bodies will be eligible to apply for funding providing children with physical activity opportunities in educational settings.

Foundation Vision

All primary aged children in the ACT are more physically active on a daily basis.

Objectives of the Foundation

• To promote the importance of physical activity as an integral lifestyle element for children
• To assist ACT Primary schools to facilitate active living for students
• To establish a fund to be exclusively used to support physical activity initiatives for primary aged children
• To attract corporate and community support to enhance the funds and activities of the Foundation
• To raise awareness at a community level of the need for primary aged children to develop active lifestyle habits in order to prevent long term health issues.

Minister's Physical Activity Challenge

The Minister’s Physical Activity Challenge is a new initiative by the ACT Government to increase the levels of physical activity in children. The aim is to encourage children to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

Further information about the Minister's Physical Activity Challenge

Funding for Primary Schools

Funding for 2008 has now closed. Funding receipents are to be announced 3 June 2008.

Funding from the foundation will be made available to all public and non government primary schools across the ACT region through the Foundation’s grant and assessment program.

Successful primary schools will be required to enter into a funding agreement and invoice the Foundation for the amount of the grant which will then be paid directly to the school. Schools will also be responsible for the full acquittal of all grants.

Schools will be eligible for grants of up to $1,000.

Funding for Sport and Recreation Organisations

Funding for 2008 has now closed. Funding receipents are to be announced 3 June 2008.

Sport and recreation organisations are eligible for grants to run programs in conjunction with primary schools on or off site. Grant applications will only be considered if endorsed by an eligible primary school and where by the provision of services are carried out in during school hours. Organisations will need to provide a letter of support from the primary school they will be engaging as part of their official grant application.

Organisations applying for funding will need to be recognised as a sport or recreation group by Sport and Recreation Services. To clarify any eligibility concerns please contact Sport and Recreation Services, on 6207 0022.

Successful sport and recreation organisations will receive funding directly upon receipt of tax invoice and signed funding agreement will also be responsible for the full acquittal process.

Sport and recreation organisations will be eligible for grants up to $3,000.

Grant Timelines 

The Foundation Grant round will open on 31 March 2008 and close on 2 May 2008. Grants will be evaluated from this period until funding announcements during the week starting 2 June 2008. This will coincide with the commencement of the Minister’s Physical Activity Challenge and allow successful primary schools to utilise grant money for the purchase of equipment for the challenge.

Foundation Partner

The John James Memorial Foundation  was first established in 1966 by a group of motivated local doctors who felt it was time Canberrans had access to the choice and benefits of a private hospital.

The hospital opened in 1970 and has provided outstanding private hospital care to patients in and around Canberra for almost 40 years.

In October 2006 Calvary Private Health Care, the owners of the Calvary Private Hospital in Bruce and a number of other hospitals around Australia, purchased the business (but not the hospital land and buildings which were retained by the Foundation) and renamed it the Calvary John James Hospital.

Following the sale, the Foundation was left with minimal debt, a large landholding in Deakin and a healthy rental income stream. It has over 120 specialist doctor members and is a not-for-profit health promotion charity. Having previously had only one focus; the running of a private hospital, the Foundation now faces an exciting future in establishing a new range of charitable activities including:

• Contributing to the continued success of the Calvary John James Hospital in Deakin;
• Through the generosity of its Members, the provision of specialist medical services, on a regular volunteer basis, to remote and rural areas of Australia;
• Providing a range of educational opportunities for medical and nursing students; and
• Given the long history of the Foundation in Canberra, the provision of support to local health related charities and organisations.

With a dedicated Board, Management and Membership, the Foundation looks forward to making an extremely valuable contribution to the local Canberra community for many years to come.

For further information relating to the John James Memorial Foundation and its history within the Canberra community please click on the following link www.jjmf.org.au