Deadly Choices /

Deadly Choices is a health promotion initiative of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, funded in the Sutherland Shire by the Central Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network (CESPHN).

The Cronulla Sharks have been successfully running the program since 2020.

In Aboriginal slang, if something is ‘deadly’ it’s great, cool, or awesome. As such, Deadly Choices aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make healthy choices for themselves and their families, to be role models and leaders within their communities and to complete their annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health check to prevent and better manage chronic disease.

The Sharks Deadly Choices program combines an 8-week schools and community healthy lifestyles program with community outreach delivered in collaboration with the Vitalis Family Medical Practice in Kirrawee.

The 8-week program is delivered in a flexible manner to suit school environments and timetables, and addresses healthy lifestyle topics such as:

Leadership
Chronic disease
Tobacco cessation
Nutrition
Physical activity
Harmful substances
Healthy relationships
Access and health checks

The Sharks Deadly Choices Program has been recognised as a top 3 finalist in the 2022 Central Eastern Sydney Primary Health Awards in the ‘Service delivery that meets community needs’ category and  has been successful in completing over 250 health checks and delivering the healthy lifestyles program to 160 participants from 11 schools and community groups

For more information about the healthy lifestyles program in your school or community group, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments contact [email protected]