HealthWISE delivers SALSA program to Oxley and Gunnedah High

Students As LifeStyle Activists (SALSA) is an evidence-based initiative aiming to encourage physical activity, healthy eating habits, and improved overall wellbeing among local high school students.

"It's good that they're reaching regional areas like Oxley. This was a huge thing for us to be able to actually get it," Year 10 student Katie Sheppard said.

The program was originally created by the Universities of Newcastle and Sydney in 2013, and this year local non-profit HealthWISE re-developed the program for regional youth.

"It's an opportunity to be a leader alongside the health messaging ... I think kids are often the passengers when it comes to learning and in this case they're in the driver's seat," HealthWISE's Business Innovation Manager Sally Urquhart said.

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The program works by training local university students to teach year 10 students, who in turn deliver four structured nutritional lessons to their younger year 8 peers.

"The messaging is the same, but it's being delivered by peers so it's very effective because the kids give it a cool, relatable vibe," Ms Urquhart said.

University of Newcastle nutrition and dietetics students say they leapt at the chance to deliver the program to local high schools.

"Personally I didn't get a lot of nutritional advice going through school, and that little bit of knowledge we're giving them now I really would've appreciated myself," fourth-year university student Robert Baird said.

"It's also really beneficial for us as university students going out into the field and being able to provide these education sessions," fellow fourth-year Guy Crawly said.

And the year 10 students said they're even more excited to bring those sessions to their peers.

"I'm excited to get to know the year 8s better and bond with them because we're very separated in our areas. That's just how school is," year 10 student Mili Woods said.

"It will be good to actually interact with them because a lot of the time we are separated by year, so to be able to build those connections will be a good experience," Ms Sheppard said.

HealthWISE also brought the SALSA program to Glen Innes and Narrabri High schools last week.

Prior to HealthWISE's involvement, SALSA had reached 37 schools in the Sydney and Newcastle areas.

Thanks to the non-profit, that tally has reached more than 40, improving students' health decisions in schools across NSW.

"SALSA has momentum of its own because it's peer-led. It's not a case of teachers and health professionals telling kids what they should or shouldn't do," Ms Urquhart said.

Other schools have taken the program further even after its completion, coming up with new projects like developing nutritional guidelines for their schools or installing water fountains to promote hydration.

The Oxley and Gunnedah students said they could easily see themselves doing something similar to promote a healthier society across the region.

"I definitely think if we put our minds to it we can come up with some pretty great ideas," Ms Woods said.

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