A City of Cockburn men’s health program that helps its participants make friends, get active and improve their health while playing the sport they love has won a WA Men’s Wellbeing Award.
Kicking Goals For Life (KGFL) is a joint winner in the Community Support category of the inaugural WA Men’s Wellbeing Award announced on 13 June in the lead-up to the WA Men’s Wellbeing Conference 2024.
KGFL is a social soccer program that helps men aged 18+ lose weight, get fit and healthy, and stay connected with their mates.
More than 280 participants have lost approximately 360kg across seven seasons of social soccer games as part of the Cockburn program.
City of Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett said the City was thrilled to be a joint winner in the inaugural awards during International Men’s Health Week.
“Our City provides a huge range of health promotion activities for all sections of our diverse community and it’s heartening to see how popular and successful this program has been over several seasons,” Mayor Howlett said.
“We all deserve to feel enabled to live our best and healthiest lives, and I’m proud to say, the City’s small but mighty health promotion team is another hardworking part of our Council that strives to collaborate with our community to provide the services it wants and needs.
“Kicking Goals For Life is one of many healthy lifestyle programs offered by the City specifically to men. The focus is on prevention and intervention that fosters belonging, connection, and pride in leading a healthy lifestyle.”
The City also offers free health checks at local Bunnings stores to help build awareness, provide resources, and support local men. There is a range of other programs men can join, including yoga, meditation, and weekly Workout Wednesday sessions.
The awards, held for the first time in 2024 and hosted by Richmond Wellbeing and Mens Talk AU, are designed to raise awareness and celebrate people and groups making changes in the space of men's mental health.
The City was joint winner with Len Yarran of Wadjak Northside based in Balga, who runs a program for First Nations men transitioning from prison back into the community.
For more information about Kicking Goals For Life visit the City’s
website.
Caption: l-r Cockburn CEO Daniel Simms, Patricia Orr (Manager Public Health and Building Service), Gloria Askander (Health Promotion Officer), Ellen Ward (Health Promotion Assistant) and Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett.