Prestigious honour to advance public health locally

GRPHU Health promotion officer, Nadine Frescura. Photo: Contributed

GIPPSLAND Region Public Health Unit (GRPHU) Health promotion officer, Nadine Frescura, has been awarded a prestigious Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) Cadetship.

The PHAA is Australia’s peak body for public health and only one cadetship is awarded annually.

“I applied for this cadetship under the guidance and support from my managers at GRPHU,” Ms Frescura said.

“The application process was open to people in their early to mid-public health career who had made a significant contribution to the field.”

Ms Frescura submitted a paper on the mapping of health promotion programs and prevention initiatives across the six local government areas in Gippsland. Providing an overview of activity across the region; this work assists with priority setting and future design of projects to strengthen the population health outcomes across the region.

The cadetship awards Miss Frescura with a one year PHAA membership, media training, mentoring, inclusion in the PHAA Victorian branch meeting and the opportunity to attend the PHAA national 2023 conference.

“This cadetship will allow me to gain broader perspectives within the field both nationally and with an international lens, and I look forward to having conversations with leaders in public health to develop professionally,” she said.

“I have a real passion for contributing to the future of public health through the new structure of Local Public Health Units, delivering partnered health promotion tailored to the region in a community where I grew up and still live.”

PHAA campaigns cover a wide range of public health issues including Indigenous health, alcohol pregnancy warning labels, and sick leave for all workers. Its more than 1900 individual members represent over 40 professional groups interested in the promotion of public health, with branches in every state and territory.