Public Health

Lucy has a Masters in Public Health through the University of Technology Sydney’s inaugural Public Health Program with a strong focus on youth mental and physical health and how the experiences of youth lay foundations for lifestyle behaviours and choices later in life. With the inordinate rise of non-communicable diseases which have clear correlation to lifestyle choices, this is an area Lucy feels we can bring great change to, simply by understanding why we do what we do and why we choose what we choose. Her primary focus is education and prevention through workshops and programs both in person and via digital mediums. She is currently expanding her Masters foundation into a PhD at Western Sydney University, considering the way parents speak with adolescents around weight, shape and eating and the potential associations with disordered eating in adolescence. Although the research is not yet complete, preliminary findings are being discussed through national conferences, school presentations and parent community groups. As a result of this research she has developed a number of Respectful Relationships Programs for community groups and organisations.

Much of the research gleaned through her study, life experiences and interviews also translates into activity through events that raise awareness of health issues and the importance of connected communities. These have included community events such as the International Women’s Day Festival (IWD) and which started out as a one-day celebration and finished 3 years later as a whole week festival of events around the area; the International Men's Day (IMD) which grew year on year and was a bringing together of old and young in a push kart day extravaganza! The IMD event raised funds for the StreetWork mentoring program. In 2018 the work Lucy has done with supporting awareness around Women's Health and wellbeing expanded to include Wellbeing for Women, an initiative to host monthly wellbeing groups with other local community women who are fundamental to the International Women's Day Festival each year.

 

She has been involved in a voluntary capacity with many community projects and initiatives such as Hornsby Connect, PCYC and Ku-ring-gai council youth events and has served on committees and boards.

Lucy works full time at a High School in Sydney and therefore has had to reduce her community volunteering. INstead she hopes to encourage the next generation to see the power of working together for the community we know we want to be for better mental and physical health and wellbeing. 

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Read more about Lucy's research and insights on public health at her blog, and subscribe to get notified of any of the public health initiatives she is organising or involved in.

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To see more about Lucy's research and get access to her published papers see her Research Gate page 

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