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Wellbeing at Monash Newsletter

Issue #6 - August, 2009

Proudly presented by Monash Sport and Health, Wellbeing and Development, you can now read about the latest wellbeing events, services and activities happening at Monash.  Monash aims to assist staff in achieving a healthy work/life balance using a holistic approach – mind, body, spirit and the community.  There are some great prizes to win so read on!

Contact us

Email Wellbeing at Monash here

Useful web links

OHS
Wellbeing at Monash Online
Health, Wellbeing and Development
Positive Monash
Monash Sport 
Greening up our Act
Monash Sport news
Previous Wellbeing newsletters


WIN a $20 Coles Myer voucher

We value your feedback.  Tell us what you think of this edition of Wellbeing at Monash (or any wellbeing service you would like to see) and you could win a $20 Coles Myer voucher.

Send your feedback here

 

  

 

Wellbeing events & news

10,000 Steps Challenge is coming!

The 2009 Monash 10,000 Steps Challenge is coming to your office soon. The Challenge will commence on Wednesday 7th October in conjunction with Mental Health Week. For further information, please visit the webpage here


Helping staff and students to get Health Smart

Health Smart is a new Monash program to encourage staff and students to make a healthy and sustainable choice when purchasing food from outlets on campus and ordering catering. 

Wellbeing at Monash has worked together with the Office of Environmental Sustainability and many Monash food outlets to ensure the program is practical and sustainable.

From late August you will begin to see food items and catering menus being marked with either a Health Smart or Earth Smart logo.  More information about the program will be available in the September newsletter.

Lysistrata concert

Monash University Academy of Performing presents Aristophanes' ‘Lysistrata' which battles its way through love, sex and war.

Date: Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 August 
Location: Alexander Theatre
Staff price: $22

For further Information and to purchase tickets please visit monash.edu.au/monart or call 9905 1111


Workplace Giving initiative for Monash staff

Workplace Giving is a federal government initiative which allows staff to make regular charitable donations to eligible charities through the payroll. 

A number of changes to payroll giving arrangements have meant that participating staff can now receive the tax benefits of their charitable donations immediately without having to wait until the end of the financial year or needing to hold on to receipts.  The University covers the administration costs, allowing 100% of every donation made by staff to be received by the nominated charity.

Monash and Oxfam entered into an agreement which will offer collaboration opportunities benefiting Monash University students across all Australian and international campuses.  Donate to Oxfam through workplace giving

New at work weight loss program for Monash staff

Winter is often the time we reduce daily walks and playing sports due to the cold weather.  A new weightloss program developed by Monash Sport may be just the program for you - it's indoors and at work! More than 30 staff at Clayton and Caulfield campuses have already joined the program.

The 12 week workplace healthy eating and training (HEAT) program includes a weekly one on one consultation with a health consultant and the option of individualised training sessions. More than

Where: Available at Clayton, Caulfield, Gippsland, Parkville and Peninsula campuses.  Staff from campuses other than the above may register their interest to participate by completing the registration form.

Cost: The 12 week program costs $280 and can be salary sacrificed.

Interested? View more detailed info here

 

Your chance to win and monthly competition winners

Congratulations to Niroshini Thavasingam - Campus Bookstore; Janet Creaney - Faculty of Art & Design; Debra Johnson - School of Rural Health and Christine Cabral - Monash College - they all won a Monash winter scarfe for providing their feedback.  Yvonne Yu - Strategic Procurement was the lucky winner of the $20 Coles Myer voucher.

For your chance to win a $20 Coles Myer voucher tell us what you think of this edition of Wellbeing at Monash (or any wellbeing service you would like to see) Send your feedback here

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Monash Sport news and offers

Experience the Energy - Semester 2 Group Fitness Timetable Launch

Come and try our classes for free and win great prizes!

To celebrate the new Semester 2 Group Fitness Timetable, Monash Sport will be launching selected classes at Caulfield, Clayton and Peninsula campuses where you can come and try them for free and also have the opportunity to win some great prizes!

Launch dates and times vary between campuses and are being held in the week beginning Monday 24 August. Please visit www.sport.monash.edu/fitness for specific information relating to types of classes, dates and times.  We look forward to seeing you there!

Mt Buller, Grampians, Yarra Valley, Monash Sport trips and tours are available to everyone!


Through Trips and Tours you can experience the amazing attractions of Australia, together with lots of fun people and quality tour leaders. Travelling in comfort on our great buses and with our informative guides, you can get up close and personal with unique australian wildlife and habitat. Wether you want to be friends with a koala, watch the penguins come ashore or experience the truly unique Australian scenery, Trips and Tours can take you there.

Upcoming Trips and Tours...

Mt Buller snow Day trips
Grampians National Park
Ozzy Experience Tour
Great Ocean Road
Yarra Valley experience
Sydney Tour - September

For all the trips, itineraries and full details, check out the Trips and Tours website!


Monash University Alpine Lodge, Mt Buller

Great location, great prices, great atmosphere!

Monash University Alpine Lodge - Bookings now open for the 2009 Winter Season.  Stay this winter at the Monash University Alpine Lodge in a great location, close to the village and lifts.  Offering comfortable and affordable accommodation, the 44 bed lodge is a great place for your Snow sports experience this winter.  Book online at: http://sport.monash.edu.au/alpine-lodge.html

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TeamMONASH™ events

Around the Bay in a Day registrations now open!

Last year TeamMONASHTM won the award for being the largest community team, with 430 riders and highest Education fund raiser. This year we are back aiming for 500 participants to defend our titles!  Come and join us!

Rides distances cater for people of all fitness and skill levels, with shorter distances suitable for those of you that don't normally ride. With a little training and the fantastic TeamMONASHTM support you too can be part of this great day.

Of course Around the Bay in a Day is not just about riding; the event aims to raise awareness and funding for the Smith Family - Learning for Life program, assisting approximately 680,000 disadvantaged kids living in Australia stay in the education system. Even if you don't ride show your support for the cause by sponsoring the team or an individual TeamMONASHTM rider

If you have participated previously you may consider stepping up to a longer distance or perhaps think about a shorter ride and enjoying the atmosphere of TeamMONASHTM on the day. Alternatively consider giving something back and join us as a TeamMONASHTM volunteer to support the event. For further information and to register please visit www.sport.monash.edu/events

One thing is for sure this will be another great TeamMONASHTM event.

 

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Discounts for staff

Wellbeing at Monash has sourced great discounts including;

- HBA health insurance
- Subway
- Dymocks
- Rebel Sport
- Ashcombe Maze
- Holidays – flights and accommodation
- Dell computers
- Magazine subscriptions
- Lite n Easy
- Virgin Blue Lounge & Qantas Club
- Physiotherapy
- Hot Air Ballooning

Read more info about the discounts here

Rebel Sport - 5% discount card

Wellbeing @ Monash has secured a 5% discount for Monash staff at Rebel Sport upon presentation of the Rebel Sport MVP discount card. 

Collect your discount card between 10am and 3pm from Wellbeing at Monash, room S703, Menzies Building, Clayton campus or email monash.wellbeing@adm.monash.edu.au with Rebel card in the subject line AND your internal mail postal address.

Ashcombe Maze & Lavender Gardens - 15% discount

Visit Australia 's oldest and most famous traditional Hedge Maze with more than 4000 year round flowering lavender bushes planted in avender labyrinth & display gardens.  25 acres of internationally acclaimed garden settings with over 10 garden displays with individual themes that change with every season of the year. 

Special offer: Present your Monash staff ID card to obtain a 15% discount off cardholder admission prices. 

www.ashcombemaze.com.au  15 Shoreham Road, Shoreham, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria 3916. Phone 5989 8387.


20% discount at Subway

Monash staff can now get 20% discount off subs and catering from the following Subway outlets, upon presentation of your staff id card (offer valid to 30/03/10):

Pinewood- 425 Blackburn Rd, Mt Waverley
Oakleigh- 1385 Dandenong Rd, Oakleigh
Brandon Park - Cnr Springvale Rd & Ferntree Gully Rd
Waverley Gardens Shopping Centre - Cnr Jacksons Rd & Police Rd
Springvale - 25 Springvale Road

Subway Moe, Trafalgar and Warragul - discount coming soon! Stay tuned for more details about these locations

Ready to book a holiday for September school holidays?

If you're looking at going on a holiday, Global Destination Management offers Monash staff a variety of discounts off services for personal use including:

- 5% off GDM holiday package rates
- Access to the online booking system
- 15% off travel insurance
- The best competitive fare of the day

Current holiday specials include Fiji, Canada, Bali, Hawaii, Phuket, LA, Bangkok and Europe.  View detailed information here

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Healthy living info and news

Food additives and children - simply hints and info

There are over 50 widely used food additives which are known to cause behavioural, health and learning problems in children and adults (evidence based on research on over 20,000 patients at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital's Allergy Unit in Sydney).  ALDI will become the first Australian supermarket to remove six food colours proven to cause hyperactivity and other disorders in children from its range of own-branded products. Read the news article here.

Follow these tips on how to shop additive free:

Avoid foods which are artificially brightly coloured;

Avoid products with the 600 range of numbers;

Try and choose the plainer option which it comes to things like packets of potato chips;

Try and find preservative free alternatives to the foods you like. For example, there are growing ranges of preservative free breads now available;
Be careful with some dried fruits - they are often high in sulphate.

Source: Additive Education 

To get you started, refer to the Easy First Steps Toward Additive Free brochure on the Additive Education website.

A study of muscle and brain activity during walking

Human walking is a complex activity that involves the coordination of different body parts and integration of different signals by the brain. Brain control mechanisms of walking in healthy humans as well as those with gait disorders are not clearly defined.

This study will use a novel approach to investigate how initiation of walking is organised and planned by the brain in healthy humans and those suffering from walking impairments.

All testing will take place during a single session at the Kingston Centre Gait Laboratory, Cheltenham.

Participants will wear a cap used to record brain signals while they initiate walking. An electrode will also be placed on the leg to record muscle signals showing the start of movement.

The testing will take approximately two hours.

Date: Monday 29 June to Friday 28 September, 2009
Venue: Kingston Centre Gait Lab (Cheltenham)

If you are interested in taking part in this study and want further information contact Nic Blackah 9265 1370 or email  nicholas.blackah@southernhealth.org.au

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