Bringing together practitioners, consumers, and community members across WA

Our purpose

The Weight Education and Lifestyle Leadership (WELL) Collaborative is an ever-growing group of people in Western Australia committed to changing the way we talk and think about overweight and obesity.

We provide a central hub of resources and education, and are building a powerful community of people who are collaborating to make change in the health and community services systems, from the top down.

We also recognise that the conversation around overweight and obesity is complicated, confusing, and oftentimes difficult to facilitate. People navigating overweight and obesity can struggle to feel heard and understood, while health care practitioners might feel unsure of how best to have a productive dialogue.

We provide opportunities for dialogue between healthcare practitioners, consumers, and community by exploring the intersection of science and situation that shape each person’s experience of obesity.

  • We value and follow the evidence, but are not afraid to innovate
  • We understand, acknowledge, and work to impact the social determinants of health
  • We listen to and are guided by people with lived experience of overweight and obesity
  • We believe every person navigating overweight and obesity deserves to be heard and should be equipped with both the science and understanding they need to make their own journey

“I spoke to my GP (about trying a particular diet) and she said ‘we can do that together'”

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Anonymous, 2018

Our values

Wise

We not only have the knowledge necessary to educate on the challenges of overweight and obesity, but also the wisdom to know how to have the conversation.

Understanding

We acknowledge and make space for the myriad experiences people have with overweight and obesity, and offer resources without judgement.

Accommodating

We hold space for the variety of perspectives people bring to the table, and seek commonality between divergent perspectives.

Undaunted

We recognise the challenges of overweight and obesity and are up to the task, knowing that the future of the space will only become more complicated and nuanced.

WA Healthy Weight Action Plan

The WELL Collaborative grew out of action 1.1 of the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan 2019-2024. The Action Plan was a collaborative project undertaken by Health Consumers’ Council, WA Health, and WA Primary Health Alliance. It creates a roadmap for sustainable changes to support people and families impacted by overweight and obesity. The WELL Collaborative will continue to support the implementation of the Action Plan while also expanding our reach to include other key organisations and agencies involved in changing the social determinants of health.

The Action Plan outlines seven key strategies that will drive change:

  1. Connect better
  2. Change how we talk about weight
  3. Better access and care coordination
  4. Build workforce capability and confidence
  5. Quality improvement
  6. Innovation
  7. Empower the community to take action
Read more about the Action Plan
Older woman in wheelchair holder hands with older man walking beside her

Our impact

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Working with People with lived experience
Central to our impact is prioritising the expertise and voices of people with lived experience of overweight and obesity.
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Delivering on the WA Healthy Weight Action Plan
The WELL Collaborative partners and broader network of collaborators are working to implement the Action Plan.
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Our Team

The WELL Collaborative is currently supported by three Steward organisations: Health Consumers’ Council, WA Health, and WA Primary Health Alliance. However, we are a network of change makers from all walks of life, professions, and organisations, including people impacted by overweight and obesity.