We aim to create a Victoria where everyone can enjoy better health and wellbeing.
The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) is a pioneer in health promotion – the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health. Our primary focus is promoting good health and preventing chronic disease.
We create and fund world-class interventions. We conduct vital research to advance Victoria’s population health. We produce and support public campaigns to promote a healthier Victoria. We provide transformational expertise and insights to government.
Of all the things we do, above all we seek to make health gains among Victorians by pre-empting and targeting improvements in health across our population, fostered within the day-to-day spaces where people spend their time, and with benefits to be enjoyed by all.
Try our tips for achieving better health.
Strategic imperatives
VicHealth's Action Agenda for Health Promotion focuses on five strategic imperatives with associated goals and three-year priorities.
- promoting healthy eating
- encouraging regular physical activity
- preventing tobacco use
- preventing harm from alcohol
- improving mental wellbeing.
These priorities are consistent with VicHealth’s obligations under the Tobacco Act of 1987. They also align with the Victorian Government policy and program directions, and national and international health promotion priorities and policies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) charters and declarations for Health Promotion.
Stakeholder engagement framework
Strong working relationships with stakeholders are vital to ensure VicHealth can help Victorians live healthier, happier lives and that together we can support stakeholders to achieve our shared health promotion aims.
VicHealth’s Stakeholder Engagement Framework guides how we work with stakeholders, to both deliver on the VicHealth Action Agenda for Health Promotion, and support the health promotion goals of our partners.
The Framework outlines our commitment to open, collaborative, inclusive, respectful and meaningful engagement with our stakeholders. These key principles will guide our work and ensure we cultivate consistent, strong and effective relationships.
A range of stakeholder feedback has informed and enhanced this Framework and our approach.
To ensure we are delivering effectively against the Framework, we will be routinely reviewing our progress against the principles and objectives outlined.
Download the VicHealth Stakeholder Engagement Framework (PDF, 3.2MB)
How VicHealth is funded
VicHealth receives core funding from the Department of Health to deliver its objectives as outlined in the Tobacco Act 1987. Additionally, VicHealth periodically receives special funding from various Government agencies to deliver specific programs.
Previous funding model
For its first 10 years (until 1997), VicHealth was funded by a dedicated (or ‘hypothecated’) tax. This kind of tax is one generated for a specific purpose and does not become part of a government’s general consolidated revenue. A hypothecated tax is rarely implemented.
The Victorian State Government applied a levy of 5% on top of existing state tobacco fees (set out in the Victorian Tobacco Act 1987). This money was hypothecated to the Victorian Health Promotion Fund, and the Fund was administered by VicHealth.
In health terms, such an approach created an incentive in its own right by increasing the price of something considered to be harmful to health (in this case smoking). There was evidence in Victoria before the Tobacco Act was introduced in 1987 that a price increase in cigarettes would reduce the smoking rates of people under 18. This was a powerful message to help the Victorian Government gain community support for a new tax to the community.
The model created considerable interest in other parts of the world. Thailand, Korea, Finland and Portugal have all implemented some version of a hypothecated tax to fund health promotion.
For more information, see The Story of VicHealth: A world first in health promotion.
Our overarching priorities
Pinpointing and preventing the negative influences of ill health, and championing the positive influences on good health, is central and exclusive to our work. Our priorities support government objectives and relevant aspects of the Victorian Department of Health’s Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.
Four unique approaches underpin our mandate to prevent chronic disease.
- Our role as an independent statutory authority with multipartisan support
We advise governments and complement and contribute to the efforts of various government portfolios. - A comprehensive, inclusive approach to health
We focus on creating the conditions in which good health can flourish – from better public policy and healthy urban environments to more inclusive and respectful communities. - Our innovation
We are able to take and absorb risks in ways that governments cannot. Our work is underpinned by robust evidence, and is integrated with evaluation, practice and dissemination. - Our partnerships
We work in partnership with governments, organisations, communities and individuals in a broad range of sectors, including sport, recreation, community, urban planning, research, transport, local government, education, arts and business. We have a legislative mandate to allocate at least 30% of our appropriation to sports organisations.
Our partnerships
Improving health is a shared responsibility. We take this notion seriously by working in partnership with all sectors as a trusted, independent source of evidence-based practice and advice. VicHealth can bring together seemingly disparate parties to create shared solutions. Our partners come from many sectors, including all levels of government, non-government organisations, health, sport, research, media, education, the arts, industry and local communities.International
World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Leadership in Health Promotion
VicHealth received official designation as a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Leadership in Health Promotion in September 2014. This role gives us the opportunity to build the capacity of existing and new health promotion organisations in the Western Pacific Region through technical support and mentoring, as well as hosting international delegations, forging new partnerships in health and sharing information and resources.
International Network of Health Promotion Foundations
VicHealth has an alliance with other countries that have established or are in the process of establishing health promotion foundations, many based on the VicHealth model. This International Network of Health Promotion Foundations strengthens the work of existing foundations and supports new ones. The Network's website has significant resources and links to member websites.