STEPS Skills for Education & Employment (SEE) Program and Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) participants in Casuarina in Darwin recently kicked off their first Multicultural Walking Session in collaboration with the Heart Foundation and Anglicare.
This is a joint event organised by STEPS Group Australia and our stakeholders to work with our local communities, as well as an opportunity to promote social and emotional wellbeing for SEE program participants.
Over the next five weeks, students will enjoy the beautiful dry season’s invigorating early mornings while they take active steps towards healthier hearts and minds.
The inaugural walk took them from the STEPS Casuarina Campus to Wanguri Park, where they discovered a vibrant alleyway adorned with colourful murals and inspiring quotes.
At the park, they had the chance to exercise on the playground and even learn a few tai chi moves.
Emma Wu, STEPS Casuarina Business Manager, said their first session was a huge success.
“Everyone is keen for the next walking session, and you can just tell they have a bit more pep in their step, like they’ve got more energy and more of an appreciation for the gorgeous environment we live in,” she said.
“The walking session is just one way we prove to our participants that learning needs to happen outside of the classroom, not just inside.”
While the walks provides enriching exercise and community connections for our SEE participants, there’s an extra benefit for our AMEP participants; those who are learning
English have the opportunity to communicate with the others in the walking sessions, including an English tutor volunteer.
Walking 30 minutes a day can reduce your risk of heart disease by 35% — and that’s just one of the many benefits – so get out in the sunshine and explore your community! Want to join your local walking group? Check out the Heart Foundation’s walking website for more information.
