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If you’ve never thought of physical activity as a human right, Dr Oscar Lederman might just change your mind.

‘Many of us think that physical activity is just part of everyday life, but I think what we need to appreciate is that it’s a privilege,’ he says.  

‘It’s a social justice issue, because to be physically active is essential for our health, so why shouldn’t it be equally available to everybody?’

This rationale sits at the heart of Pasifika Moving, a pilot physical activity program for Pasifika women living in Mount Druitt and surrounding suburbs in Western Sydney. Developed through a partnership between Dr Lederman, a researcher in the UTS School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation; Pasifika health worker Yvonne Peacock from the Western Sydney Local Health District; David Burns, CEO of social enterprise Collective Leisure; and members of the Pasifika community, the program was created to address health disparities within this population.

‘There are higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other modifiable health conditions that we know impact health and reduce life expectancy,’ Dr Lederman says.  

The program is based on a culturally inclusive approach that recognises and overcomes the barriers to physical activities that many Pasifika mothers face. Because Pasifika women are often at the centre of family life, creating opportunities to improve their health and wellbeing has the potential to kickstart generational change.  

But as a non-Pasifika person, Dr Lederman couldn’t – and didn’t want to – create the physical activity program on his own, despite his expertise as an exercise physiologist. Understanding the nuances of Pasifika culture required insights and expertise from people within the Pasifika community.  

‘We can’t just run programs that work in western society and for western cultures and assume they will work for everyone. Pasifika Moving is about designing programs that meet the unique cultural needs of the community,’ he says.  

‘Coming from a non-Pasifika background, the way I needed to design that was by working with, not for, the community, which is why we based this program on a co-design process.’

Working in partnership with the Pasifika community

With guidance from Ms Peacock, who had initially identified the need to improve health outcomes in Sydney’s Pasifika communities, coupled with recruitment support from the Pacific Island Mt Druitt Action Network and Collective Leisure, Dr Lederman and his collaborators worked to get the program off the ground.  

The project, which was overseen by a 10-member advisory board that included a range of Pasifika health care leaders, started with a series of community consultations with 18 members of the Western Sydney Pasifika community. These sessions, which took the form of a talanoa – a Pasifika tradition of coming together to share food and discussion – captured feedback, ideas and stories from community members.  

These sessions revealed a wealth of cultural information – beauty standards, familial expectations, the collective nature of Pasifika cultures – that were crucial to the exercise program’s development. Participants described a need for accessible, culturally sensitive physical activity opportunities that emphasised education, community leadership and holistic wellbeing.  

One thing we heard from participants was that there’s a lot of stigma around the idea of doing something for yourself. In Pasifika culture, what was described was: 'If I’m doing something for me, the community comes with me'. – Dr Lederman.

This idea was particularly resonant among the mothers, who take a leading role in raising children and nurturing the broader community. Based on that finding, the research team added a childcare component to the exercise program so that women could attend while still meeting their caring responsibilities – a solution designed by and for the people it was intended to support.  

Driving better physical, social and emotional health  

The next stage was a 12-week pilot of a supervised physical activity program. Weekly sessions took place at Emerton Youth Centre with the support of Blacktown City Council. An on-site childminder, provided by Wesley Mission, kept children entertained while their mothers exercised.  

Sessions were led by a Pasifika fitness instructor who took participants through different activities, from walking groups to circuit training to Pasifika dance; these were followed by informal education about the benefits of exercise. The hour-long sessions started with a prayer and ended with healthy snacks and socialising.  

The program helped build awareness of the importance of physical activity to improve not only health and social connection but also connection to culture. According to Ms Peacock, while the program was designed as a physical exercise program, the community connections it fostered delivered social and emotional health benefits as well.  

‘We come from a collective culture. Having that space to be able to share with other women from your own culture has really encouraged them to say, ‘If they can do it then I can do it too”,’ she says.

The most positive benefit out of it was the women were able to come with their children and not feel like that was a barrier. It has made them feel like they can actually do something about their health without having to feel like it’s a burden on their families.

The 12-week pilot wrapped up in July this year. While Dr Lederman and his research team are still in the process of analysing the data, he’s confident the work has achieved far more than he originally expected.  

The challenge now is ensuring the Pasifika Moving is sustainable — Dr Lederman would like to see it scaled up and integrated into the public health system or the local primary health network as part of a broader commitment to multicultural health.  

He’s also planning to keep publishing and presenting on the initiative, not only to describe its health benefits but to highlight the importance of co-design and culturally responsive research practices as a tool for effective program design when working with multicultural communities.  

The problem
Physical activity is crucial for health and well-being, yet Pasifika communities, among other CALD groups, face barriers accessing culturally-responsive programs that can improve physical and mental health, reduce social isolation, and build social capital. Addressing these gaps is essential for inclusive community health initiatives that respect diverse beliefs and values, ensuring sustainable outcomes. 

The response  
The Pasifika Moving Project aimed to improve health outcomes among Pacific migrant communities by developing a culturally responsive physical activity program. This involved co-designing the program through workshops with 18 members of the Western Sydney Pacific community, using the Pasifika approach of 'Talanoa' for inclusive dialogue and gathering feedback; and implementing a 12-week pilot program.

What helped accomplish this?  
We formed a diverse advisory committee comprising 10 members, including leaders in Pasifika healthcare such as Nursing, Midwifery, Psychiatry, Health Promotion, and Research, alongside academic researchers in physical activity, and representatives from Pasifika community education and social enterprise.  Our two 3-hour Talanoa sessions facilitated engaging discussions, activities, and healthy snacking, providing a culturally sensitive platform for Pasifika mothers, families, carers, and bicultural health staff to share insights and aspirations regarding physical activity 

What has changed as a result?  
The "Pasifika Moving" project has made significant short-term impacts by raising awareness among Pasifika mothers about the importance of physical activity and creating a supportive environment for discussing barriers and facilitators to engagement. Bringing together Pasifika mothers and their children has strengthened community bonds and mutual support. As the project progresses to its pilot phase in March 2024, it aims to build on these foundations, expand its reach, and enrich the healthcare ecosystem with culturally competent practices, supported by ongoing funding and broader community engagement.

Additional resources

Project Lead