A new program from Southern Cross University (SCU) offering free, individualised support throughout 2025 has been designed to help Australians increase their physical activity and commit to a more active lifestyle.
‘Open to Move’ is delivered entirely online with eligible adults aged 18 to 69 – no matter their current fitness levels – able to get involved from across the country.
Participants can access 12 months of regular free support, including six months of individualised mentoring with a physical activity researcher, through online one-to-one Zoom meetings, with activity tracking via an app.
Open to Move’s lead researcher Professor Christian Swann also leads the Physical Activity, Sport and Exercise Research (PASER) group in the Faculty of Health at SCU.
“We are really proud to launch Open to Move,” Swann says.
“It’s an exciting project designed by some of the world’s leading physical activity researchers, and we hope it’ll help people who are trying to get more active.”
Participants in the online exercise program will:
- receive guidance from leading experts on how to increase physical activity
- have regular online one-to-one meetings with a researcher
- access the Open to Move app to help track progress
- provide feedback via surveys and interviews and help build the evidence base for Open to Move
- receive gift vouchers at the six-month and 12-month milestones as a thank you for involvement
New year, new physical fitness goals
The research is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council’s Discovery Project scheme and has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at Southern Cross University.
It is led by Southern Cross University in partnership with the University of Wollongong, the University of Southern Queensland, University of New South Wales, the University of British Columbia, the University of Lincoln and the University of South Carolina, and the 10,000 Steps Program.
“We’re able to provide free support for a whole year, including regular one-to-one meetings during the first six months, which is designed to help people build habits and stick with a more active lifestyle long-term,” says Swann.
“Best of all, we may even be able to help people achieve their New Year’s resolutions in 2025!”
