Steady on Your Feet

PICTURED: Rotary Club of North Hobart members launch the Steady on Your Feet campaign, using simple, practical messages to engage the community in falls prevention. Pictured with Professor Michele Callisaya. (Photo: Brodie Farrell-Oates).

By translating real-world risk into practical, human-centred action, Rotary’s Steady on Your Feet campaign demonstrates how visible, community-driven initiatives can strengthen public image by creating impact rather than simply promoting it.

Words Roslyn Teirney. Rotary Club of North Hobart, Tas.

Several community members arrived at a Rotary event in Hobart on 1 April after hearing a radio interview that morning. This was a clear sign that a falls prevention campaign was already doing more than raising awareness. It was changing behaviour.

The Steady on Your Feet Falls Prevention Awareness campaign of the Rotary Club of North Hobart, Tas, builds on the powerful model developed by the Rotary Club of Lismore West, NSW, and shared widely by David Barnes across District 9640 and at Rotary South Pacific conferences. North Hobart Rotary adapted this proven approach to local needs and then extended it with fresh ideas designed to engage today’s audiences.

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospitalisation in older Australians, yet many are preventable. Central to the campaign’s message is that prevention is active: building muscle strength, bone density and balance, alongside simple environmental changes, can significantly reduce risk and support independence.

The message is not simply ‘don’t fall’ – it is also about resilience: stay strong, stay steady and if you do fall, be better prepared to recover. This shifts the focus from fear to confidence and capability.

Rather than focusing on statistics alone, the project translated risk into something people could recognise in their own daily lives and act on.

At its core, the campaign is a practical example of Rotary’s theme Unite for Good. Partnerships brought the project to life, including Calvary Community Care, Council of the Ageing Tasmania, the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania, allied health providers, the New Town Community Association and local media. Each contributed expertise, reach and credibility, creating a campaign far stronger than any one organisation could achieve alone.

The official launch featured an engaging presentation by Professor Michele Callisaya, whose evidence-based insights reinforced the importance of prevention and early intervention. What happened next truly defined the project’s impact.

On April ‘Falls’ Day, Rotary volunteers hosted a community conversation table at New Town Plaza, offering free balance checks, practical advice and simple tools for reducing risk at home. Physiotherapist Dr Ruth Musgrove provided on-the-spot assessments, while volunteers shared information about the club’s 28-Day Steady on Your Feet Challenge, which encourages daily actions that build strength, improve balance and reduce hazards in the home.

The response was immediate and deeply human.

People stopped, talked and shared their stories. Falls from ladders. Trips in the garden. Uneven paths. Recovery after surgery. One person described falling over a pet. Others spoke about footwear or the challenge of living alone.

These were not abstract risks. They were everyday realities.

One visitor commented that the campaign advice seemed like “common sense”. That insight became part of the message itself. It is often the simple, overlooked habits – staying active, maintaining strength and improving balance – that prevent life-changing injuries and support recovery when falls do occur.

The visual elements of the campaign played a powerful role. Message T-shirts, generously shared by the Rotary Club of Lismore West, sparked conversation and drew people in.

Clear, consistent messaging across website, social media, banners and brochures reinforced key ideas: stay steady, stay safe, stay independent.

Behind the scenes, the club also invested in storytelling. Testimonial videos featuring real falls experiences were professionally produced and shared online, extending the campaign’s reach beyond face-to-face engagement and into digital spaces where people increasingly seek information.

Importantly, the message did not stop at the event. Partners amplified the campaign across their own networks.

Calvary Community Care shared videos on hospital screens and distributed brochures in waiting areas. COTA Tasmania extended reach across aged care settings statewide.

Community connections through Bunnings and Probus groups helped carry the message even further.

The New Town Community Association played a key local role, hosting a presentation, promoting the event through newsletters and encouraging member participation – demonstrating the value of trusted grassroots networks.

The project also generated immediate follow-on action. Dr Musgrove, who volunteered at the community stall, offered a free workshop on ‘How to Fall Safely’, providing a practical next step for participants and reinforcing the campaign’s real-world relevance.

Feedback from partners confirmed the project’s impact. Professor Callisaya praised the quality of the initiative and indicated that the National Falls Alliance would share project images, extending its visibility nationally. Tony Brennan from Calvary highlighted the energy and collaboration behind the campaign, while Brigid Wilkinson from COTA Tasmania affirmed its clarity and provided strategic advice to support future growth.

Steady on Your Feet demonstrates that Rotary’s public image is strongest not when it speaks about impact, but when it creates it.

By adapting a proven model, embracing partnerships and focusing on meaningful, human-centred engagement, the Rotary Club of North Hobart has shown what it truly means to Unite for Good and to turn prevention into action where it matters most.