WalkSoccer: Creating Connection, Confidence and Community Through Movement

Article contributed by South Western Sydney Local Health District

Across south west Sydney, local partnerships are showing what’s possible when organisations come together with a shared goal: helping older adults stay active, connected and confident through WalkSoccer.

WalkSoccer has been delivered in South West Sydney through partnerships between South Western Sydney Local Health District’s Health Promotion Service, Walking Football NSW, local councils, sporting organisations and community groups such as Collective Leisure. Together, these partnerships have supported local access, shared use of facilities and community-based delivery, while creating welcoming hubs where older adults feel comfortable giving something new a go.

The game itself is simple - no running and no contact - but the impact goes well beyond the pitch. Weekly sessions run during NSW school terms in Wetherill Park, Lurnea and Bradbury, and end with a shared morning tea that turns exercise into a social outing. Participants speak about improved balance, confidence and motivation, but also about feeling part of something again. Partnerships have also opened doors beyond the weekly sessions.

During Social Inclusion Week, collaboration with the Macarthur Bulls gave WalkSoccer participants the opportunity to take to the field at an A-League match. This experience celebrated inclusion, challenged perceptions of ageing and highlighted how community sport can create meaningful connections across generations and settings. With a new Come and Try session launching in Camden during the Seniors Festival in March, WalkSoccer continues to demonstrate how local partnerships can turn simple ideas into meaningful, place-based action that supports healthy ageing across south-west Sydney. Help spread the word about WalkSoccer by sharing this information through your networks.

For more information or to register, contact the Healthy Ageing Team on 0477 386 412 or SWSLHD-healthyageing@health.nsw.gov.au