25 Volunteers from amongst the Disadvantaged and marginalised:

Logically, transforming a highly obese and lethargic Interested Adult, either Abled or Disabled, into a tenacious hill climber Participant in a District Recreational Road Cyclist would weigh materially higher in Purpose Built Quant Modelling Software than an Interested Adult who became a Participant in a Rigorous Recreational Exercise Activity who isn't overweight, isn't overly stressed and/or doesn't over indulge in Recreational Drug Use.  Andrew aka TugBoat aged 40, who lives in the outer western suburb of Narellan, halved his weight over a 2 year period dropping from 110kg to 85kg to 70kg to 55kg.  Andrew loves his road cycling and successfully influenced a dozen of his work colleagues to follow his lead.  A profile of many 38 year olds in that socio-economic region would assign a high 'Forecast Medication Cost' and 'Low Productivity'.  Since halving his weight, Andrew has developed a zest for life and successfully encouraging others to emulate his transformation.

Consequently, the Business Plan proposes that 25 of the required Volunteers be drawn from amongst the Disadvantaged and marginalised because -

(i)         they offer the opportunity to achieve greatest marginal benefit from the Research Programme; and

(ii)        a free bicycle would be better given to someone who likely cannot afford a $1,000 new bicycle.

Section 3.VII.(a) and Section 9 acknowledge the marvelous work Peter Cullen through RecLink Australia, Sporting Chance Day and Choir of Hard Knocks have achieved by using sport to create a nexus with Disadvantaged and marginalised, 'vulnerable' Australians, whereupon many Disadvantaged have rebuilt there lives, via various sports which is patent testimony to Nelson Mandela's above proclamation. 

Section 16(e) proposes the 50 Volunteers -

(i)         receive a free $1,000 (retail price) bicycle -
*         as an inducement to join the Research Programme; and
*         because a high degree of commitment and personal time will be required from each Volunteer; and

(ii)        retain the bicycle as their property -
*         whilst ever they satisfy the requirements of the Research Programme; and
*         permanently upon completing the 9 months Research Programme.

If any of the 50 Volunteers fail to complete the 9 month Research Programme, those bicycles will be given to RecLink Australia or  Sporting Chance Day as explained in the penultimate paragraph in Section 3.VII.(a) and Section 9.

The Writer -

a)         has cycled as a Pilot on different tandems for 7 Disabled Adults;

b)         has reviewed National Disability Services - NSW website;

c)         was in the same class for 10 years at school with Michael Raper, Director Welfare Rights Centre of NSW who won the 2007 Justice Award.  Michael was President of the Australian Council of Social Service between 1997-2001; and

d)         believes with the guidance of people like Peter Cullen founder of RecLink Australia, Sporting Chance Day and Choir of Hard Knocks (Section 3.VII.(a)) and Michael Raper, and through liaison with NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS), National Disability Services etc 25 Volunteers can be sourced from the Disadvantaged and marginalised who would welcome the Challenge of being one of 25 Volunteers for the 9 months Research Programme.

No doubt it would be a much more onerous task for Recreational Exercise Consultants to Administer 25 Disadvantaged during the 9 months Research Programme, some of whom would be Disabled, and require more time for the Research Programme Team to monitor them.  However, the opportunity to turn 25 Disadvantaged who are, low income, obese, and/or stressed and/or drug addicted into committed Recreational Road Cycling "junkies" with Materially Altered Lifestyle cannot be passed up as it represents marvellous Challenge.

Section 4.(e) notes that NSW Nurses Federation website at "Free Stress Management booklet" provides a 40 page PDF a booklet "Stress Management for Nurses" by authors, Brunero, Cowan, Grochulski & Garvey.  However, the only mention is point 7 "Exercise regularly and eat healthily" of a section titled "10 things every nurse should do".  Ideally a detailed stress management booklet intended to assist Nurses manage stress associated with caring for ill patients would direct Nurses to practical, user-friendly, contact details and a health dept website listing accredited Recreational Exercise Consultants who could Administer interested Nurses into a Rigorous Recreational Exercise Activity. 

One of the above Authors (Brunero, Cowan, Grochulski & Garvey) may be interested in joining a Research Programme Team involving 25 Volunteer Nurses and midwives, male and female ("Nurses") who live in the Sydney metropolitan area who are members of NSW Nurses Federation. 

Nurses have proven to be a good survey group previously.  In the USA the Nurses' Health Study of 1976 and the Nurses' Health Study II of 1989 were major investigations into the risk factors for major chronic diseases in women.  The 1976 study evidenced 122,000 nurses out of the 170,000 mailed respond enabling useful data.  The Nurses' Health Study II 13 years later studied 'inter alia' diet and lifestyle risk factors and involved 116,686 women.

In April 2006 University of Queensland announced its researchers were undertaking the largest and only longitudinal study drawing on the 270,000 nurses and midwives in Australia which represents the largest single health professional group in Australia.  The Australian Research Council funded that study.  Macquarie Bank Foundation funded a post-doctoral research fellow to work on the study.  Virgin Blue provided sponsorship by offering free holiday flights to participants to entice a high recruitment rate.   e-Research Techniques were utilised to materially reduce data collection and analysis.

The Research Programme would be conducted during the Volunteers leisure hours, on Saturdays and Sundays on +100km recreational group bicycle rides on lower traffic roads on the perimeter of Sydney which hundreds of adults have successfully cycled on Muggaccinos rides for over 10 years. 

By proving the Hypothesis, the information in "Stress Management for Nurses" regarding the coping benefit of regular enjoyable exercise within a Common Bond Support Group could be materially enhanced to -

(i)          the advantage of its target audience; and

(ii)         assist millions of employees who work in stressful, responsible jobs. 

Alternative, NHMRC may be aware of another Specific Industry Group which has published a stress management booklet to attract say 50 Volunteers to take-up Recreational Road Cycling at one of 5 Selected District Rigorous Recreational Exercise Groups [explained in Section 16(e)] which are specifically geared to Supervise Interested Adults which -

A.        are obese, experiencing anxiety/Depression or overusing Recreational Drugs, both Abled and Disabled; and

B.        agree to complete -

*          3 @ 30 minute Hypothesis Test Reports during the 9 months Research Programme [prior to induction, after 3 months, after 9 months]; and

*          a follow-up Hypothesis Test Report 12 months after the Research Programme ended.

The following Section 16.(d) explains that  -

(I)         the 4 Hypothesis Test Reports from each of the 50 Volunteers would enable the Research Programme Team to quantify the Hypothesis' scope to cost-effectively reduce the Seven Problems in Two Research Programme Reports, in particular that it Empowers Adults To Better Control Their Stress Responses by rekindling Youthful Exuberance to succeed in new, Challenging, physical environs in their District Recreational Exercise Group amidst a Common Bond Support Group which enhances Coping Skills by (hardening resolve, improve self-confidence and raise aspirations/contentment); and

(II)        Segments in the 4 Hypothesis Test Reports which relate to Coping Skills would remain confidential to the Research Programme Team.

Section 16.(e) notes that the Research Programme Team would invite members of a Specific Industry Group (possibly NSW Nurses' Association) to apply to be 25 of the required 50 Volunteers of the Research Programme - see Draft "Nurses Wanted" Poster based on inviting Nurses and midwives.