Keen tween ideas to boost youth health

YOUNG people between the ages of ten and fourteen are set to become local government decision-makers.

The City of Ballarat and VicHealth are partnering with the aim of building a healthier region for tweenaged children and are looking to recruit young community members to share their opinions and ideas.

Within the project, Creating Environments and Opportunities for Healthy Tweens in Ballarat, municipal officers will consult tweens for their views on exercise and activity, socialising, and broader health-conscious lifestyles, to influence further development of the Municipal Health and Wellbeing Plan.

Mayor Daniel Moloney said the initiative will include evidence-based health promotion, and be one of 15 similar municipal programs across Victoria, encouraging young people to have a meaningful leadership and decision-making role in their community.

“The VicHealth local government partnership will see strong and long-lasting outcomes for our community, including those who face barriers to reaching their full health potential, because of circumstances such as their income, cultural background, gender, age, or where they live,” he said.

The young people recruited to influence Creating Environments and Opportunities for Healthy Tweens’ outcomes will explore the best ways to deliver accessible healthy eating environments at public facilities and sports clubs owned by the City.

Amongst the VicHealth evidence-based health promotion module work, they’ll be consulted on ways the municipality could encourage more outdoor and social-based physical activity, especially in natural environments, and how local government could provide more spaces and initiatives for children to make more social connections.

Community health and education service experts will also be consulted, alongside local relevant not-for-profit organisations.

The VicHealth modules municipal officers are set to refer to have been put together by academics, experienced parties, and community groups.