Keeping the song strong: campaign tackles vaping

YOUNG Ballarat performers are at the heart of a new campaign targeting vaping through the arts.

The Royal South Street Society, Ballarat Community Health and the City of Ballarat have joined forces to launch a poster-based campaign that will run during the Royal South Street Eisteddfod, aiming to reach thousands of musicians, singers and dancers aged 10 to 25.

Eisteddfod events are continuing through September and October with this year’s CountPro Eisteddfod Showcase event set for Sunday 26 October at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

With vaping rates among younger Australians rising in recent years, and young women now more likely to vape than young men in some age groups, the new campaign’s focus on the performing arts community looks to reach lots of women and girls.

The campaign’s theme is ‘Own your dreams. Not the vape.’

Local performing arts students from the Ballarat Centre for Music and the Arts were consulted on the campaign to ensure messages hit the right note, addressing not just the health impacts of vaping on their performing arts pursuits, but also young people’s concerns around vaping in public and in school toilet blocks.

Royal South Street Society hosts more than 138 primary, secondary and performing arts schools, and the eisteddfod is Australia’s oldest and longest-running, drawing performers from across the country.

City of Ballarat mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said the campaign is vital to help address the damaging effects of vaping among young people.

“Vaping damages lungs, reduces stamina and can lead to addiction which can rob young performers of their ability to sing, dance or play at their best,” she said.

“For a singer, that could mean losing your breath control. For a dancer, it could mean less endurance or losing focus in class.

“These are real, physical consequences that can hold back talented young people from achieving their dreams.

“The performing arts world is full of role models, discipline and ambition. That’s exactly the kind of environment where positive health messages can thrive.”

Through education, targeted messaging and vape-free venue strategies, the campaign aims to boost awareness of vaping harms and empower young people to reject vaping.

Royal South Street Society executive officer Judy-Ann Quilliam said that the eisteddfod is a platform for performance and participation as well as inspiration and guidance for young participants.

“We are proud to partner with the City of Ballarat to share this important message with our young participants who are the leaders and stars of the future,” she said.

“Their choices, actions and influences right now sets them up for success or challenges later in life.”

The campaign is part of the Central Highlands Vaping Prevention Project funded by VicHealth and led by the City of Ballarat, supported by Quit Victoria and the Australian Drug Foundation.

The City is delivering the project in partnership with organisations across the region, supporting strategies designed to reduce or prevent the uptake of vaping among young people, in places where they learn and recreate, such as school, university, sports and public places.

The project is part of Vape-Free Victoria.