New growing space at headspace Ocean Grove for Bellarine youths

BELLARINE Community Health (BCH) is giving young people a safe and supportive space to turn ‘eco-anxiety’ into action.

Young people across the region are taking on new skills in ‘community sufficiency’ and ‘climate resilience’ by starting their own Youth Guerrilla Garden based at headspace Ocean Grove, the first-ever youth community garden on the Bellarine created by young people for young people.

The Youth Guerrilla Garden Project empowers young people to become agents of change in their community, learning about environmental sustainability and the reduction of carbon emissions by growing organic vegetables and fruit and creating a closed loop circular food economy.

“We established the Youth Guerrilla Garden in June 2021, when a group of dynamic young Bellarine residents attended the first Youth Guerrilla Garden working bee and created a beautiful youth community garden at the back of headspace Ocean Grove,” BCH Healthy and Connected Communities project lead Fiona Cadorel said.

“Before the workshop, none of the young people had built a wicking garden bed, but by the end of the day, they were confident to take their skills and share them at home and in their school communities.

“The group planted 15 different varieties of vegetables which are now thriving in the garden ready for the Guerrilla Gardeners to pick, eat and share.”

The idea stemmed from Californian resident and ‘original Gangsta Gardner’ Ron Finley.

Mr Finley’s Ted Talk on Guerrilla Gardening has had over five million views and has sparked a gardening revolution.

He is famous for planting fruit and vegetable gardens in various public locations like nature strips and old car lots across South Central Los Angeles.

Other motivations for starting this project are the World Health Organisation’s, the Australian Medical Association’s, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s stances on climate change, which highlight the significant impacts climate change is having on physical and psychological health and wellbeing.

“In Australia, we are seeing an increase of young people feeling distressed about the state of the planet, finding themselves in a downward spiral of what is termed ‘eco-anxiety’.

“Youth voice on climate change has never been more important and the creation of initiatives that empower young people to develop their leadership skills and become change agents in their communities are vital,” Ms Cadorel said.

“Research shows that eco-anxiety can be reduced by spending time connected to nature and by making positive contributions to our community and natural environment.

“We must listen to our young people and give them the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings about their future and teach them the skills to be community change agents while supporting them to create initiatives that build more climate resilient communities.”

Any Bellarine residents aged between 12 and 25 are welcome to join the Youth Guerrilla Garden Project and become a member of the Bellarine Climate Resilient Youth Network.

The Youth Guerrilla Garden team is currently developing community initiatives that will be implemented in the coming months.

To get involved contact [email protected] for more details.