Vaping is a health crisis on the rise for our young people
The City of Ballarat is partnering with several local organisations, schools, sporting and recreation clubs to implement a program designed to empower young people to say ‘no’ to vaping and develop youth-led initiatives. Funded by health promotion foundation VicHealth, and supported by Quit Victoria and the Australian Drug Foundation, the Central Highlands Vaping Prevention Project is designed to prevent the uptake of vaping among young people aged 10-25 in the region.
We are facing challenges in preventing vaping and effectively delivering positive health messages to our young people because:
- the policing surrounding vape-free zones can be misunderstood
- vapes are harder to detect and easier to conceal (than cigarettes)
- the public awareness about the health harms and legalities of vape retailing and use are still low
Vaping can have negative effects on people's health and their ability to engage in physical activity.
Young people learn and imitate what they see and hear from peers and role models around them (such as parents and coaches). Reducing exposure to smoking and vaping de-normalises the behaviour.
Going smoke and vape-free is an easy way to show your community that your space is welcoming, family friendly and supports young people to be the best that they can be.
To enable our community to be part of the solution in protecting future generations from the harms of vapes and tobacco, we are seeking local sports clubs or dance schools (that support young people aged 10-25) who want to support young people to say 'no' and work towards making their spaces vape-free.
If you are connected to a sport or dance school, club or organisation, and you'd like to work with us, we'd like to hear from you.
By filling out the form below you can help us start to build a picture of how we can support you to address vaping in your club/organisation.
Express your interest
We are looking for sports clubs or dance schools to be a part of the solution
