Senior students from North Geelong Secondary College and Northern Bay College have co-designed a series of posters, videos and workshop packs aimed at preventing young people from getting hooked on vapes.
Funded by VicHealth, the City's Youth Development team and partner CatholicCare Victoria Settle Well have been working with students and teachers on ways to increase young people's awareness of vaping harms and stopping them from starting the addictive habit.
"Break the Vape" is the title of a youth-led poster series developed by students from Northern Bay College. The posters aim to educate young people about the ingredients found in vapes, the associated health harms, and the support services available to them. This creative initiative encourages young people to make informed decisions, educate their peers, and reduce vaping or avoid it altogether. The posters will be distributed to the City's The Nest Youth Hub and The fOrT Youth Hub , relevant stakeholders and local schools, and are available on the City's website.
Alongside the posters, students from North Geelong Secondary College created two animations to further communicate vaping prevention messages in an engaging, youth-friendly format. The animations aim to break down myths around vaping, highlight the harms, and empower young people to seek support. The students also came up with the idea to produce a short video interview featuring a Be Smokefree clinician from Barwon Health's Cessation Clinic in Corio. The interview, conducted by two members of the after-school Vape Prevention Action Group, provides professional insight and a local perspective on the health risks of vaping and the types of support available for those wanting to quit.
To support schools in delivering education around vaping, North Geelong Secondary College students co-designed workshop packs that include three facilitator guides. These packs are intended for school staff to run workshops with students aged 12 to 18, focusing on the harms of vaping, what's in vapes and where to find help. The workshops can be delivered as three 15-minute sessions or a single 45-minute session. Schools can request a pack or facilitator support by emailing the City's Youth Development team at [email protected]
The Vape Prevention Action Group supported the development of both the posters and video content. The group played a key role by providing feedback, contributing ideas and ensuring that the messaging was meaningful, relatable and impactful for young people across the region.
Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM
The videos, posters and workshop packs were voted by students at both schools as the most popular and effective ways to deliver vape prevention messaging.By engaging directly with young people and recognising their lived experience, this project is more likely to have cut through for community members aged 12-25.
We are equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to say no to vapes, and empowering them to seek help to quit, in the hope that we can prevent the health issues from this harmful habit.
VicHealth Manager of Commercial Determinants of Health Bonnie Matheson
The vaping prevention initiative aims to empower young people to see the truth behind vaping.Vapes are deliberately marketed to children and young people by the tobacco industry and may become a gateway to smoking. Young people who vape are significantly more likely to use traditional cigarettes, with studies showing vaping increases the likelihood of future tobacco use.
We're proud to partner with the City of Greater Geelong to reduce the harms of vaping in the region and are really impressed by the creativity and passion of young people to support their peers to reject vaping.
Students Lacey and Bella
As members of the Vape Prevention Action Group, our aim is to reduce vaping among young people and help build a healthier, happier community.By involving young people like us, we have the opportunity to make a real difference in our community.
This project forms part of the Barwon South West Vaping Prevention Coalition's efforts to tackle vaping amongst young people, led by the City and funded by a $200,000 VicHealth Vaping Prevention Grant.
The coalition is a partnership with the Barwon South West Public Health Unit (BSWPHU) and Barwon Adolescent Taskforce (BATForce), as well as local councils, health services and community organisations in the Greater Geelong, Colac Otway, Surf Coast, Corangamite, Warrnambool and Glenelg local government areas.
More than 20 secondary schools and community organisations have been engaged through the coalition's programs and initiatives.
