Local teenagers are spreading the word about the dangers of vaping with their peers and how to get help, ahead of World No Tobacco Day this Saturday.
Across Term One and Two, the City's Youth Development team and partner CatholicCare Victoria Settle Well, have worked with school staff and senior students at North Geelong Secondary College and Northern Bay College to increase awareness of vaping harms and empower them to say 'no'.
At the heart of the project is the principle of equipping young people with the skills and knowledge to generate ideas and solutions through a co-design process. Students developed and presented a project pitch to their peers, with students and teachers then voting on their favourite vape prevention concept to bring to life. These include a series of posters and short animations communicating the ingredients in and associated harms of vape use, as well as important information about where young people can seek help.
By recognising their lived experience and offering meaningful opportunities for young people to contribute to and shape the project, it ensures outcomes are relevant, impactful and genuinely youth-led.
The co-design project is part of the Barwon South West Vaping Prevention Coalition's efforts to tackle vaping amongst young people in our region, led by the City of Greater Geelong 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.
So far, over 20 secondary schools and community organisations across the region have been engaged through the coalition's programs and initiatives.
Greater Geelong Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM
More and more young people are vaping every year in our region.While the harms from smoking are more well known, there is a lot less information in the community about how addictive vapes are, the chemicals used, the risks from second-hand vaping and even the environmental impacts of throwing vapes in the bin.
We are proud to lead the Barwon South West Vaping Prevention Coalition and help local teenagers see vaping for what it is.
We have more chance of improving health outcomes if we meet young people where they are and connect them to peer-led conversations and appropriate support services.
Retired surgeon, Councillor Rowan Story AM, RFD
We applaud the local teenagers working to raise awareness and warn their friends about the horrors of vaping.These North Geelong Secondary College and Northern Bay College students are proving themselves to be future leaders of the community.
They are committed to sparking honest conversations amongst friends and classmates.
This program reflects Council's ongoing commitment to health and wellbeing, with harm minimisation in regards to tobacco, vaping, alcohol misuse and gambling being a priority area of the Draft Community Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-29.
Youth Council member and participant in the local youth vaping action group Lacey Young
It is really concerning how many young people are taking up vaping right now.It is higher than ever before - but the good thing is, young people aren't just standing by.
Youth-led groups and initiatives allow us to find ways to prevent and reduce the rise of vaping amongst adolescents.
It shows that we care and are willing to take action to help stop vaping from becoming the norm.
See vaping for what it is at UNCLOUD.
