Young people aged 12 to 18 are invited to participate in a working group to develop active recreation opportunities in Northern Grampians Shire.
Council's youth recreation project officer Ler Ka Paw Say is running the weekly catch-ups in Stawell and St Arnaud as part of the new Moving Outside the Lines project.
Moving Outside the Lines is aimed at engaging young people to co-design and deliver activities in local spaces such as parks, libraries and sporting facilities.
The 18-month endeavour, funded by VicHealth, also aims to strengthen the voices of youth in decision-making.
The development of a working group followed information sessions in Stawell and St Arnaud in September designed to generate interest in the project.
Mayor Karen Hyslop said the working group would co-design the Moving Outside the Lines project and its outcomes for the next 12 to 18 months.
"While the working group has hit the ground running, there is still an opportunity for other people to join in," she said.
"Why not head along to a session in Stawell or St Arnaud and see what the project is all about?
"Participants will gain valuable, hands-on experience - with support from council - with skills such as leadership, problem solving, community engagement, reporting, goal setting and so on.
"These things look great on university and job applications and give people exposure to fields of work they may enjoy as career paths."
The working group will meet at Stawell Library on Wednesdays and St Arnaud Library on Thursdays, from 4pm to 5pm until December 2026.
Cr Hyslop said she was excited to see the first youth-led activity coming to fruition, with a Dodgeball Showdown at Stawell Sports and Aquatic Centre pencilled in for Sunday, October 25.
"The whole point of the project is to let our young people take the lead. The working group came up with the idea and will turn it into reality with support from Ler and council," she said.
"I encourage young people aged 12 to 16 to register for the free event via council's website."
