Northern Grampians Shire Council is looking to appoint a youth officer to deliver a new project designed to increase active recreation opportunities for young people while strengthening their voice in council decision-making.
Council has received a VicHealth grant to deliver Moving Outside the Lines, an 18-month project aimed at engaging young people to co-design and deliver activities in local spaces such as parks, libraries and sporting facilities.
Council chief executive Brent McAlister said many young people in the shire faced barriers to participation, including limited transport, cost, and a lack of inclusive, non-competitive options, which contributed to lower activity levels, social isolation and reduced wellbeing.
"Council engagement shows strong demand for safe, local and alternative recreation opportunities, as well as more opportunities for young people to have a say and be involved in shaping their community," he said.
"A key focus of Moving Outside the Lines is on reaching young people not involved in traditional sport and creating welcoming, inclusive ways to get active.
"The project will leverage strong existing partnerships with local health and community organisations, schools and Wimmera Regional Sports Assembly to support design and delivery, ensuring the chosen activities are inclusive, accessible and responsive to community needs.
"The project will also build youth leadership and civic engagement, while prioritising youth-led decision-making through direct involvement in planning and delivery. The engagement will be flexible, enabling different groups of young people to participate in ways that suit them, rather than being limited to a fixed membership structure."
Mr McAlister said participants would develop confidence, collaboration skills and the ability to shape recreation in their communities through a mix of mentoring, workshops and hands-on experiences.
"Council staff will provide guidance to strengthen these leadership pathways, with support from councillors," he said.
"This is an exciting project, because at this stage we don't know what the outcomes will be. Where this project goes and what it offers will depend on feedback from our young people and our project lead - it is true co-design."
Key activities will include:
- Mapping, reimagining and activating safe, accessible local spaces.
- Supporting young people to design, trial and implement inclusive recreation options for themselves and others.
- Delivering a series of accessible and inclusive youth-led activities.
- Exploring pathways for sustained youth voice in recreation planning and local decision-making.
"This approach shifts power to young people, supports the development of their skills and leadership, and ensures that recreation opportunities are relevant, inclusive and connected to identified community needs," Mr McAlister said.
He said council was actively recruiting a project lead to deliver Moving Outside the Lines.
"This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping young people become more active, more connected and more involved in their community," he said.
"The role requires someone with strong skills in engaging and working with young people, who can build trust, support participation and enable youth-led ideas."
The youth recreation project officer role is part-time, 19 hours a week, for 18 months.
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