Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney has announced new funding to help promote positive body image in young people in Colac.
Ms Tierney announced that Colac Adult and Community Education Inc, had received a Victorian Government ‘Go for your life’ Positive Body Image Grant for the Girls Go Healthy project .
Ms Tierney said the project would empower 6 VCAL girls to take control of their health through structured exercises available locally, healthy cooking on a budget and self esteem.
She said the Victorian Government was taking the lead on promoting healthy body image and working to reduce the effect unrealistic and unhealthy images in the media can have on young people.
“The Positive Body Image grants of up to $5,000 are offered directly to community organisations to undertake and promote positive body image activities to young people, with a particular focus on those aged 12-16 years,” Ms Tierney said.
The Minister for Sport, Recreation and Youth Affairs, James Merlino said last year’s grant recipients had conducted an incredible and varied range of activities in 2007.
“With a focus on healthy eating, physical activity and self-esteem, the first year of the “Go for your life’ Positive Body Image program has really made a difference,” Mr Merlino said.
“These issues can have devastating effects on young people’s lives so we’re really proud that Victoria is responding with a range of initiatives to tackle them and help teach young people to be happy with who they are.”
The Brumby Government’s Go for your life $2.1 million commitment to positive body image includes community awareness programs in regional and metropolitan Victoria, media and industry awareness partnerships and voluntary media code on body image.
The Victorian Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image seeks to make the media, fashion and advertising industries more aware of their effect on young people’s self-esteem.
For more information on the Body Image Strategy and Victorian Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image, visit www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au and www.youthcentral.vic.gov.au
For more information please visit www.grants.dpcd.vic.gov.au