‘Healthy Futures’ Bendigo Youth Forum

Healthy Futures: Learning & Earning in Bendigo was the focus of the recent Bendigo Youth Forum on 5 June. Holly Normoyle and Livia Rosaia (Year 11) represented Catherine McAuley College at this 2019 Western Region Forum, hosted by Victoria Police. In acknowledging that the pathways for young people are complex and challenging, this forum was a chance to discuss opportunities to support young people in improving their connections to the local community and enhancing their education and employment prospects.

The day was facilitated by Glenn Manton, former player with the Carton football club, who was great at creating a fun and inclusive environment for discussions.  A strong focus of the day was to listen to the voices and opinions of young people, from Bendigo and surrounding districts, with different lived experiences.

“We found it interesting to learn about the experiences of other young people in Bendigo and some of the different challenges young people face. There was a chance to share our opinions on a lot of different issues including unemployment, social media use and impacts, and how young people can feel safe in Bendigo and find a place to belong. It was encouraging to find there were people that genuinely wanted to hear what we had to say and that there are so many agencies, including the police, who work with young people and want to help.”  (Holly and Liv)

All feedback from the day will be collated by Victoria Police and used to inform further planning and project development for young people in the region.

Ms Amanda Leonard, School Counsellor