When we interview prospective participants for Future Shapers each year we ask them to tell us about the topics that excite and inspire them. Health promotion in our community emerged as an early theme in 2022 and this week our passionate participants and advocates for healthy, active lives led a Program Day exploring movement, mood and food.
As one participant reflected:
“With so much opportunity and investment coming into Ballarat within the next 5 years (comm games, significant residential growth, uni growth, major investment by council/water corps, wind farms, cycling infrastructure etc – more than $1 Billion) I see this as the time that Ballarat can transition from a ‘working township’ to a ‘thriving regional district’.”
Big thanks to Meghan, Bicarra, Melissa, Ren and Joeline for devising, developing and delivering an inspiring, insightful and active day that took us from Selkirk Stadium to Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre, Sebastopol to Ballarat Community Health, Lucas.
Thanks also to:
• Dr Scott Tapley, Federation University for putting us through our ‘walking basketball’ paces
• Cr Peter Eddy, City of Ballarat and Neville Ivey, CEO, Basketball Ballarat for sharing the story and future of Selkirk Stadium
• Evan King, CEO, City of Ballarat and Steve Moneghetti AM for informing, exciting and inspiring us with plans for the Commonwealth Games events in Ballarat in 2026
• Vicki Coltman, EO Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre for showing us around an sharing the heart and soul of the Centre with us
• Our panellists who discussed accessibility to health food options and healthy eating education (Vicki Coltman, Deidre Boaz from Foodbank, Jen Pollard from Uniting Ballarat and Jon Kanoa from BADAC) and
• Joanne Gell and Tameaka Lakey from Ballarat Community Health for discussing the benefits of an active lifestyle and healthy eating for mental health and the Health Promoting Schools program.
Some further reflections from our Future Shapers 22 group:
“Is this the defining moment for Ballarat and its region? Do we start to be seen more than a historic gold rush town and more of a future leader in sustainability and innovation built on a rich heritage of both indigenous and multinational values?”
“The two things I really got from yesterday was that 1) Its about the people, and people are complicated. 2) Everyone can help, everyone of us can choose to be healthier ourselves and bring the people around us on that journey too.”
Thanks as always to gforce, our Major Partner for Future Shapers 2022.