VicHealth partners with community organisations to support mental wellbeing of Victoria’s youth

VicHealth is partnering with community organisations across Victoria to create more than 100,000 new social connections for young people.

A total of 27 programs across Victoria will receive a share of $5 million and capability building from VicHealth to support mental health, wellbeing and create social connections for Victoria’s young people as part of The Big Connect. These programs have been chosen by young people, for young people.

The Big Connect is part of VicHealth’s ground-breaking Future Healthy initiative, supporting the mental wellbeing of our young people, by creating opportunities for them to reconnect with their friends, families and communities in ways that work for them.

The Big Connect partners include organisations from sports, active recreation, arts, cultural, youth, health promotion, and community food sectors across Victoria.

The Big Connect comes as a VicHealth survey reveals, that:

- 84% young people agree that being socially connected is important for their mental wellbeing

- 71% young people, staying socially connected with others has become one of the most important issues for them during the pandemic.

Among Victoria’s parents and carers with children aged six-17, the survey found:

- 90% parents believe that social connection is important for their child’s mental wellbeing

- 64% parents are worried their child doesn’t spend enough time connecting to their community or neighbourhood.

VicHealth is pleased to be working with these partners to bring The Big Connect to life and deliver these opportunities for young people.

Sarah Loh, VicHealth’s Executive Manager of Future Healthy advises “Young people have told us that they want more opportunities to connect with their peers and their community – they're telling us that they’ve had a tough time, and that opportunities for social connection have been interrupted in a big way.

“That’s why we have launched The Big Connect – to deliver what young people have told us they want and need to connect with each other and their communities.”

Future Healthy Community Champion Danica, a global studies and community development student, has experienced and seen how the pandemic affected young people’s social lives.

“During the pandemic, it was difficult to connect with the people I was used to seeing every day. Meeting new people and finding a sense of belonging wasn’t possible either.”

21-year-old Danica, who lives in the City of Knox in Melbourne’s east, would love to see more safe and welcoming spaces where people can do more things in groups.

“I think it's good to do different activities, like walking, cooking or gardening, while you're catching up. I think more green spaces would really bring neighbours together and build a feeling of community and greater understanding.

"I would like to see a future where people can feel safe wherever they are, making them feel part of a community and supported.”

“Those kinds of communities, whether online or offline, are extremely important in uplifting young people. I think this increased connection would help people understand each other's perspectives a lot more and empathize with one another, because at the end of the day, we're all humans.”

To view the 27 funded programs, please visit vichealth.vic.gov.au/funding/the-big-connect