In 2021, the Pelican Park Recreation Centre team has worked with a participant in Belgravia Foundation’s Youth Take Charge program. The team has received positive feedback about their approach, and the encouragement they provided.

Youth Take Charge aims to create social connections for young people with mental illness. It enables them to engage in exercise at a Belgravia Leisure centre, while building a connection with staff. Participants are referred to the program by medical and allied health professionals.

Participants have free access to a venue for 60 days, and can attend five one-on-one sessions with exercise consultants to help them achieve exercise-related goals. They can take part in activities like gym workouts and lap swimming, and might choose to attend group fitness classes.

Belgravia Foundation was pleased to learn about the positive impact of the program at Pelican Recreation Centre, which is in Hastings on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Youth Activation Officer Shalise Sherlock  saw the importance of personal connection and trust, and how this can be a motivating factor. Shalise and the team saw the participant grow in confidence, and were pleased by the relationships built with staff.

From a personal perspective, Shalise says the best thing about the program has been ‘seeing the impact your hard work and effort has made to someone's life. It was incredibly rewarding to hear directly from the client just how much of a difference being a part of the program had made to her socially, emotionally and physically. Being a part of her recovery journey was an absolute privilege and something I will never forget.’. 

Shalise encourages other recreation staff and facilities to take part in programs like Youth Take Charge. She says there is no reason to be apprehensive - these are simply clients ‘looking to better their lives through health and fitness’. Crucially, ‘you are helping them on that journey’.