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Tuesday, 24 October 2017
Page: 11727

Mrs SUDMALIS (Gilmore) (13:31): Every year our schools are invited to a leaders weekend workshop, originally the Gilmore Youth Leadership Forum, now evolved to the South Coast Youth Leadership Forum. Last weekend I was privileged to visit and hear the end-of-camp suggestions for projects that are global issues with local solutions. I congratulate every single student for taking their first step of knowledge-building to create a social change.

The standout group was #ahealthyhaven, where they set down an agenda of change to increase healthy living for youth. Their idea is to have three themed sessions in schools: firstly, advice from a dietitian; secondly, information about exercise; and, finally, a set of practical and affordable healthy cooking and recipe sessions. As Gilmore has many health risks, I've invited the group to formalise the concept so I may be able to get a pilot for that idea and help them get that great thing into action.

There were four other groups previously judged as finalists from all the forum projects. One was to have clean-energy electric trains between Kiama and Bomaderry. Another was to have a Waste Warrior app developed which helped a person to determine how best to recycle things, with inspirational quizzes to get people on board with recycling. Another was to have School or Else! to motivate students with career options, with personal finances, information about super, and simple household budgeting. The most poignant was the Little Box proposal to have a care-package concept for young people to show them someone cares so they don't take the side step to suicide. I want to help them set that project up and help get the boxes ready. (Time expired)