Young people taking the lead on no vaping

Young Gippslanders have taken the lead to support their peers to ditch vapes in a new campaign that shares real, unfiltered experiences of vaping harms.
No Filter: Real Stories Gippsland is a youth-led campaign aiming to make anti-vaping messages relatable to young people living in Gippsland.
The campaign kicked-off with a showcase event at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, featuring a panellist discussion with young participants and representatives from partner agencies.
A group of 28 young people from around Gippsland were involved in a co-design process creating relatable, evidence-informed, anti-vaping messages that are grounded in local experiences.
Darcy Stockdale, 19, has added his voice to the campaign after having seen the effects of vaping on his family and close friends.
"Traditional messaging has just been disengaging young people from the discussion. We've heard that young people want to see other young people talking about these issues,.
"Most of my friends vape, even if they do it socially. This started to affect me, even though I don't partake in the habit. Many people don't understand the effects of second-hand vaping in low-ventilation areas."
Feedback from other young people revealed they felt "talked down to" in vaping discussions, and they wanted "more conversations, fewer lectures".
Gippsland has the highest regional rate of smoking in Victoria at 16.5 per cent, higher than the state's average. Vaping is a growing public health issue, particularly in young people.
The campaign was developed with participants working alongside creative agency YLAB to produce social marketing material.
No Filter: Real Stories Gippsland is part of VicHealth's state-wide Collective Impact initiative, which supports councils, health organisations, schools and community partners to meet young people where they are, with information about vaping harms.
It was funded through a VicHealth Vaping Prevention Grant and delivered in partnership with Bass Coast, Baw Baw, East Gippsland, South Gippsland and Wellington shire councils, Latrobe City Council and Gippsland Region Public Health Unit (GRPHU).
GRPHU acting prevention and population health manager Nilay Kocaali said the project demonstrated the power of partnerships in public health.
"This campaign shows what's possible when Gippsland works together," Ms Kocaali said. "By taking a place-based approach, we've been able to draw on the strengths and stories of our own communities to create something that truly resonates with young people across the region."