Sarah Oliver
Melton kids will be getting more opportunities to get moving with the launch of a new active campaign from the state government.
Melton MP Steve McGhie announced the Get Your Move On campaign in Melton, as well as the latest Active Schools grant recipients on Tuesday February 2.
Melton Specialist School is among the 96 Victorian schools to receive $30,000 through the latest round of Active Schools Grants for the purchase of sports equipment, to upskill physical education teachers and to engage local organisations and clubs to deliver sporting programs.
“The Active Schools Grant is a gamechanger for Melton Specialist School helping it with extra sporting programs and initiatives, while enhancing Victoria’s reputation as the Education State,” Mr McGhie said.
Get Your Move On encourages kids to engage in 15 minutes of physical activity four times a day, through activities they enjoy – like walking their dog, riding to school, or kicking a football with friends.
It’s a part of the broader $24.2 million Active Schools initiative ensuring all Victorians aged 5 to 18 years old have the “skills, confidence and motivation to live a happy and healthy life by boosting their physical movement each day outside of school”.
Active Schools is designed to support schools to take a holistic approach to physical activity, recognising there is no single solution to shifting inactivity, and encourages kids to be active through quality physical education, quality school sport, active classrooms, active travel, active recreation and a supportive school environment.
The grants can also be used to make classrooms more active, encourage greater active travel to and from school through bicycle education programs, upgrade playgrounds to support greater physical activity, and provide opportunities for more recreation activities such as dance, pilates or skateboarding.
“The Get Your Move On initiative will be really exciting for young people in Melton encouraging them to find something they enjoy doing to get active – just for 15 minutes, four times a day,” Mr McGhie said.
“Just a small amount of extra physical activity is all it takes to boost the social, physical and mental health of young people – in turn boosting educational outcomes.”
