Do you have an issue or opinion you would like to share with the Youth Advisory Program? 
Contact us directly via this jot form.

The Youth Advisory Program has been formed as part of VicHealth’s Growing Participation in Sport program.

They are a team of young people, aged between 12-17 years, with a diverse range of experiences in the sport of Gymnastics. 

Together, they discuss issues affecting young people in sport and represent the voice of young people participating in Gymnastics. 

The Youth Advisory Program are also responsible for steering the VicHealth, ‘Gym4Me’ program. 

Meet the Youth Advisory Program Team!

Over the next few weeks we will be adding the profiles of our Youth Advisory Team to this page so keep an eye out.

ALEX

Age: 18
Gymsport: MAG
Describe your connection to Gymnastics: I have been doing gymnastics for 11 years, I trained in the UK until 2015. I moved to Australia start of 2015 and have been competing in MAG ever since I am now in level 6/7. I am also a coach for young gymnasts who wish to start competitive gymnastics.
I joined the youth Advisory Program because: I really enjoy the sport of gymnastics and always have. I wanted to help make improvements to the community and to the sport
The Youth Advisory Program is important to the community because: We help give a voice for all young people in gymnastics and we help improve the sport so more people can enjoy it. We also aim to bring in more people into the sport and keep as many gymnasts involved in the sport as possible
If I could tell coaches one important thing from a young person’s perspective, it would be: Sometimes we’re just not having a good day, we’re not always energetic and excited.
Fun fact! My favourite animal is: Cats! I have two pet cats and have had them since I was three years old.

AMY

Age: 18
Gymsport: WAG / AER / GfA
Describe your connection to Gymnastics: I have done gymnastics for 12 years, going through Kindergym, the recreation program, Gymstar, WAG and now Aerobics. I am also an Intermediate WAG and Aerobics coach and Intermediate WAG judge. I have been at my club BTYC Gymnastics Club for 10 years and 2 years before hand, at what is now called Aqua Hub.
I joined the Youth Advisory Program because: I found that I had a lot to say about the way that gymnastics is run and had a few personal ideas to include to the sport, and I found this was a perfect experience to build my leadership and teamwork skills that I could use in the gym and further use these skills in life.
The Youth Advisory Program is important to the community because: It provides the gymnastics community with the opinions of not only adults that have been out of the sport for ages, but also the ones that have just recently finished or are still in the sport. It is important to listen to young people’s opinions as we are the ones of the next generation and we need to work out the needs and wants of our youth in sport.
If I could tell coaches one important thing from a young person’s perspective, it would be: Make sure you take into account the mental perspective of the gymnasts. One of the reasons I finished WAG, was due to mentally not being able to do a lot of skills. I found them to be scary or that I would never be able to do it, so I think that it is important that coaches plan lessons and teaching styles according to those factors.
Fun Fact! My favourite food is: Butter chicken and fairy bread.

ELLA

Age: 20
Gymsport: WAG / AER 
Describe your connection to Gymnastics: I started gymnastics when I was four and competed in the WAG program at BTYC for around nine years. I finished competing around two years ago and now find myself still connected to the sport through judging and coaching. I am a WAG accredited judge and coach and also an Aerobics Gymnastics coach as well. 
I joined the Youth Advisory Program because: I joined the Youth Advisory Program because I thought it would be a great opportunity to share my thoughts and ideas about how to make gymnastics better for the future generation of athletes and try to help those who lost their connection with the sport come back and give it a go. 
The Youth Advisory Program is important to the community because: The Youth Advisory Program is important to the community as it gives a voice to those who are involved in the gymnastics community but also provides people such as coaches, judges and other gymnastics staff valuable information to how young people really feel about the sport. 
If I could tell coaches one important thing from a young person’s perspective, it would be: Make sure you listen to your athletes’ views and opinions. Don’t make a decision that affects them without consulting them about it and how it will either benefit or impact them. 
Fun Fact! My favourite hobby is: Aerobics but under the Federation of International Sport Aerobics & Fitness which is a different competition stream to Aerobic Gymnastics. 

GEORGIA

Age: 17
Gymsport: WAG / GFA
Describe your connection to Gymnastics: I have been a part of the WAG program for 10 years, and recently joined the GymStar program, as well as this I am a coach.
I joined the Youth Advisory Program because: I really enjoyed gymnastics and wanted to become involved a community that I loved so much! 
The Youth Advisory Program is important to the community because: It provides young people with the opportunity to vocalize our opinion and make sure that gymnastics is an enjoyable experience for everyone within our age group.
If I could tell coaches one important thing from a young person’s perspective, it would be: Gymnastics is like a roller-coaster, some days we have ups, some days we have downs.
Fun Fact! My favourite movie is: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

MARCUS