Ballarat Community Health

11/03/2026

Young people don’t always ask for help, but the right conversation can make all the difference. Learn how to recognise the signs and support them when it matters most - book now, places are limited.

09/03/2026

𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤!

Join us at the Vickers Street Community Hub for a free morning of fun and learning!

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Friday 20th March 2026
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 10am – 12pm
𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Vickers Street Community Hub – 254 Vickers Street, Sebastopol

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞:
🔸 Teeth brushing demonstration with our Early Years team and Smiles 4 Miles puppets.
🔸 Toothbrush and toothpaste give aways for young children - until stocks last.
🔸 Fresh fruit and veggies to build strong bodies and brains with our Little Food Explores team.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Parent Place Ballarat - City of Ballarat

07/03/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲

The theme this year, 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔, is a promise that every woman and girl, regardless of background or identity - should be safe, heard, and free to shape their own lives.

When women and girls stand equal, families are stronger, workplaces are fairer, communities thrive, and society becomes safer for everyone.

Let's together 💜

05/03/2026

All B*H sites will be closed Monday 9th March for the Public Holiday.

🩺 Urgent Care & After-Hours Services:
• 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭 𝐔𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜 (𝐔𝐂𝐂): Open daily 9am - 11pm. Level 1, 1010 Sturt St, Ballarat Central.
• 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬: Call 000 or go to your local Emergency Department - Grampians Health Ballarat or St John of God Hospital.

💙 Additional Support Services:
• 𝐀𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬: 24-hour support service. Call 1800 888 236 or www.directline.org.au
• 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: Call 131 114 or Text 0477 131 114

All sites will reopen Tuesday 10th March 2026.

25/02/2026

Ballarat Community Health is proud to be delivering five initiatives as part of the first round of Respect Ballarat grants, supporting prevention and early intervention efforts to reduce gender-based violence in our community.

The announcement was made on 25 February at a local launch event attended by Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Ingrid Stitt MP and Respect Victoria CEO Helen Bolton, alongside community leaders and partner organisations committed to prevention across Ballarat.

Through this funding, B*H will deliver:
• Expect Respect: Changing the Script on Relationships
• Baby Makes 3
• Building Gender Equity in the Early Years
• Positive Wellbeing in Sporting Clubs
• headspace Ballarat – Trade Voices: Understanding Help Seeking and Respect in Federation TAFE Skills and Jobs Centre

A key highlight is bringing the evidence-based Baby Makes 3 program to Ballarat for the first time. Delivered in partnership with HealthAbility, the program supports families during the transition to parenthood – a powerful and often vulnerable time when patterns around caring, decision making and shared responsibilities are being shaped.

Together, these initiatives strengthen our work across early years settings, relationships education, sporting clubs and youth environments.

They reflect our commitment to working in community, for community, and addressing the drivers of gender-based violence at multiple points across the life course.

Congratulations to the teams involved in developing these successful applications. We look forward to sharing more as the projects roll out across Ballarat.

Thank you to Ballarat Foundation and Respect Victoria for making these grants available for community organisations.

24/02/2026

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 (March 8th) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender equality.

The 2026 theme is 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧 - give your support to gain advancement for women and girls.

As individuals, giving support could mean calling out stereotypes, challenging discrimination, questioning bias, celebrating women's success, and more.

This year, Ballarat Community Health would like to celebrate the voices and contributions of older women in our community as too often they are diminished or disregarded.

Come along to the Project photo exhibition, enjoy morning tea and learn how raising awareness of older women’s contributions, and fostering respect, can help address the gender inequality many older women experience.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: 10:15am Wednesday March 11th, 2026
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: Ballarat Community Health, Lucas

𝐓𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: https://events.humanitix.com/thebiscuittin-project-photo-exhibition-and-morning-tea

This initiative was developed by Celebrate Ageing - celebrateageing.com/thebiscuittin.html

22/02/2026

Did you know children under the age of 14 make up more than 18% of our growing Ballarat community?

The City of Ballarat is committed to ensuring our city is a place where every child feels safe, valued and supported. To help shape this work, they’re inviting feedback from the people who know our community best - parents, carers, professionals, community members and children themselves.

Have your say and help create a safer, more supportive Ballarat for our youngest community members 💛

📣Help us plan for families and children in Ballarat! 📣

The City of Ballarat wants to hear from parents, carers, professionals, community and children to help shape the Family and Children's Strategy 2027-2030. This four-year strategy will guide how we support children aged 0 to 12 years and their families, with a particular focus on the early years.

🌐Visit mysay.ballarat.vic.gov.au before 30 March to find out how you can get involved.

We have a range of ways to have your say, including:
✅Completing our survey
🖍Sharing your ideas through a drawing or writing
🗣 Joining a listening session for parents/carers
📍Attending our drop-in session at Parent Place, Wednesday 18 March, any time between 2:30pm and 6:30pm
👥Visiting us at the Begonia Festival or Let's Chat Expo
Printable templates and more details are available on our MySay page.

For more information or to give your feedback over the phone, contact us on 5320 5720.

19/02/2026

𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬' 𝐃𝐚𝐲 🧡

At Ballarat Community Health, we are proud of the specialised knowledge and care that our Mental Health Nurses bring to the community.

With compassion, skill and unwavering dedication, they support individuals and families through complex and vulnerable moments.

Thank you for the meaningful difference you make.

16/02/2026

𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐬?
We get it, introducing solids can be overwhelming!

This is a free program designed for parents in the Ballarat region with babies around 5-9 months.
We have created this program to give you a great opportunity to ask questions and learn from qualified health professionals.

𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Tuesday 24th February 2026
𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞: 10:00am – 11:00am
𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Djila-tjarriu (Alfredton Community Hub) – 18 Donegal Drive, Alfredton 3350

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 – 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲!
https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1509938?

This service is provided by Ballarat Community Health in partnership with the City of Ballarat Maternal & Health.

Do you have a baby ready to start or has started solids? This FREE program is designed for parents in the Ballarat region with babies around 5-9...

16/02/2026

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐢𝐝 - 𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
Anyone can have a conversation that may save a life.
Everyone should know how.

The Youth Mental Health First Aid course teaches participants how to provide initial support to a young person (aged 12-18) who may be experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis, until professional help is received, or the crisis resolves.

Course participants learn about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in adolescents, how to recognise and respond to an emerging or worsening mental health problem, and the treatments and supports available.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧: Participants are required to complete self-paced learning (approx. 5-7 hours) prior to attending in person on Tuesday 24th March, 2026, 9am-5pm (registration from 8.45am)
𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: headspace Ballarat - Level 1, 20 Dawson Street North, Ballarat Central
𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭: $120 per person (includes course participation and materials)

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1536428

Delivered by Mental Health First Aid International

The Youth Mental Health First Aid course teaches participants how to provide initial support to a young person (aged 12-18) who may be experiencing...

13/02/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐱 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬.

Condoms have been supporting sexual health for centuries - helping prevent pregnancy and STIs long before modern medicine as we know it today.

At Ballarat Community Health, we believe everyone should have access to sexual health information and resources that support safe, respectful and enjoyable experiences. Free condoms are available at all of our B*H sites.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭:
• Selkirk Stadium
• Minerdome
• Ballarat Libraries (including Sebastopol Library)
• City of Ballarat all-accessible toilet behind the Town Hall

𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐃𝐚𝐲 is a reminder that looking after your sexual health is normal, important and worth talking about - no awkwardness required.

12/02/2026

Delacombe Primary School students are leading the way in tackling va**ng – and we’re proud to have supported them.

As part of the Central Highlands Va**ng Prevention Project, Ballarat Community Health delivered Quit’s Seeing Through the Haze program at Delacombe Primary School, equipping Grade 5 and 6 students with the facts about va**ng and the confidence to take action.

Health Promotion Officer Alexandra Bell said it was inspiring to see students turn their learning into leadership.

“Arming young people with the facts about va**ng and empowering them to take action is a powerful way to prevent harm and protect their health and future.”

With the grant funding, students created their own anti-va**ng initiatives, including message keyrings and a student podcast, which were recently launched at a school assembly.

This project was funded by VicHealth and supported by Quit Victoria and the Australian Drug Foundation, with strong local partnerships helping bring it to life.

Congratulations to the students and staff at Delacombe PS for stepping up to create change in their school community.