Upper Yarra Body Image Group

The mission of the Upper Yarra Body Image Group is to work collaboratively with local service providers, health and education professionals and key stakeholders to create positive body image conversations and actions throughout our whole community. This will focus on the benefits of positive body image, enjoyment of healthy behaviours that are positively motivated by a desire to look after self and the creation of environments and services that support and celebrate body diversity and health.

By doing this we aim to empower everyone – women, men, girls and boys to:

• Develop positive body image and a stake in caring for their bodies; eating well, enjoying physical movement and drink adequate water.
• Develop and maintain positive body esteem based on understanding the complexities of weight management, the many ways body image intersects with health resulting in positive motivations for self care and celebrating their own unique bodies and themselves.
• Develop a deeper sense of personal autonomy and self esteem through valuing and caring for their bodies and themselves.
• Develop a critical eye and resist ubiquitous unrealistic, unhealthy and objectifying cultural pressures and messages.
• Develop a deeper understanding of the stigmatising messages and language around weight and shape issues that promote poor body image, weight preoccupation and unhealthy weight loss behaviours; reducing weight related teasing, weight stigma and body shaming.

Partner organisations include: EACH, EDVOS, Eastern Health, Inspiro, Upper Yarra Community Enterprise, Headspace Knox, Yarra Ranges Council, Woori Yallock Primary School, Body of Wellbeing and The Yarra Centre.

We are extremely grateful to EACH for acting as our auspice body.

Contributions from: Women’s Health East, St. Jospeph’s Primary School, Millwarra Primary School and Swinburne University.