Youth reporter

Elisa Scarton, VicHealth Youth Reporter

In January 2011, VicHealth welcomed young journalism graduate, Elisa Scarton, who will write a series of articles on all facets of health promotion, with a youth focus. Elisa was recruited through Youth Central’s Roving Reporter program which helps promising journalism graduates with a head start in their media careers.

Here’s what Elisa has to say about the role:

“At the risk of sounding like someone placing a dating ad, my name's Elisa and I've just turned 22. I also have the incredible honour of being VicHealth's Youth Reporter for 2011, which is why you're reading about me in this edition of the e-bulletin.

Young adults, regardless of what they're told, naively think they're invincible. We indulge in every vice we know is wrong and salve our guilt by saying we're simply trying all of life's experiences. As this year's youth reporter I hope to knock some sense into my peers' rather thick skulls. We're not invincible and the health risks we take now have telling effects on us when we're older.

I'll be honest – I didn't become a journalist to make a difference. I was 16 and thought journalism was a great way to meet celebrities. But now that I've grown up and at university, I've realised there's considerable power in a well-written article.

I hope my peers (and my two younger siblings) will not brush aside my words as easily as they do the advice of their doctors, parents or teachers. I hope they'll take them on board and make changes to their own lives, however small. So fingers crossed that I, and my articles, don't disappoint!”