Before-school fitness class keeping Bega youth engaged, active

A collaboration of several community support groups are coming together to give local youth an exciting and energised start to their day, and seeing great results.

Fit For Life is a boxing and fitness program run by Police Youth Command and delivered in partnership with PCYC Far South Coast and supported by Katungul, Headspace and the Social Justice Advocates.

Students of all ages from Bega High and Bega Valley Public are picked up each morning before school and ferried across to the Bega Showground pavilion, where they are met by martial arts and fitness trainer Maurice Llewellyn and a small band of helpers.

The pavilion echoes with the sound of excited and active youngsters following the lead of Mr Llewellyn through warm-up drills ahead of circuit training with boxing gloves and pads, skipping ropes and much more.

It's mostly Indigenous kids taking part in the dawn activities, but interest is growing - quickly - across the entire school community, with Katungul's Sadie Toms saying the idea has already outshone expectations.

"We didn't expect numbers to rise so quickly," she said. "We've gone from six to 36-40 kids each week already. 

"I was shocked."

Ms Toms said to see the reaction and engagement of the young participants, who range in age from seven up, was "emotional".

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One of the participants, Bega High student Mya Green-Aldridge, says the Wednesday sessions are something to look forward to each week.

"I really enjoy it. Maurice is a really good person and it really helps a lot with [staying engaged at] school.

"When I get back to school I want to do it all over again!"

Fellow BHS student Joven Pittman says he has also found a number of benefits to the Fit For Life program, and he's "usually" ready when the bus arrives.

"I get butterflies at home in the mornings, anxious about what the day might bring, but then i get here and it all goes away and I can focus.

"Maurice is teaching us what he was taught - it's all about getting along and respect for others."

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Matt Wegert from Katungul said it was particularly pleasing to see students like Joven take on a leadership role among the group.

"He's a clown - but he looks after everyone," Mr Wegert says with a cheeky grin. "He puts a smile on everyone's face.

"There's so much energy in the room.

"This is so positive for us to see them up an hour and a half before school starts. It's helping them all get going the right way in life."

Waiting in the side room of the pavilion are Gavin Bell and Mick Brosnan from the Social Justice Advocates of the Sapphire Coast.

They've got the toaster going, juice, cereal, yoghurt and fruit on hand, ready to serve up a healthy breakfast for all the participants.

PCYC receives all the food as donations from Coles, the Advocates are there just to help serve and clean up, leaving the PCYC volunteers to focus on the fitness.

"This is the easiest bit of social justice advocating we do," Mr Bell says with a chuckle.

Mr Brosnan said the group also assisted with a donation towards the purchase of equipment for the Fit For Life program.

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"You don't have to say anything - just look around," he says, gesturing towards the group of smiling primary school-aged children running around the hall.

The Fit For Life program runs Wednesdays mornings, with the youth all picked up in time to take part and dropped off at school in time for the morning bell.

The same program runs in Eden on Tuesday mornings.

For more information on PCYC Far South Coast, visit its Facebook page here.