News

Program Highlight: Therapeutics

WHEN: 19 March 2015

Exercise Your Mood

Oasis takes a holistic approach to working with young people. Our aim: to break the cycle of youth homelessness.
A recent study into the cost of youth homelessness in Australia has reported at least 53% of homeless young people reported having being diagnosed with at least one mental illness[1]. Given there are large bodies of evidence showing increased fitness positively correlates with increased mood, we feel it is important to invest in programs that not only take care of young people’s physical and safety needs, but that also care for and foster positive mental health.

Our therapeutics team is constantly looking for ways to engage young people in activities that help strengthen their mental health, “there are a number of studies that show that exercise can increase positive affect in all people, not just young people. But we see the Exercise your Mood program as so much more; for Oasis young people, it is a chance to bond and get to know each other. For staff, there is opportunity to talk about making positive lifestyle choices and the associated impacts such choices may have”. At the beginning of the year, the team rolled out Exercise Your Mood. Put simply, it is a walking group. The idea is that young people are given the opportunity to get outside and participate in some light physical activity.

The aim of Exercise Your Mood is to provide an opportunity for young people to build a connection with both staff and other young people; helping to create a strong sense social inclusion through light exercise.

Allie*, 19, has been staying at Oasis for the past month. She has taken part in the Exercise Your Mood program each week. She said, “when I arrived here, I didn’t know anyone and I was pretty nervous. I honestly went on the first walk as, you know, just something to do. But it was really fun. I got to know some of the other guys who come to Oasis and the workers as well. It made me feel so much more confident and not as bad about everything going on at the moment. I feel like going for the walk each week gives me a chance to do something positive”.

[1] The Cost of Youth Homelessness, 2015