Macedon Ranges a mental health champion

Read the full article from the Star Weekly here

The Live4Life mental health education and youth suicide prevention model was designed for rural and regional communities, focusing on support and education for young people through mental health first aid skills and training.

By Elsie Lange

Macedon Ranges council (MRSC) has been recognised for its unwavering commitment to improving the mental health of young people in the region.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia recognised council with a ‘Mental Health First Aid Champion Community’ award, because of how hard it works to tackle the high rates of mental illness.

MHFA said the new Champion Community status is an acknowledgment of continued efforts to embed MHFA training, via the local Live4Life model, into education providers, secondary schools and the wider community.

MRSC youth services coordinator Vishal Tandon council wanted to create more supportive networks for young people to rely on.

“This meant providing MHFA training to adults in key community roles, such as teachers, sports coaches, and local service providers,” Mr Tandon said.

“It also meant providing MHFA training to empower young people to play an active role in peer-to-peer mental health support.”

Read the full article from the Star Weekly here