IN THE MEDIA - The award-winning Live4Life program - increasing mental health knowledge throughout Ballarat - will continue to grow in 2024. Returning for its second year, Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities.

Nick Glass, a Year 11 student from Ballarat High School, rode his motorbike almost 300km and raised $500 for Youth Live4Life Ballarat.

A rural youth mental health program is set to be delivered in the region for the first time, with eight secondary schools taking part.Ballarat is set to be the 10th major location and the first regional Victorian city to offer the program called Live4Life.

The award-winning Live4Life program will roll out in eight secondary schools across the City of Ballarat in the coming months, focusing on increasing mental health knowledge amongst students, parents, teachers and other community members to reduce barriers for young people seeking help.

The $20,000 grant will go towards delivery of suicide prevention and mental health education in Ballarat. ANZ today announced it has granted $389,450 through its Community Foundation, to 19 charitable organisations that are delivering projects to improve financial wellbeing, housing and environmental sustainability.

The Ballarat Times: The money for BSPN will go towards introducing the Live4Life youth mental health five-year program, which chair Des Hudson said will be an exciting opportunity for the city. “This will be the largest community that the Live 4 Life team have looked at building a community network of support,” he said.

The Ballarat Times: FRIENDS of India Network’s 2022 charity cricket match and black-tie gala dinner have been successful in raising funds for the Ballarat and District Suicide Prevention Network. The FIN community and their guests generated $75,000 this year which will benefit Ballarat Youth Services-led mental health program Live4Life, expected to reach 20,000 young people in schools over five years.