Benalla - Live4Life crews making a difference

Article in Benalla Ensign by . Published 12 April 2023.

Proud: Benalla Rural City's Community Group of the Year 2023, the Live4Life Benalla crew. Photo by Simon Ruppert.

Benalla’s Live4Life crew, along with counterparts from around regional and rural Victoria, have been recognised for their work tackling mental health issues.

Live4Life crews have been named finalists in the 7News Young Achiever Awards ‘Group Achievement in the Community’ category.

Since its inception in 2010 in the Macedon Ranges, the Live4Life model has been successfully implemented in Benalla and eight other regional Victorian communities including Baw Baw, Bass Coast, South Gippsland, Southern Grampians, Glenelg, Macedon Ranges, Central Goldfields and Moira Shire — with a further four rural and regional communities coming on board in 2023.

Each Live4Life community has its own crew made up of young people who volunteer their time to be local mental health ambassadors.

These selfless young mental health ambassadors are making a huge difference to the experience of young people in rural and regional areas across Victoria.

All high schools in Benalla have representation in the local Live4Life crew.

Ground-breaking and award-winning, Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural communities, where the suicide rate is 40 per cent higher than urban areas and where 63 per cent of young people are unable to access mental health services.

The Live4Life Crew model is innovative — the only community and school-based learning initiative that includes a peer-led, co-designed youth participation and leadership component as a key driver.

Further highlighting their hard work and achievements, the Live4Life Benalla Crew won Community Group of the Year at the 2023 Australia Day Awards.

If you or someone you know is experiencing issues around mental health you can contact Accessline on 1800 800 944, Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.