Live4Life youth mental health program to begin in Wellington this year
News Story from Gippsland Times Published 28 March 2024
Live4Life Wellington Partnership Group
by Stefan Bradley
A LIVE4LIFE youth mental health and suicide prevention program will start in Wellington this year, Wellington Shire Council has announced.
Live4Life brings together rural and regional communities to deliver evidence-based mental health education in schools and the wider community, create local partnerships to lead conversations about mental health which reduce stigma, and also promote young leaders as mental health ambassadors. Live4Life is an award-winning prevention model centred on young people themselves. It aims to protect young lives before a crisis occurs.
Council says it is proud to take on the role of Lead Agency and work with the Schools and Community Partnership Group in implementing the peer-led, evidence-based, community impact model, which spans both suicide prevention and mental health/wellbeing education – the only program of its kind designed specifically for rural and regional areas.
Wellington Shire Council Mayor, Ian Bye, stressed the importance of the Live4Life program to address youth mental health. He thanked the John Leslie Foundation for its generous support to bring Live4Life to the shire.
“We understand the significant issue of youth mental health in our community, and I am thankful for the program’s efforts to support young people in schools and other places they feel safe. With council’s support, I’m excited to see the program’s progress over the next 12 months,” Cr Bye said.
Seventy five percent of people with mental ill health have their first episode during adolescence. Suicide is the leading cause of death in 15-24-year-olds in Australia – and the suicide rate is 40 per cent higher in rural and regional communities.”
Nathan Wallace, deputy principal at Yarram Secondary College, said Live4Life brings together community organisations to improve the mental health of our students by equipping them with skills needed for a healthy life.
Bernard Galbally, Youth Live4Life Chief Executive, said it was exciting to be expanding the Live4Life model into Wellington.
“Live4Life is led by young people and involves the whole community. The Live4Life model has been proven to create more highly networked communities, which enhance resilience during hard times and help to support young people living in regional and rural areas. We know that when we work together, we can change lives,” he said.
The Live4Life model has four key components: support, coordination and mentoring from Youth Live4Life’s staff; school and community partnerships; mental health training; and “The Crew” – Live4Life’s youth leadership and participation program.
“We will help Wellington Shire Council over four years to reach a sustainable model. They’ve shown a lot of interest,” Mr Galbally told the Gippsland Times.