Break O’Day
Lutruwita Country
"Reach for the stars and be who you are!We shine together."
Live4Life Break O’Day launched in 2023 and is the first community outside Victoria to implement the Live4Life model.
Break O’Day is a rural local government area situated in the northern part of Tasmania's east coast. It has a population of 6,770 and major towns of the region include St Helens, St Marys and Scamander.
Live4Life Break O’Day launched in April 2023. The first Live4Life Crew was inducted in 2024 from students attending St Marys and St Helens District secondary schools. The Lead Agency is the Fingal Valley Neighbourhood House.
Live4Life Break O’Day is funded by the Federal Government’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program (NSPLSP).
…have undertaken mental health education through Live4Life Break O’Day since 2023 and there’s an ever growing Crew of awesome Mental Health Ambassadors.
The Crew
The Live4Life Break O’Day Crew is made up of students from each of the participating secondary schools. Members of the Crew design, plan and deliver mental health promotion activities throughout the year.
To find out more or to get involved with the Crew, contact Casey Musicka on casey.musicka@fvnh.org.au.
2025 Crew theme
‘Reach for the stars and be who you are’
Every year, the Crew creates a theme to capture the mental health messages they believe will connect with their peers and wider community. The Break O’Day Crew’s theme expresses authenticity and aspiration. It reminds everyone that young people and communities relying on each other will be a big part of their mental health activities throughout the year with an additional message included on the poster, "We shine together".
“We picked (this theme) because it conveys an empowering and uplifting message. The phrase is designed to encourage individuals, especially young people, to embrace their authentic selves while striving for their goals and aspirations. By embracing who you truly are, the message encourages individuals to accept their unique qualities and value themselves, its designed to provide a balanced message of self-empowerment, personal growth, and self-acceptance.” 2025 Crew member
Download a copy of the 2025 Break O’Day Crew Theme Poster here.
Check out 2024’s theme devised by Break O’Day’s inaugural Crew:
2024 Life is like the pass - it’s winding, has it’s ups and downs, but it keeps us all connected’
Youth Mental Health First Aid® training for adults in Break O’Day
One of the most important ways adults can support young people in rural and regional areas is to undertake Youth Mental Health First Aid® training. It’s suitable for school staff and all other adults in the community, such as parents, grandparents, coaches, instructors etc.
Live4Life Break O’Day offers subsidised Youth Mental Health First Aid® training opportunities for the Ballarat community. In 2025, 18 adults in Break O’Day completed YMHFA®.
Evaluation of Break O’Day by the University of Tasmania
Funded by the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program (NSPLSP), the Centre for Rural Health at The University of Tasmania evaluated Live4Life model implementation in Break O’Day from 2023–2025.
Findings showed:
Students showed clear gains in recognising appropriate help pathways and supportive peer behaviours, indicating improved practical mental health literacy.
There was increased knowledge and confidence to act, as indicated by real-world actions after TMHFA:
42.1% helped someone seek support
40.4% accessed support for themselves
68.4% discussed TMHFA with friends
49.1% discussed TMHFA with family
What this means: Learning translated into behaviour, not just attitudes. Mental health knowledge spread beyond classrooms into peer and family networks.