Young people of Live4Life Break O’day celebrate the achievements of 2025 with spectacular event
Media Release from Break O’Day Live4Life.
Crew presenting to year 8’s at the Celebration in Fingal with Coordinator Casey Musicka L-R: Charlotte, Milly, Bel, Lachie, Casey, Lachy, Lowen, Dusty and Max
On Friday 14th November the Live4Life Break O’Day community came together at Fingal to celebrate a year of fantastic achievements with a spectacular event conceived, planned and run by Year 9 and 10 volunteers in the Live4Life Crew.
Showcasing the 2025 theme ‘Reach for the stars and be who you are. We shine together’. The event saw around 70 students, parents, officials gather for the celebration, including representatives from the Tasmanian Community Fund, Elected Councillors, Anglicare Tas, Royal Flying Doctors, Skittles Youth Group, Break O’Day Council, University of Tasmania, Youth Live4Life, Fingal Valley Neighbourhood House, Mental Health Council of Tasmania, CORES, Building Blocks, Big Shed Studios, and more. The members of the Live4Life Crew were congratulated on an amazing job bringing a packed program together, including guest speaker, and former local, Tyler Richardson of band Luca Brasi, key messages from the Teen Mental Health First Aid training, facepainting, rock painting, crafting, sporting activities, board games, music and so much more. There were plenty of wellbeing spaces and free resources on offer for all to enjoy and items to keep for future reference.
Threading key elements of Live4Life through the day, the event featured a special address from guest speaker Tyler, who was also shy to mention is now nominated as an Australian of the Year! Tyler spoke of his journey growing up in a rural and regional community and the importance he has come to learn around looking after ourselves inside and out whilst also keeping an eye on our mates. Tyler connects well with the young people and uses his journey to inspire others. The crowd was then fortunate enough to enjoy a live performance
QUOTE 1: FROM Mrs Bennett: “What a fabulous event to celebrate the power of young people and community working together for change.”
Live4Life is a groundbreaking, peer-led, evidence-based model which spans both suicide prevention and mental health/wellbeing education. It is the only program of its kind designed specifically for rural and regional areas. Partnered with Fingal Valley Neighbourhood House, St Marys District School, Break O’Day Council, St Helens District High School, Baptcare, Royal Flying Doctors Service, Free2B Girls, YCNECT, St Helens Neighbourhood House, Fidler and Ford, Break O’Day Employment Connect and the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Rural Health. This is Live4Life’s 2nd full year in Break O’Day.
208 Year 8 and Year 10 students from St Helens District High School and St Marys District School have participated in the Live4Life program since it rolled out here in late 2023. 58 local community members have also been trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid.
QUOTE 2: FROM Charlotte: “Live4Life reminds us that even in our darkest moments, there is a community ready to help, no one fights their battles alone. Speak up and Reach out.”
One in four young people have experienced a mental health issue in the past 12 months. 75% 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% higher in rural and regional communities.
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 which reduce stigma around mental health, and also promote young leaders as Mental Health Ambassadors. Live4Life is an award-winning prevention model centred on young people themselves. It protects young lives before a crisis occurs.
Live4Life Break O’Day is generously supported by the Federal Government’s National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program (NSPLSP)