Live4Life Awarded for Program Excellence

Live4Life Director Communities and Impact Cathryn Walder at the TheMHS Awards Gala at the Hilton Sydney

Live4Life won the Mental Health Program Excellence Award at the Mental Health Service Awards of Australia and New Zealand held in Sydney on 6 August, emceed by ABC science journalist Natasha Mitchell.

The award recognises an organisation or team that operates with the focus on a whole community or population. Accepting the honour on the evening, Live4Life Director Communities and Impact Cathryn Walder said that Live4Life is unique because it is a youth-centred, whole-of-community activation designed specifically for rural and regional Australia.

Professor Sharon Lawn and Cathryn Walder

She paid particular tribute to the 1800+ young people who have volunteered as mental health ambassadors, and to 14 communities across Victoria and Tasmania, saying:

"Every day, they show us we can make a difference. We can counteract stigma. We can build a culture of support. This award is theirs and testament to the hard work, care, compassion and collaborative spirit which is powering a positive change in the lives of young people growing up in rural Australia."

Eleven Awards across eight categories were presented by TheMHS Awards Ambassador Professor Lisa Brophy and Awards founder Roger Gurr AM. Our thanks to everyone in the TheMHS team. The Mental Health Service Awards have been recognising excellence, innovation and best practice in mental health in Australia and New Zealand for over 30 years and it was a huge honour to be considered. Live4Life was very proud to join the outstanding finalists in the Program Excellence category: NSLHD Mental Health Drug and Alcohol service, Walsh Trust, and New Zealand Rugby.

Congratulations to all the finalists — in particular the Tom Trauer Evaluation and Research Award-winner Professor Sharon Lawn and the Lived Experience Australia team who gave us such generous support on the night.