New young Crew members join Wellington’s Live4Life program
Year 9 and 10 Crew members from Catholic College Sale, Maffra College, Sale College, Yarram College, Sale District and Specialist School, Gippsland Grammar.
Live4Life Wellington is pleased to announce that 30 young people were inducted into Wellington Shire’s Live4Life Crew. This is the first step for these committed and caring young people in becoming local community leaders and Mental Health Ambassadors.
Live4Life is an award-winning program protecting young lives in rural communities through mental health education to help reduce suicide.
The Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system revealed that 63% of young people are unable to access mental health services when they need to. In rural and regional areas, access to services is even harder, there can be more stigma around seeking help, and young people can feel more isolated. Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities.
Live4Life Crews fulfill a critical role in their communities. Young people from Years 9 and 10 take the opportunity to become leaders in their local area, and advocate for mental health support and education. Wellington Crew will devise a theme for 2025, help to organise Live4Life events, and promote key mental health messages in their local school/s and community.
“I hope to help make a difference, big or small, in our community and to help the youth in our area feel better about seeking help.” Tara, Year 9
“I am looking forward to giving young people a way to feel safe and heard.” –
Aishah Year 9
“I chose to be a part of the Live4Life crew again this year because I want to make it even better than last year.” Kelsey, Year 10.
Tuesday’s Crew Induction was held at The Nakunbalook Environmental and Cultural Education Centre and included a welcome from Wellington Shire Mayor Cr Scott Rossetti, an informative talk about mental health from Headspace, team building activities and the development of the theme for 2025.
“It was good to have so many young people engaged and eager to learn about mental health. “
Ilona Jaakkola- Headspace Sale
“So great to see the crews from each school in our shire having a shared passion for the mental health of young people in our community. Having young ambassadors in each school carrying positive messaging and education to their peers is a great way to help minimize the stigma and barriers for young people needing to seek help. “
Toby Leeds, Sale College
“It is truly inspiring to see the excitement and collaboration in our 2025 crew members who have chosen to step up as mental health ambassadors because they want to help their peers, and they want to change the narrative around mental health. “
Shari - Youth Project Officer Live4Life
Young people are at the centre of the Live4Life program. In 2024, across all Live4Life communities, over 8,960 young people received evidence-based mental health education — improving their mental health literacy and ability to offer and seek help, while reducing stigma through the annual program of events and activities.
The total number of young people living in rural and regional communities who have received evidence-based mental health education since the Live4Life program began in 2010 is now 29,991. In 2024, 297 young people joined the Live4Life Crew and were trained and mentored to support their peers as Mental Health Ambassadors. In total, over 1,470 young people have joined Live4Life Crew.
Youth Live4Life partners with Catholic College Sale, Sale College, Maffra Secondary College, Gippsland Grammar, Yarram Secondary College, Sale District and Specialist School, Quantum Support Services, Latrobe Regional Health, Victoria Police, Headspace Sale, Gippsland Primary Health Network and Wellington Shire Council to deliver this life-changing program in Wellington.
Live4Life Wellington is generously supported by The John Leslie Foundation.