IN THE MEDIA Midland Express ‘Prevention programs vital’

“Support for youth mental health is urgently needed in Victorian rural and regional communities…”

IN THE MEDIA Star Weekly Swimming for Sean

‘In 2018, Sean and his daughter Kristen McKinney hosted a 2866-lap swimming challenge at the Gisborne Aquatic Centre – one lap for every life lost to suicide in the previous year. Starting at 6am, people of all ages were invited to swim a continuous relay in memory of those that died by suicide.

IN THE MEDIA Australian Rural & regional News ‘Live4life Macedon Ranges passes important milestone — over 10,000 young people and adults in the community have now been trained in evidence-based mental health education’

IN THE MEDIA - Sunday Herald Sun 24/11/2024 How the worst nightmare for a group of Macedon Ranges parents became a beacon of hope called Live4Life.

IN THE MEDIA - Macedon Ranges born and bread health promotion charity, Live4Life, has officially expanded into 14 local government areas (LGA), with its youth mental health and suicide prevention program crossing state borders.

IN THE MEDIA - Health promotion charity, Live4Life, which was born and bred in the Macedon Ranges has now reached more than 21,000 young people with its recent expansion in 2024.

After visiting the Live4Life offices in Woodend, Rob Mitchell MP, Federal Labor Member for McEwen, spoke to Parliament about meeting Live4Life Crew and staff, and the work we are doing in rural and regional communities.

Star Weekly: A Woodend-based youth mental health organisation is calling for more funding from the Victorian government to scale up its rural and regional services to address its surging waitlist of communities wanting to be involved.

Star Weekly: The incredible work of Woodend-based Youth Live4Life was in the spotlight once again last week. When Youth Minister Dr Anne Aly visited the Macedon Ranges on Friday, February 10, McEwen MP Rob Mitchell took the opportunity to show her the work the youth mental health charity was doing.

Star Weekly: Mental health was one of the biggest personal challenges faced by 27 per cent of Victoria’s young people in the last year and Woodend-based mental health charity Youth Live4Life deals with the issue locally. Released this week, Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022 collated the responses of 5097 young people …

Star Weekly: Kyle Hayes from Sunbury said it was humbling to be named a finalist in the 2022 YACVic Rural Youth Awards. He was nominated in the category of Youth Worker Making a Difference for his work with Woodend-based youth mental health charity Youth Live4Life. “I am really proud of the achievement,” he said.

On November 19th, Macedon Ranges locals John Crozier, Jarrod McQuade and Lucas Paladino will be shaving off their long (not so luscious) dreadlocks! ‍One night the boys joked about shaving their dreads together. A month later, they are planning an event to raise money for Youth Live4Life with a goal of $20,000!!

Star Weekly: After two years of lockdown, Woodend-based Youth Live4Life is continuing the McKinney’s legacy, running LAP it UP from November 10 to 20 to raise funds for the organisation’s Live4Life initiative. Youth Live4Life chief executive Bernard Galbally said swimming was a “fantastic” exercise for the cause.

The Star Weekly: Youth Live4Life has been granted more than $750,000 over three years to support young peoples’ mental health and wellbeing across regional and rural Victoria. State Trustees Australia Foundation provided the grant to recognise the vital role Youth Live4Life plays as the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed for rural and regional communities in the state. Youth Live4Life chief executive Bernard Galbally said the grant would help bring three new communities into the model.

The Star Weekly: Macedon Ranges council (MRSC) has been recognised for its unwavering commitment to improving the mental health of young people in the region. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Australia recognised the council with a ‘Mental Health First Aid Champion Community’ award, because of how hard it works to tackle the high rates of mental illness.