Youth Live4Life is expanding its award-winning youth mental health and suicide prevention program interstate, thanks to an $871,163 federal government grant announced last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, visited Woodend last Wednesday to announce the grant recipients from the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are thrilled to have secured funding to pilot Live4Life in one interstate region in 2023, and to activate our first interstate partnership by 2024,\u201d Live4Life CEO Bernard Galbally said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis grant will enable us to both trial the award-winning Live4Life program and complete a thorough evaluation of its impact on the local community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Live4Life is a youth mental health and suicide prevention initiative designed specifically for rural and regional communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The evidence-based model builds both young people, and the local rural community\u2019s capacity to recognise mental health concerns and seek and offer help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Live4Life model was developed in 2010 by Macedon Ranges Shire Council as a community-wide response to an increase in youth mental health issues within the shire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Macedon Ranges mayor, Cr Jennifer Anderson, said the program had proven to be a great success thanks to the hard work and commitment over many years of the Live4Life staff and board, and passionate shire staff, councillors and community members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are extremely proud of the Live4Life program and the role council played in its initial implementation,” Cr Anderson said.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The program currently operates in nine Victorian communities; Bass Coast Baw Baw, Benalla, Central Goldfields, Glenelg, Macedon Ranges, Moira, South Gippsland Southern Grampians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMore than 20 rural and regional LGAs across Australia have already expressed interest in implementing our model. We hope to reach 92 Australian communities by 2030 and this is a significant step towards this goal,\u201d Mr Galbally said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Live4Life is featured in the Royal Commission into Victoria\u2019s Mental Health System\u2019s final report as a case study \u2018highlighting innovation in community-led mental health solutions for young people\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Youth Live4Life is expanding its award-winning youth mental health and suicide prevention program interstate, thanks to an $871,163 federal government…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":10837,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,15],"tags":[4045,3000],"ppma_author":[5225],"class_list":["post-10836","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-latest-news","tag-national-suicide-prevention-leadership-and-support-program","tag-youth-live4life"],"yoast_head":"\n
Anyone experiencing distress can seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), or the Government\u2019s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n