Live4Life, an innovative program focused on youth mental health and suicide prevention, has reached a significant milestone by training over 10,000 individuals in the Macedon Ranges. This achievement highlights the program’s impact since its inception in 2010, addressing rising concerns around anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide among young people in rural communities.
The program has equipped 9,292 young people with evidence-based mental health education and trained 864 adults in Youth Mental Health First Aid®. By fostering a collaborative network of schools and community organizations, Live4Life centers on empowering young people to recognize early signs of mental ill-health and provide support to themselves and others.
Pauline Neil, co-founder of Live4Life, first identified the pressing issues of youth suicide and mental health while serving on the Local Safety Committee in 2008. She emphasized the necessity of a community-wide approach, stating, “Live4Life was designed from the outset with an awareness that rural and regional areas need a whole-of-community approach — and it had to put young people at the heart of the process.”
As part of the program, participants are provided with essential tools and resources to help their peers, creating a robust support system within their communities. Talon Gostelow, a former volunteer who has progressed to the role of Crew Champion, reflected on his transformative experience with Live4Life. “Over the last five years… I’ve learned so much. Something I’ve learned for certain is the value of a preventive model on our society,” he noted.
Beyond the Macedon Ranges, Live4Life has made a substantial impact across its various communities. To date, more than 33,500 young individuals and 3,331 adults have received mental health education. The program has seen 1,799 young people volunteer as mental health ambassadors, while 147 community members have trained as Mental Health First Aid instructors.
In a statement regarding the milestone, Live4Life CEO Bernard Galbally recognized the pivotal role played by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council. He expressed gratitude for their foresight and leadership, which allowed Live4Life to expand into 14 additional local government areas. “The growth of the Live4Life program… is today an exemplar of how local government can set in motion long-lasting, generational change in youth mental health and suicide prevention,” he stated.
The initiative has garnered recognition at various levels. Last year, Live4Life received the National Communities in Action Life Award from Suicide Prevention Australia. It was also cited in the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System as a model for local organizations driving meaningful change in the lives of young people. Furthermore, it is one of the few evidence-based programs featured on the Victorian Department of Education’s ‘Mental Health Menu’, guiding schools on how to allocate mental health funding.
Live4Life is actively implemented in local secondary schools, including Gisborne Secondary School, Sacred Heart College, and Braemar College, with support from organizations such as Sunbury Cobaw Community Health and Benetas Macedon Ranges Health. The Macedon Ranges Shire Council serves as the lead agency, ensuring the program’s continued success and outreach.
As Live4Life moves forward, its legacy of empowering young individuals and fostering mental health awareness continues to resonate throughout Victoria and beyond, making a profound difference in communities across the nation.
