In rural and regional Victoria, increasing numbers of young people are putting their hands up as mental health ambassadors and fast becoming real change makers.
Volunteering through the award-winning Live4Life program, these young community leaders are helping to smash the stigma surrounding mental health in their communities.
Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural communities.
With a suicide rate 40 per cent higher than urban areas and where 63 per cent of young people are unable to access mental health services, rural communities are seeing real, measurable change in mental health outcomes through Live4Life — and young volunteers are at the heart of the program’s success.
Each Live4Life community has its own ‘crew’ of young people.
Since its 2010 inception, more than 900 young people have volunteered.
It is the only community and school-based learning initiative that includes a peer-led, co-designed youth participation and leadership component as a key driver.
In Benalla there has been a steady stream of youngsters taking part in the program, many of whom return to be part of the Live4Life crew.
And many of those go on to be valued community members. In Benalla one of those is Nathan Tolliday.
Mr Tolliday was a Live4Life Benalla crew member in 2017-18 and now volunteers as a Crew4Life member.
He is currently acting branch manager across three Goulburn Murray Credit Unions in north-east Victoria.
“Being in Crew4Life allows me to connect with past crew from right across Live4Life’s geographical area,” Mr Tolliday said.
“Crew4Life also allows me to continue to be an active promoter of breaking mental health stigma in my community by supporting the current crew and spreading Live4Life’s message in my daily life.”
Find out more about Live4Life via www.live4life.org.au/