Elsie Lange
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.
“[It] is our business plan to be able to bring on three new rural and regional communities year on year, as well as transition our existing communities to self sustainability,” Mr Galbally said.
In April, the Macedon Ranges founded organisation was also granted more than $850,000 to expand its award-winning youth mental health and suicide prevention program interstate by the previous federal government.
State Trustees chief executive John Velegrinis said the Emotional Wellbeing grant being awarded to the organisation supports organisations with “a clear plan focused on mental health and building resilience”.
“The foundation is delighted to make this multi-year grant to an organisation creating local partnerships and promoting community conversations on mental health and suicide prevention,” Mr Velegrinis said.
According to the foundation, the three-year grant will allow Youth Live4Life to expand its presence through its geographic reach to nine communities across the state, as well as increasing marketing and communications to spread awareness.
“Part of the funding is… to help our communications and marketing and help connect those dots within the communities,” Mr Galbally said.
“It’s really interesting because a lot of communities have wanted to do things, and we just haven’t had the funding to do it.”
Mr Galbally said following an evaluation, one of the main priorities raised at the organisation was that “it’s not just about delivering mental health education for young people in schools”.
“It’s also about training up those adults in the community, the parents, teachers, carers, sporting coaches, netball coaches etc, and that they’re also part of Live4Life,” he siad.
If you, or anyone you know needs mental health support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
