Embracing youth mental health education
Published on 05 February 2020
Moira Shire Council has joined with all seven secondary schools, Uniting Vic Tas, local community and health services to implement the award winning youth mental health and suicide prevention model, Live4Life.
Live4Life is a community grown, evidence based, rural youth mental health model to prevent youth suicide.
Mayor Libro Mustica said the Live4Life model aimed to ensure young people, teachers, parents and the wider community were better informed about mental health and proactive in identifying the signs and symptoms of an emerging mental health issue before a crisis occurs.
“Live4Life Moira will include the delivery of teen mental health first aid in years 8 and 11 at all local secondary schools as well as youth mental health first aid delivered to teachers, parents and the wider community,” Cr Mustica said.
“In addition, a crew of young people in years 9 and 10 will work with Council and other partner organisations to implement a number of mental health promotion activities throughout 2020.
“Implementation of Live4Life is a collaborative approach and will be supported by a school and community partnership group with representation from Uniting Vic Tas, Berry Street, Department of Education and Training and Salvo Care.”
Cr Mustica said he was thrilled to have the Live4Life crew in Moira.
“We have had such a great response from our young people who want to join this program,” he said.
“Young people are the key to this program’s success and it is evident our youth are interested to learn about how to maintain great mental health and what to do when it starts to affect us.”
Youth Live4Life has been working with the neighbouring community of Benalla over the past three years implementing the Live4Life model.
“We have seen more than 600 young people in Benalla trained as mental health first aiders as well as over 125 adults,” Youth Live4Life CEO Bernard Galbally said.
“We are building local communities’ capacities to seek help and support each other in times of need.
“We hope to support the Moira community to do the same.”
Live4Life Moira has received funding support through School Focussed Youth Services and partnering organisations.