2021 Live4Life Program launched

Published on 29 March 2021

More than 80 Year 8 students from Benalla P-12 College participated in the launch of the 2021 Live4Life Program at the Benalla Showgrounds on Wednesday 17 March 2021. The event, which included a Rotary sausage sizzle, guest speakers, ninja course and a range of activities, marked the beginning of the fifth year of the mental health initiative for young people in Benalla.

The Live4Life model aims to improve mental health literacy and increase mental health knowledge. It empowers young people to act as ambassadors for mental health, raising awareness of mental health issues among their peers and community.

Mayor Danny Claridge congratulated the 2021 Benalla Live4Life Crew, a group of 12 Year 10 students from Benalla P-12 College, who organised the launch event.

‘The Live4Life initiative is just one of the many ways we focus on mental health in Benalla Rural City,’ said Cr Claridge.

‘We acknowledge the key role of young people in promoting positive mental health in our community. The Crew will spend the next 12 months running events and activities to encourage mental health help seeking in our community. They have already shown how capable they are by putting on this highly successful event for their peers,’ said Cr Claridge.

The theme for this year’s initiative is “A trouble shared is a trouble halved”. Events and activities for the 2021 program focus on this theme, which reinforces the many community supports in place to support young people.

Since 2017, the Benalla Live4Life Program has seen more than 750 students trained in Teen Mental Health First Aid and 125 adults trained in Youth Mental Health First Aid. The success of the program has led to an additional five councils launching their own Live4Life initiatives.

Benalla FCJ College will celebrate their launch separately this year due to COVID restrictions. The 2021 launch is supported by the Benalla Live4Life Partnership Group including Benalla Health, FCJ College, Benalla P-12 College, NE Tracks Local Learning and Employment Network, Tomorrow Today, Victoria Police, Benalla Flexible Learning Centre, NESAY, Central Hume Primary Care Partnership, North East Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Benalla Community Suicide Prevention Steering Group, Benalla Rural City Council and Youth Live4Life Inc.

For more information visit the Live4Life page on this website.