Life4Life Baw Baw Crew putting mental health first in local schools

Published on 31 March 2021

This is a joint media release shared on behalf of Live4Life Baw Baw. 

Local young people from each of the nine secondary schools in Baw Baw Shire will work together to raise awareness about mental health.

The Live4Live Crew is a key component of the Live4Life model, that was introduced in Baw Baw Shire in 2020. The Crew will be provided with mentoring and resources to take the lead with health promotion activities within their schools and communities.

Live4Life Baw Baw is also hosting a series of Youth Mental Health First Aid courses around the Baw Baw Shire between March and October 2021.

The 14-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid course teaches any adult (18 years and over) how to provide initial support to adolescents experiencing a mental health problem or crisis to help stabilise a situation and appropriately encourage action that supports better health.

Participants will learn about the signs and symptoms of common mental health problems in young people, how to provide initial help, where and how to get professional help, what sort of help has been shown by research to be effective, and how to provide first aid in a crisis situation

Find a date and location that suit you and book your place today here.

Live4Life is an award winning, unique, evidence-based youth mental health and suicide prevention initiative that began in the Macedon Ranges and is now operating in six rural shires across Victoria. Live4Life builds young people’s capacity to recognise and seek help for mental health concerns and builds the capacity of the whole community to look after and support their young people.

The Baw Baw Youth Live4Life Partnership, is led by Latrobe Regional Hospital, and includes Baw Baw Shire Council, Department of Education, Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning and Employment Network, Communities That Care, Trafalgar High School, Neerim District Secondary College, Warragul Regional College, Drouin Secondary College including Blackwood Centre for Adolescent Development, Marist-Sion College, ECG College, Warragul and District Specialist School, Chairo Christian School, West Gippsland Trade Training Alliance and St Paul's Anglican Grammar School.

Quotes attributable to Mayor Cr Danny Goss

“The Live4Life is making a difference to our community by building the capacity of young people to lead the way in raising awareness about mental health, challenging any stigma, and supporting each other. Council is proud to support this program and we’d like to give as much encouragement as we can to each of the participating students as leaders in their schools.”

Quotes attributable to Deputy Mayor Cr Michael Leaney

“Council greatly appreciates and values the work that Live4Life does in communities across Victoria, improving youth mental health and raising awareness of the important issues faced by young people. The Crew has the potential to help and support thousands of young people in Baw Baw Shire, and we look forward to following their progress.”

Quotes attributable to Susanne Lampitt, Mental Health Promotion Officer for Lead Agency Latrobe Regional Hospital

“LRH are very excited to be involved in this coordinated, sustainable, youth and community led initiative. The Live4Life model has withstood the test of time and brought real change to the knowledge, skills and attitudes around mental health, mental health problems and the fact that we all have a part to play in reducing stigma and increasing help seeking within our community. Witnessing the dedication of the various partners and the enthusiasm of students to champion real change is a testament to what will be the success of this initiative “

Image: Students from across Baw Baw Shire participated in the Live4Life Crew induction day at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Friday 26 March.