Baw Baw Live4Life celebrates another successful year

Published on 22 November 2023

Baw Baw Shire Council is proud to support Live4Life, a youth targeted program dedicated to enhancing the mental wellbeing of young people, specifically in rural or regional communities.

Last week, the Baw Baw Live4Life crew celebrated another 12 months’ worth of impressive milestones when 40 members from seven local secondary schools gathered at The Summit Adventure Park in Trafalgar.

The celebration concluded another successful year for Baw Baw Live4Life, which ran to the theme of ‘Friendships create conversations.’

Additionally, Tuesday this week also saw the local partnership group meet to reflect on the past year, as well as plan for future activities.

Council is one of many local organisations supporting Live4Life, which currently operates in 11 rural and regional communities across Victoria, creating positive change and transforming the lives of young people.

As part of Baw Baw’s 2023 program, more than 800 local year 8 and year 10 students completed the Teen Mental Health First Aid Training, as well as participated in various activities including colour runs, daylight discoes, barbecues and weekly lunches for students to help enhance connections and foster positive conversations.

Baw Baw Shire Mayor Cr Annemarie McCabe said she was proud of Council’s involvement with the partnership and appreciates the efforts made to shine a spotlight on youth mental health.

“The work and efforts made by Live4Life to enhance and improve the mental health of our young people is extremely important work,” Cr McCabe said.

“Council will support any attempt to improve mental health education and remove the stigma attached to talking about our mental health.”

Cr McCabe added that she hopes to see Live4Life continue to expand across Baw Baw, and encouraged local schools and community groups to get involved.

“Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities,” she said.

“Live4Life focuses on teaching students how and when to seek mental health support, and I think that sort of learning is becoming more and more important for our younger generations.”

Baw Baw Live4Life was established in 2020. To find out more or to see how you can get involved, visit www.live4life.org.au/our-communities/baw-baw.