Nearly 40 young people from seven secondary schools across Baw Baw Shire were inducted as local mental health ambassadors in February, with the latest Live4Life crew ready to tackle youth mental health head on.
Year 8 students attended the launch at the West Gippsland Arts Centre yesterday, which was an opportunity to meet their Crew and learn more about the Live4Life program they will undertake during 2025.
The Crew volunteer their time this year and act as ambassadors within their schools, social circles, and the broader community, to promote positive mental health messaging among young people.
Crew plan events and develop mental health awareness activities, to help reduce the stigma around mental health, while also learning how to recognise the signs of at risk behaviours and poorer mental health.
Together with schools and a number of local organisations and community members, Baw Baw Shire Council is proud to support Live4Life in Baw Baw.
Live4Life is a health promotion charity, using the Live4Life model to support rural and regional communities and their young people. Live4Life delivers evidence-based mental health education in schools and the wider community and helps create local partnerships to lead conversations about mental health.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Cr Danny Goss said he was extremely proud to partner and lead the Baw Baw Chapter of Live4Life.
"Live4Life delivers evidence-based mental health education in schools and the wider community and helps create local partnerships to lead conversations about mental health," Cr Goss said.
"This program is led by our local youths themselves and is such an incredible initiative for a young person to be involved in.
"Raising awareness of mental health is such an important issue, especially for young people, and we are excited to work together with the youths this year."
Since the inception of Baw Baw Live4Life in 2020, more than 3,500 students and community members have participated in the program, and more than 160 students have volunteered to be Live4Life crew members.
For more about our Live4Life program, visit www.live4life.org.au/our-communities/baw-baw
