Launched by Born This Way Foundation, the Kindness In Community Fund grant furthers Live4Life’s work empowering rural and regional communities to support youth mental health and reduce suicide.
Live4Life was selected with direct input from young people worldwide.
From nominations to identifying the shortlist, and all the way to final selection, young people in each region were engaged at each step of the grant process, ensuring their input and perspectives were central to the decision-making and reflecting their genuine needs and priorities in mental health.
Live4Life CEO Bernard Galbally said the grant will help the organisation put together its camp for ambassadors, while also helping to launch a new campaign.
“Live4Life is very proud to be announced as one of just 65 recipients worldwide of the Kindness in Community Fund,” Mr Galbally said.
“We will be putting the fund to immediate use in helping to bring young mental health ambassadors together from all over the state for our three-day Crew Camp, where they will learn leadership, advocacy and media skills.
“Additionally, the fund will support a positive mental health messaging social media campaign — presented by the young people of our alumni group Crew4Life — to be launched on World Mental Health Day in October.”
Live4Life Crew Camp will run from September 23 to 25, providing a unique opportunity for Crew members to meet and make friends with Crew from Live4Life communities around Victoria, while participating in a fun program which develops leadership skills and teaches more about mental health.
Former Live4Life Crew and current Crew4Life member, Laura Crozier, is excited about the opportunities the grant opens up.
“Crew Camp is such an invaluable experience for Crew members from across the state to come together and share in their passion for youth mental health,” she said.
“It provides young leaders with the opportunity to build their skills as public speakers and advocates, and it is the perfect chance to create ongoing connections with like-minded people.
“This funding is so amazing. It actually supports young people from rural and regional communities to attend the camp — something they might not have been able to do otherwise.
“The Crew Camp is an unforgettable experience and a true highlight of my time as a Live4Life Crew member.”
Live4Life is an award-winning prevention model centred on young people. It brings together rural and regional communities to deliver evidence-based mental health education in schools and the wider community, creates local partnerships to lead conversations which reduce stigma, and also promotes young leaders as Mental Health Ambassadors.
In 2023, more than 6000 young people received evidence-based mental health education.
The Crew is Live4Life’s youth participation and leadership program for young people in Years 9 and 10.
After completing school, many former Crew members go on to join Live4Life’s alumni program, Crew4Life. Crew4Life has a big role in Crew Camp, helping to plan, organise and run activities.
This year, Crew4Life will also be involving camp attendees in a social media campaign to be launched on World Mental Health Day.
Seventy-five per cent of people with mental ill health have their first episode during adolescence. Suicide is the leading cause of death in 15-24-year-olds in Australia — and the suicide rate is 40 per cent higher in rural and regional communities.
The Live4Life model has proven its effectiveness in growing mental health awareness and a help-seeking culture across 13 Victorian rural communities, including Ballarat, Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Benalla, Central Goldfields, Glenelg, Hepburn, Latrobe Valley, Moira, Southern Grampians, South Gippsland, Wellington and foundation community Macedon Ranges.
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