Youth Live4Life’s new headquarters in Woodend was officially opened on Friday by Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas and Macedon Ranges mayor Cr Jennifer Anderson.
“The mental health of young people in rural and regional Victoria has never been more important than now,” said Bernard Galbally, Youth Live4Life’s chief executive officer.
“Over the past year Youth Live4Life has experienced a period of considerable growth and we are thrilled to set up our office in the rural shire where Live4Life began.”
Youth Live4Life was established in 2015 to independently facilitate and govern the expansion of the Live4Life youth suicide prevention and mental health education model, operating in the Macedon Ranges since 2010, where close to 25 per cent of the population has received mental health first aid training.
“Life4Life provides mental health education and suicide prevention initiatives for rural and regional communities,” Mr Galbally said.
“The program supports young people to recognise, seek and offer help for mental health concerns, and builds the capacity of the whole community to look after its young people.”
Suicide is the leading cause of death of Australian young people, and suicide rates are 40 per cent higher in rural areas than in metropolitan areas. Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities.
