THE Live4Life Crews from rural and regional communities around Victoria have been recognised in the 7News Young Achiever Awards as finalists in the ‘Group Achievement in the Community’ Award sponsored by the Victorian Government.

Since its inception in 2010 in the Macedon Ranges, the Live4Life model has been successfully implemented in nine regional Victorian communities, including in the Southern Grampians, with a further four rural and regional communities coming on board in 2023.

Each Live4Life community has its own Live4Life Crew made up of young people who volunteer their time to be local mental health ambassadors.

The young people come together from all schools in the area to form the Crew and they create their own mental health theme for the year, coordinate launches and activities.

These ambassadors have made a huge difference to the experience of young people in rural and regional areas across Victoria.

Ground-breaking and award-winning, Live4Life is the only mental health education and youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural communities, where the suicide rate is 40 per cent higher than urban areas and where 63 per cent of young people are unable to access mental health services.

The Live4Life Crew model is innovative - the only community and school-based learning initiative that includes a peer-led, co-designed youth participation and leadership component as a key driver.

The 7News Young Achiever Awards encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions that young people are making throughout Victoria.

Winners will be announced at the Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on Friday, April 28.