This year 750 young people across South Gippsland will benefit from Teen Mental Health First Aid training thanks to a grant from the Gardiner Foundation in support of Live4Life South Gippsland. Live4Life South Gippsland is a community embedded initiative that takes a whole of community approach to addressing youth mental health challenges and reducing youth suicide.
Mental Health at a local level
Live4Life operates effectively at a local level due it its broad local partnership including all the secondary schools in South Gippsland, South Gippsland Shire Council, regional health services and community organisations. As a partner in Live4Life South Gippsland, the Mirboo North & District Community Foundation applied for this funding to support of the implementation of this training for teens across South Gippsland in 2026.
“Each year Live4Life South Gippsland provides: teen mental health first aid training for all the Year 8 and Year 10 students in South Gippsland’s schools; mental health first aid training for adults, educators and community members to support young people; and a Shire-wide peer to peer support initiative called ‘Crew’ at each of South Gippsland’s schools,” explained Ruth Rogan, Executive Officer of the MN&D Community Foundation.
“This on-going program is really critical in equipping our young folk, their parents, educators and the broader community with the knowledge and confidence to recognise mental health challenges in young people and to support them with the information needed to seek help.”
The Live4Life model is protecting young lives where it matters most, through empowering rural and regional communities to improve youth mental health and reduce suicide. This is critical given the statistics: mental ill-health among young people aged 16–24 has increased by more than 50 per cent in the past 15 years, while more than 60 per cent of young people in rural and regional areas are unable to access the mental health services and supports they need.
Getting involved
Support from the Gardiner Foundation will ensure that Teen Mental Health First Aid training continues to reach students across the region in 2026, building the capacity of the South Gippsland community to address youth mental health challenges effectively. The impact is seen not only in improved awareness and help-seeking behaviours among young people, but also in stronger partnerships between schools, services and the broader community working together to support the wellbeing of local youth.
If you want to find out more, check out https://www.live4life.org.au/southgippsland or drop in to Co-space and chat to Ruth.