Live4Life

Program description

Live4Life is a youth suicide prevention model designed specifically for rural and regional communities. Live4Life programs are led by a network of local organisations and schools who partner to lead the Live4Life model in their community. The model is informed by lived experience and with input from young people. The aim is to improve youth mental health and reduce suicide in rural and regional communities.

The Live4Life program has 4 elements:

1. Delivery of accredited Mental Health First Aid training in schools and the wider community
2. Creation of local partnerships between schools, councils, local services and community organisations to lead conversations about mental health and suicide prevention
3. Promotion of young leaders as Mental Health Ambassadors (The Crew), who lead implementation of Live4Life in their schools
4. Mentoring and support for communities to implement the Live4Life model.

Intended outcomes

• Reduced barriers to seeking help
• Decreased stigma around mental health
• Increased awareness of local professional help
• Increased mental health knowledge of secondary school students, staff, parents/carers and community members
• Increased community resilience and capacity to address mental ill-health

Program details

Implementation considerations

• Target population: Secondary school students, secondary school staff, and their local community in rural and regional areas.
• Program adaptability: The program is suitable for students with a disability.
• Staffing: Backfill may be required for staff completing the 14-hour Youth Mental Health First Aid course.
• Training requirements: Time commitments vary depending on the component. Schools are required to maintain a minimum 10% of staff accredited in Youth Mental Health First Aid at all times. Senior school staff are required to attend school and community partnership group meetings, often monthly, running for 1–1.5 hours. Schools need to provide a classroom for Teen Mental Health First Aid course delivery, projector for course presentation, student supervision and ensure welfare staff are on hand during and post course delivery.
• Factors to consider: For Live4Life to be sustainable an expression of interest (EOI) process is utilised and co-investment from the community is required. A collaborative approach from all secondary schools in a Local Government Area (LGA) is required and is part of the EOI process. There is no minimum participant number. Once established in a community, Live4Life has an annual program cycle. A Youth Live4Life Advisor works with the lead organisation and partnership group to embed the model over a 3 to 4-year period. Local coordination supports school engagement and works with local Mental Health First Aid instructors and schools to schedule courses and, with the Crew of young people, to host events and activities.
• Australian context: The program has been developed and applied in Australia.