Live4Life Southern Grampians

15/07/2026

☔️ Let's help keep Hamilton warm this winter ☔️

🧥 Need a coat? Take one. ❤️ Have a spare? Leave one.

The are-able Community Coat Rack at 82 Brown St, Hamilton is collecting and providing free winter clothing for our community members.

Donations of clean winter items for children and adults are welcome until 24 September.

Together, we can make a difference, one warm item at a time. ❄️💙

Community Coat Rack – Hamilton 🧥

Need something warm? Take one.
Want to help? Leave one. ❤️

From 13 July to 24 September, we're inviting our community to come together and help keep one another warm this winter ❄️

We're accepting clean, freshly washed coats, jackets, jumpers, beanies and scarves for both children and adults – all sizes and styles are welcome. 😊

If you have spare winter items to share, please consider donating them. If you need a little extra warmth, simply take what you need, no questions asked.

Together, we can make a difference, one warm item at a time.

📍 Drop-off and collection location: 82 Brown St, Hamilton

01/07/2026

Did you know Live4Life Southern Grampians regularly offers Youth Mental Health First Aid training to adults in our community?

This nationally recognised course provides practical skills to recognise when a young person may be experiencing a mental health problem, respond with confidence, and connect them with appropriate support.

A big congratulations to the 12 local community members who recently completed the training. Together, we're building a community where young people feel supported and know where to turn when they need help.

We're always looking to build a more mentally healthy community. If you'd like to attend a future Youth Mental Health First Aid course, or know someone who would, please don't hesitate to get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.

Youth Live4Life

24/06/2026

What is Live4Life Southern Grampians? 💛🩵🧡💜

Live4Life is a community-led youth mental health initiative working with local schools and organisations to improve mental health awareness, reduce stigma and encourage young people to reach out for support when they need it.

A huge part of Live4Life is our Crew, young people who help lead conversations, share ideas and promote positive mental health within their schools and community.

So far this year we have:
💛 Welcomed our 2026 Live4Life Southern Grampians Crew
🩵 Held our Crew Launch with local Year 8 students
🧡 Attended the annual Live4Life Dinner
💜 Supported the Understanding Youth event with guest speaker Andrew Fuller
💛 Delivered Teen Mental Health First Aid in local schools
🩵 Crew created their mental health promotion poster and theme - "Reach for the light, your future is bright"
🧡 Heard incredible ideas and feedback from young people
💜 Worked alongside schools and community partners

We’re excited to continue supporting youth voice, connection and conversations around mental health across Southern Grampians.

Youth Live4Life

Here’s a little look at what we’ve been up to so far this year👇

18/06/2026

Are you 12-25?

Join us tomorrow, Friday 19 June from 3:30pm - 5:00pm at our pop-up shop at 107 Gray Street for "Snacks and Chats" for the new Community Hub designs.

This event is suitable for young people aged 12-25 so if you are looking for something to do after school next Friday, pop in for a snack and tell us what you like about the concepts.

We want to know what looks good, what needs more work, and any ideas you may have to make the spaces work for you!

No bookings. Just show up. Bring your friends and have your say on the Community Hub, Library and Civic Square.

Can't make it? Take 5 minutes to complete our quick survey at https://engage.sthgrampians.vic.gov.au/community-hub

18/06/2026

💛🩵💜🧡

14/06/2026

💛 Amplifying Youth Voice Across Southern Grampians 💛

Our Live4Life Crew members have been sharing their ideas, experiences and hopes for the future of youth mental health in our community.

Students from Hamilton Parklands School, Monivae College, The Hamilton and Alexandra College and South West TAFE have contributed valuable feedback about their Live4Life experience, what they would like to see moving forward, and the messages they want adults in our community to hear.

Their voices were shared at our recent Partnership Group Meeting, helping guide conversations around how we can continue working together to create a community where young people feel supported, connected and heard.

A huge thank you to our 2026 Crew members for sharing your thoughts, ideas and honesty, your voices play an important role in shaping the future of Live4Life Southern Grampians.

11/06/2026

💛Understanding Our Young People: 2025 Evaluation Results💛

Live4Life Southern Grampians is proud to share the results of the 2025 ALIVE Research Project evaluation survey, highlighting the experiences and voices of young people across our community.

In partnership with Youth Live4Life, The University of Melbourne is currently midway through a three-year longitudinal co-evaluation project aimed at better understanding what matters most to young people—their wellbeing, sense of connection, experiences, and confidence in seeking support.

The findings highlight the power of a whole-community approach, bringing young people, schools, families and services together to strengthen connection, reduce stigma and support positive mental health.

A huge thank you to our participating schools, students and community partners for their ongoing commitment to supporting young people across the Southern Grampians.

By listening to young people, we can continue building a community where every young person feels heard, valued and supported.

We look forward to seeing the continued insights from this research and how they can help shape the future of youth mental health across our community.

10/06/2026

✨Celebrating Youth Live4Life & Our Very Own Community Champion ✨

On 30 May, members of the Live4Life Southern Grampians Partnership Group enjoyed an inspiring evening in Melbourne, celebrating youth mental health, connection, and community at the 2026 Youth Live4Life Annual Dinner.

The night brought together Live4Life communities from across Victoria and Tasmania to celebrate the incredible people, partnerships and collective efforts helping rural and regional young people feel supported, connected and empowered.

A huge congratulations to Kate Couchman from Monivae College, who was awarded the 2026 Youth Live4Life Community Champion Award — recognising her outstanding dedication, leadership and commitment to improving youth mental health across the Southern Grampians.

As a liscenced Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor, Kate has been an incredible advocate and valued part of the Live4Life Southern Grampians community. Through Monivae College’s ongoing support, she generously shares her time, knowledge and passion to help deliver the program, strengthen youth voice and create meaningful conversations around mental health.

Congratulations Kate on this very well-deserved recognition. We are so grateful for the impact you continue to have across the Southern Grampians.

The Live4Life Southern Grampians Partnership Group includes our local high schools and a wide range of service providers, including:

Western District Health Service (Lead Agency)
are-able
headspace Hamilton
Brophy Family & Youth Services
Glenelg & Southern Grampians Local Learning & Employment Network
Beyond the Bell Great South Coast
South West TAFE
Southern Grampians Shire Council
Youth Affairs Council Victoria
Wellways
Baimbridge College
Balmoral K-12 Community College
The Hamilton and Alexandra College
Good Shepherd College Hamilton
Hamilton Parklands School
Monivae College

Together, we're making a difference 💜💙💛❤️

07/06/2026

💜 Supporting and raising young people in the modern world 💜

Live4Life Southern Grampians, Western District Health Service and GenR8 Change were proud to support the recent Understanding Youth Event Series alongside an incredible group of local organisations and community partners.

The series welcomed renowned clinical psychologist, family therapist and author Andrew Fuller, who shared his knowledge, humour and practical strategies around building resilience, supporting youth mental health and helping young people thrive.

Across the two days, parents, carers, educators, community members and students came together to learn, connect and strengthen the way we support young people across the Southern Grampians.

It was fantastic to see such a strong community response, with hundreds of people engaging in conversations around mental health, connection and creating positive futures for our young people.

A huge thank you to Andrew Fuller for sharing his insights, Jack Kennedy from Muster Dogs for doing a fantastic job as MC, The Hamilton and Alexandra College for hosting, and ACE Radio for their promotion—along with all our funding partners, sponsors, and community organisations who came together to make this event possible. 💛

Events like this highlight what can happen when a community comes together with a shared goal, supporting young people to feel connected, valued and supported.

VicHealth
Wellways
Brophy Family & Youth Services
headspace Hamilton
Standing Tall in Hamilton Inc.
Meli
Southern Grampians Shire Council
are-able
Youth Live4Life
The Hamilton and Alexandra College
ACE Radio
Youth Southern Grampians

04/06/2026

Are you a parent or carer wanting to better understand the connection between youth gaming and gambling?

👉 Join Meli's FREE workshop to learn how to spot the risks and support young people to make safe, healthy choices online.

In today’s digital world, the line between gaming and gambling is becoming increasingly blurred. Features like loot boxes can expose young people to gambling-like experiences—often without us even realising.

In this session, you’ll discover:
✅ How gaming and gambling overlap
✅ Warning signs of gambling-related harm
✅ Practical tips for starting conversations
✅ Where to find support and advice

Your role matters. Building awareness and confidence can make a real difference in protecting young people.

📲 Register now via the QR code!