Raising funds for youth mental health
YOUTH mental health awareness and suicide prevention provided the motivation for South Gippsland Shire councillor Clare Williams to swim 1000 laps of the pool at Leongatha’s SPLASH centre, taking part in LAP it UP, an initiative of Youth...
YOUTH mental health awareness and suicide prevention provided the motivation for South Gippsland Shire councillor Clare Williams to swim 1000 laps of the pool at Leongatha’s SPLASH centre, taking part in LAP it UP, an initiative of Youth Live4Life.
LAP it Up went for 15 days.
“Youth Live4Life runs programs in regional areas – it’s about raising funds for them to put kids through mental health first aid and being aware of suicide and having prevention strategies around that to help youth in regional areas,” Clare said.
Fundraising took place online.
Clare registered, made a donation herself and requested others to contribute $5 to the cause if possible.
As of Sunday, she had raised $1542, smashing her goal of $500, placing her second on the LAP it UP leaderboard.
She said that while the LAP it UP period has finished, fundraising remains open.
While Clare has previously swum at SPLASH, she drastically increased her distance for the two-week mental health campaign, with the extra effort leaving her exhausted.
“I leant on my friends to come and entertain me while I was swimming,” she said.
Clare mixed up her regime, sometimes swimming backstroke and other times freestyle.
Gael Rudwick was another local participant clocking up the kilometres at SPLASH during the LAP it UP period and had raised $463 by Sunday.
Live4Life delivers Youth Mental Health First Aid training in schools and the wider community, helps lead conversations about mental health that reduce stigma, and promotes young leaders as mental health ambassadors.
Live 4Life Bass Coast and South Gippsland launched in 2022, stretching from Phillip Island to Leongatha, past Inverloch and onto Fish Creek.
The program is delivered by engaging the whole community, including secondary schools, health provider networks, and local community organisations, with South Gippsland and Bass Coast Shire Councils the lead agencies.
If you need support, talk to a GP or health professional, or contact: Lifeline: 13 11 14. Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800. Beyond Blue 1800 512 348.
