Festival for Healthy Living – Dream Big

The Melton/Brimbank Suicide Prevention Governance Group identified youth population as a priority cohort. The Royal Children’s Hospital Festivals for Healthy Living Dream Big Program was engaged to work with the Aboriginal community, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and students identified by schools as having issues of poor mental health, including a history of self-harm or suicidal ideation.

The focus of the project was to decrease social isolation and promote inclusion for the student population and the community surrounding it. Workshops and events were designed to promote social and emotional wellbeing above all else.

This activity was part of the Melton and Brimbank Place-Based Suicide Prevention Trials.

Successes of the project included:  

• 12 art workshops conducted with young people and families 
• 6 hours of streaming content was broadcast on the Dream Big website 
• The Dream Big Festival was held in February 2021 and was a great success with over 600 participants