Local students will benefit from a major injection of funding to support mental health, wellbeing and resilience.

Mt Eliza Community Enterprise (MECE) has announced it will allocate $250,000 over three years to a Student Support Program, increasing the delivery of extra-curricular mental health programs to primary and secondary schools based in and around the Mt Eliza area.

“Supporting young people has always been a priority for MECE,” said Chair, Reagan Barry. “This major funding investment will help schools engage professional service providers. We want to help take the pressure off teachers and provide positive outcomes for students and local families.”

As part of the initiative, MECE will work with local schools and service providers like Speak and Share.

Locally based Speak and Share are helping young people manage their mental health and wellbeing by encouraging open, honest conversations and challenging the stigma surrounding mental health. Their programs encourage physical activity as a powerful tool.

In 2024, MECE funded Speak and Share to provide workshop sessions for Year 9 students at Mt Eliza and Mornington Secondary Colleges and Frankston High School. This initiative will be expanded.

In addition, MECE is working with local primary schools to bring in the expertise of organisations like Inform and Empower, the Cyber Safety Project, and others who specialise in supportive mental health and wellbeing education for primary school children.

“We hear from young people, teachers and parents that there’s real need for professionals to come into schools with their research-based, innovative education programs,” said MECE community engagement officer, Alex Godfrey. “It’s something we are ready to help our local schools deliver.”