We work to prevent and reduce burden of disease in the Latrobe Valley by centring community voice, strengthening advocacy, and supporting a healthier community through community leadership and innovation.
In 2025, the Latrobe Health Assembly transitioned to an independent, community-owned, not-for-profit health promotion charity organisation. This milestone established a strong foundation for our priority areas and continues to guide our strategic direction and impact across the Latrobe Valley.
Read our Strategic Plan 2026–2029Engagement Framework is a shared guide for how people of the Assembly work together — building trust, understanding, and collective responsibility. This is currently in the process of being updated to align with our new 2026/29 Strategic Plan.
Our impact
Volunteer hours contributed by our community in the past year.
Young people completed Live4Life mental health education across the Latrobe Valley.
Free books distributed to children aged 0 - 4 through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Return on every dollar spent through the Nurses in Schools Program.
Meals prepared in 2023 by People's Kitchen - a total of 2,241.5kg of food.
Of people accessing the WES Mental Health Café would not have otherwise sought mental health support.
Priority Area
Mental Health Prevention
Mental health is one of the Latrobe Valley's most pressing community concerns. Over 12% of local residents live with a long-term mental health condition, and nearly 1 in 5 adults rarely feel valued by society. The Latrobe Health Assembly is committed to fostering and maintaining good mental health in our region — through community-led projects that focus on prevention, connection and early support, not just crisis response.
12.2%
of Latrobe Valley residents have a long-term mental health condition
18.1%
of local adults rarely feel valued by society
74%
of parents couldn't access child mental health services for children aged 0–8
Projects in this priority area
Live4Life
A youth mental health initiative building resilience and connection among young people across the Latrobe Valley.
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Hello.
The Hello. campaign, launched in 2019 to foster social connection across the Latrobe Valley, is a popular community-led initiative developed by the Latrobe Health Assembly. At its heart is the power of one simple word - "hello" - to brighten someone's day, spark a conversation, and reduce the burden of loneliness.
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Impacts of COVID on Youth
Young people were among the groups most affected by COVID 19, experiencing heightened mental health challenges, reduced employment opportunities, disengagement from education and training, and increased anxiety about the future. This project sought to understand the impacts of COVID 19 on young people in the Latrobe Valley.
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Creative Latrobe
Creative Latrobe builds on the power of placemaking and tactical urbanism to bring about lasting change to spaces while also contributing to a safer and healthier city.
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The WES Mental Health Cafe
The Wellbeing and Emotional Support Centre 'The WES' provided a welcoming and safe space for anybody 16 years and over experiencing mental health concerns, emotional distress or social isolation — a non-clinical model of wellbeing support designed by community for community.
Learn more →Priority Area
Disease Prevention
In the Latrobe Valley, chronic disease rates sit well above the national average - shaped by a complex mix of social, economic and environmental factors. The Assembly works alongside local people to build the conditions where good health is genuinely possible for everyone.
For every 100 people in Latrobe, 26 experience very high disadvantage which significantly impacts their health and wellbeing
Local data shows that 11.3% of residents experience food insecurity with hunger — nearly double the Victorian average of 6.6%
Stats coming soon
Projects in this priority area
Community Health Nursing in Primary Schools
This program uses a health and wellbeing outreach model with community health nurses from Latrobe Community Health Service placed within the primary school setting to support vulnerable children who are at an increased risk of poor health and wellbeing outcomes.
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Community Health In Pre-Schools
The Community Nurses in Preschools program supports disadvantaged preschool children to access healthcare within preschool via consultations, primary care and overseeing action plans and outside preschool by facilitating appointments, telehealth, logistics and liaison.
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Food Insecurity in Education Settings
Social Ventures Australia were funded to undertake an initial research project to investigate the experience of food insecurity in education settings, examining its impacts, drivers, prevalence, current interventions and barriers to support.
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Little Village Project
The Little Village Project (LVP) is a community-led initiative to support vulnerable children in the Latrobe Valley. Founded by Ben Tunks, the Wellbeing Support Officer at Stockdale Road Primary School, the project strives to collaborate with primary schools to empower their vulnerable students and help them thrive.
Learn more →Priority Area
Reducing Disease Burden
Improving outcomes for people living with illness through coordinated support and access to care.
1,212 Potentially preventable hospitalisations in one year in Latrobe
Stats coming soon
Stats coming soon
Projects in this priority area
Latrobe Valley Chronic Disease Action Plan
Through coordinated action across early detection, self-management, and community-based care, the Plan supported more connected, person-centred services across the chronic disease continuum. This collaborative approach strengthened relationships and enabled partners to work toward a shared goal.
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Federation Physiotherapy Virtual Care Clinic
The Federation Physiotherapy Virtual Care Clinic, launched in 2023, provides low- or no-cost telehealth services with strong feedback from clients and referrers. Delivered by supervised physiotherapy students, the clinic supports people with chronic musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, and neurological conditions.
Learn more →Priority Area
Chronic Disease Prevention
Reducing the risk of conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer through prevention initiatives and healthier lifestyles.
12.2%
of people in Latrobe are living with two or more chronic diseasesStats coming soon
Stats coming soon
Projects in this priority area
People's Kitchen
The Morwell Neighbourhood House (MNH) People's Kitchen initiative plays a vital role in supporting vulnerable community members by providing nutritious meals to those in need. It addresses increasing food insecurity while promoting health and wellbeing. The People's Kitchen brings together volunteers — Food Bank users, local businesses and the wider community — to improve access to home-cooked meals and create opportunities for people to build skills, share knowledge, and strengthen understanding of nutrition and food security.
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Food For All Latrobe Valley
Food insecurity is a growing challenge across the Latrobe Valley. In response, a local Food Security Coalition, known as Food For All Latrobe Valley (FFALV) was established in 2018 to improve access to fresh, nutritious food by bringing together health services, emergency relief agencies, community groups, food retailers and producers, Neighbourhood Houses and local residents.
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Healthy Supermarkets - Reach for the Stars
Healthy Supermarkets - reach for the stars is based on the successful 'Eat Well @ IGA Bendigo' project, and other successful healthy supermarket initiatives. This project works in partnership with supermarket retailers, LHA, LCHS and the community to co-design and implement healthy food retail strategies and interventions to support healthy food purchasing behaviour.
Learn more →The Latrobe Health Assembly respectfully acknowledges Aboriginal people as the Original Custodians of the land we walk on today — the land of the Braiakaulung people of the Gunaikurnai nation and passes on respect to their Elders past and present, future and emerging.
The Latrobe Health Assembly celebrates, values and includes people of all backgrounds, genders, sexualities, cultures, bodies and abilities.
All gifts of $2 or more are tax deductible and go directly to our programs. The Latrobe Health Assembly is a registered charitable organisation recognised by the ACNC and the ATO. ABN 54 996 117 267.
