Frontline workers at Corryong and the wider region have launched a new mental health initiative following the deaths of three young men within the community in the space of six months - two to suicide and one from cancer.

Ambulance Victoria Walwa community emergency response team member Meaghan Daly and Corryong advanced life support paramedic Marita Harrison were determined to find a way to provide immediate help, with drought, bushfires and COVID-19 also taking a toll.

Mrs Daly and Ms Harrison, with the help of donations from Rotary District 9790 and the Rotary Club of Yarrawonga-Mulwala, arranged for 600 caps to be printed with the message "you'll never walk alone", along with the names of the three much-loved young men - James Penman, Sam Hill and Jake Evans.

The caps are predominantly navy blue, with white and red writing to represent the colours of Ambulance Victoria and the football clubs the men played for - Corryong and Cudgewa.

A cancer awareness message is printed next to Jake Evans' name, while on the other side of the hats, Lifeline is in memory of James Penman and Sam Hill.

IN OTHER NEWS:

"It was a peer support meeting that we felt hopeless in what we could do for the community and that's where the idea came out of it," Mrs Daly said.

"We're the first port of call when there is a death in the community and we're trying to avoid that.

"We don't want to be the last resort."

Mrs Daly said more hats are on the way after a huge community response in the past week.

"We want hats on people's heads to show we can get people talking and have the conversation," she said.

"You try to give the young ones guidance because losing three in their age group in six months is terrible and they are at a loss.

"They all know each other, they've got no social outlet either because sport has been cancelled and they can't gather as a group.

"Doing nothing is hard, but doing something makes it a little easier."

Ms Harrison said Ambulance Victoria is often the safety net for community members experiencing mental health problems.

"We've both got children who are young adults, so it's affected us hugely," she said.

"Jake Evans died from brain cancer and I want to differentiate the two. Mental health is a massive thing, but we have cancer awareness on one side and Lifeline on the other.

"We wanted to use the three boys' names, but we didn't want to throw them in the same boat because not one is less important than the other.

"Someone once told me the day you stop mentioning someone's name is the day they actually die, so we'll continue to talk about the boys.

"We want to let people know we actually are here and don't have to be picking you off the ground in a screaming mess."

Mrs Daly said getting the families of the three young men on board was very important.

"It wouldn't have had the same impact if we'd missed one or two of the kids," she said.

"When they're young and their life just seems to be starting. It's so sad.

"To look at the hats, it's very hard particularly for us in the medical game.

"When I approached Jake's parents to get his name on the hats, their thing to me was his mates are hurting.

"We can't gather in large groups, but this is a way to show we care.

"We'd love to get rid of the stigma around suicide."

Ms Harrison said there is plenty of mental health support available for the Upper Murray community at Corryong or by calling Lifeline on 13 11 14.

The free hats can be collected from Corryong Ambulance Station.