St John Ambulance Victoria is proud to announce that our Party Ready program has been recognised with a Resilient Australia Award, a national accolade celebrating initiatives that make communities stronger, safer, and more prepared for emergencies.

Empowering the Next Generation

Party Ready was developed to equip young Victorians with the confidence and practical first aid skills to respond in high-pressure situations. Delivered to secondary school students across the state, the program goes beyond traditional first aid by contextualising training in real-life social settings; from parties and peer pressure to substance use and mental health crises.

Students gain hands-on experience in CPR, defibrillator use, and psychological first aid, while also building resilience, decision-making skills, and the confidence to act in emergencies. Since its launch, Party Ready has reached thousands of students, with outstanding feedback from both participants and teachers.

In 2024 alone, more than 3,000 students completed the program, with confidence in providing first aid and mental health support increasing by over 60%.

"Party Ready gives young people practical, life-saving skills in a way that truly resonates with them. This award is not only recognition of the program’s impact, but also of the power of equipping teenagers to step up in emergencies, look after their mates, and contribute to safer, more resilient communities," said Gordon Botwright, St John Ambulance Victoria CEO.

Chelsea Hancock, Community Program Officer at St John, added: “It’s an honour to see Party Ready recognised with this award. It highlights the importance of bystander first aid in building community resilience, and the confidence and capacity we’re creating for young Victorians is truly empowering. The recognition also strengthens the program’s reputation across other states who are interested in rolling it out.”

Student Experiences

Students consistently praise the program for its engaging and practical approach:

• “The activities were engaging and let us put them into work either through problem solving or physically. The content and the practicals are essential to learn, and I learnt a lot in the workshop,” said a Braemar College student.
• “The slides were good paired with the booklet to consolidate understanding. The activities were interesting and fun. Thank you for doing this program,” shared a student from Belmont High School.
• “Today was definitely worth not skipping school,” added a student from Epping Secondary College.

A Program Backed by Evidence

Party Ready aligns with the Victorian Health & Physical Education curriculum and is backed by national data (NDSHS 2022–23; ASSAD 2023). Delivered at an affordable cost of $17 per student, it provides essential first aid skills (CPR, DRSABCD), mental health crisis support, drug and alcohol education, and decision-making practice.

Celebrating a Milestone

Winning the Resilient Australia Award marks a proud milestone for St John Ambulance Victoria and highlights the vital role education programs like Party Ready play in supporting the health and safety of Victorians, now and into the future.

As Chelsea reflects: “I love coming to work each day knowing I’m contributing to the longevity and future success of Party Ready. It’s a fantastic outcome for both the program and St John as an organisation.”

Party Ready is proudly delivered by St John Ambulance Victoria, trusted by Victorians for over 140 years.