In 2019, Neighbour Day is issuing a Loneliness Challenge to all Australians.
“We are asking everyone to help end loneliness in their neighbourhood by committing to create a connection with someone in their local community each week this March,” said Nick Tebbey, National Executive Officer, Relationships Australia.
“It could be a small action - a few friendly words across the back fence, inviting an elderly neighbour in for a cuppa, organising a community get-together, or stopping for a chat when walking the dog,” Mr Tebbey said.
“Or it could be a grand gesture – organising a big neighbourhood BBQ, engaging the neighbours in a street fair, putting on a community concert.
“This year, our theme for Neighbour Day is ‘loneliness - what neighbours can do to create connections’.
“The theme builds on the work done by Relationships Australia in 2018 to raise awareness of the loneliness crisis facing Australia.
“This research found that one in ten people lacking social support or connection and one in six are experiencing emotional loneliness and just under 1.5 million Australians are reporting that they’ve been lonely for a decade or more.
“At Neighbour Day, we believe that we can all take steps to help address this loneliness crisis and the best place to start is by reaching out to our neighbours and help them find connections in our local communities.
“We are enlisting the help of our Neighbour Day Ambassadors to provide some inspiration on how you can take on the Loneliness Challenge and we will be providing some tips of our own via social media, right through the month of March,” Mr Tebbey said.
So follow us via our Facebook and Twitter accounts, or jump onto our Neighbour Day website – neighbourday.org – to get involved.
“The community you want starts at your front door.” TM
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Media Contact: Lyn Larkin, National Communications and Media Manager, Relationships Australia [email protected] or M: 0400 343 227