An initiative to spread kindness in the Highlands has sparked the Kind Hearts movement.
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The Kind Hearts movement brought together Highland FM, ReFrame and Community Links Wellbeing to promote kindness and start a discussion around mental health and wellbeing.
Highland FM radio personality Adam Stokeld said the Kind Hearts movement had stemmed from a conversation on the radio.
"It was quite serendipitous because I had just written an article for the Southern Highland News on kindness that day and I had it on my mind," he said.
"We had Alice, Amanda and Larry Whipper from ReFrame and it became a conversation and the need in the community to support each other but underlying it was about being good to others and good to yourself.
"Community radio is always looking for ways to engage the community and off-air we decided to do something on kindness."
Adam said that he had never had a conversation about kindness and that no one had ever asked him what kindness meant.
"What I think is nice about this campaign is it brings it to the forefront of people's minds," he said.
"Kindness means a whole bunch of different things to different people.
"It's important to Highland FM, we are a platform to champion kindness, compassion, empathy and understanding. It's nice to be a part of it."
ReFrame and Community Links Wellbeing were on Highland FM to discuss their mental health programs and holistic services as well as statistics concerning mental health.
ReFrame community engagement officer said that there was an underlying issue of isolation and a loss of connection.
"Underneath what people are struggling with, it's not what's wrong with them - it's what's happening to them and under all of that, it's about isolation and a loss of connection," she said.
"We brought it back to how community links have this idea and this vision that health and wellbeing are all interconnected and all holistic."
Featured on the radio throughout kindness week were Lifeline, the Venerable Prah Mana from the Sunnataran Buddhist Monastery in Penrose, Dr Quack from the clown doctors, GP's and Meals on Wheels as well as many more.
"We've had a senior psychologist from the Department of Education coming on, the youth liaison officer from the police, Mittagong Lions president Matt Aiken and Brendan O'Conner captain of the Balmoral Rural Fire Service," she said.
Larry Whipper who is involved in both ReFrame and Community links said the Kind Hearts campaign for the month of July was a great initiative.
"Ultimately you have to be kind to yourself, that's where it starts. I think the more we reflect on inner kindness, the more we project it, the more it radiates," he said.
Radio DJ and Adam's radio partner Jen Biggs said that everyone's world had changed.
"Together we can do more to spread kindness and share their stories."
Asked what kindness meant to them, Adam, Jen, Alice and Larry all revealed how kindness can differentiate person to person.
For Larry, kindness is to treat someone the way you expect to be treated, while Jen said that kindness was "putting a smile on someone's face. Alice said that kindness was connecting with people while Adam believed that kindness was being self-aware.
ReFrame is a youth mental health program in the Wingecarribee Shire aimed at helping youth between the ages of 12 to 25 who are having a tough time.
You can contact ReFrame on 0455 104 104, email mhintake@communitylinks.org.au, virtually drop in here https://zoom.us/j/3525266065 (password 380398) or by appointment.
Community Links Wellbeing is a not-for-profit non-Government community organisation in the Wingecarribee Shire.
The service supports all members of the community and provides resources for community development, events, groups, workshops, youth programs, crisis support, carer support, family support, Allied Health and Mental Health Services.
You can call Community Links Wellbeing on 4683 2777 or info@communitylinks.org.au.
If you have a kind hearts story to share, please email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au
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Vera Demertzis
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
Journalist at the Southern Highland News covering council yarns and community news. Got a tip or a story to tell? Email vera.demertzis@southernhighlandnews.com.au or call on 0427 250 908.
