Connection  

There has been increased discussion in recent years about connecting and staying connected, which is a good thing.  We know that loneliness is detrimental to both individuals and communities and that social connection and respectful relationships are important for our health and wellbeing.
 
But connection doesn’t just happen. It takes effort.
 
That doesn’t mean grand gestures or big things, however, it is about ‘doing something.’
 
Often it is the small things, which make a meaningful difference.
 
This month we launch Neighbour Day: Connecting Communities for 20 years in our nation’s capital with a raft of very neighbourly supporters. Nick Tebbey, National Executive Officer for Relationships Australia joins us on the Verandah and shares his thoughts on ‘connection in action in our latest Neighbourly blog. We encourage you to enter our Tell Us Your Story competition and share your story of connection with Australia AND invite you to register your event online.
 
As always, we share more ideas to connect and celebrate Neighbour Day 2022 - and every day!
 
So grab a cuppa and join us on your virtual Verandah!

20 Year Anniversary of Neighbour Day Launches 

Nick's Story of Connection

Nick Tebbey National Executive Officer of Relationships Australia joined us on the Verandah to share his thoughts on connection in this Neighbourly Blog.
 
“When I was growing up in the suburbs of Adelaide in South Australia, we knew our nearby neighbours well. The kids would play in the street together, and our parents would lend each other a hand: bringing in each other’s bins, collecting mail if a neighbour was on holidays, holding a spare key, and keeping an eye out for each other. 
 
Throughout each year we would have occasional neighbourly gatherings – nothing big. A sausage sizzle, a garage sale or street cleanup – but in the main, we just waved, had the odd chat and lived side by side. Mostly harmoniously, but not always. No relationship is perfect; but knowing each other was helpful in managing issues before they become a problem…” 
 
Read the full blog here.

Nick pictured below at the launch event.

Where are you being neighbourly?  

Australia's First Peoples have been living on the Australian continent for millennia. A simple step to get you started to know your community better, is knowing the name of the land, seas and waterways you're on. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia is made up of many different and distinct groups, each with their own culture, customs, language and laws. They are the world’s oldest surviving culture; cultures that continue to be expressed in dynamic and contemporary ways.

You can find out where you are by visiting the AIATSIS map here.

When you register your Neighbour Day 2022 event or neighbourly action, tell us what Country you are on, and go into the draw to win a prize!  Register now.   

Tell us your story of connection  

To reflect the Connecting Communities for 20 years theme for Neighbour Day 2022, we invite people to tell us their stories of connections in recent times, or perhaps over the years. These social connections may be one-off moments or regular and lasting interactions that create one to one relationships or become the starting point for an ongoing group.
 
Our annual Tell Us Your Story competition is open for entries. The national prize is a $400 gift voucher, with $100 gift vouchers for the winners of each state and territory.
 
Entries close 12MN Sunday 27 February 2022 and we will announce winners in early March, sharing stories each week up to Neighbour Day. Find out more here.

Days to connect in person or virtually

There are good (and often important!) reasons to connect every single day.

Here are a few days to help get you started.

And remember, every day is neighbour day.
  
February 1-28             National Sustainable Living Festival, is the largest and longest-running sustainability-themed event in Australia. The Festival aims to inspire and provide solutions to the sustainability and climate challenges we currently face both now and into the future. 
 
February 1-28               Feel Good February, is having the intention and taking the time to make others feel good during February and beyond. Do a kind deed for a stranger.
  
February 13                 Apology Anniversary is a mark of respect of the achievement that was the apology to the Stolen Generations, and a reminder to the broader public, to the country's politicians and policymakers, that sorry is more than a word and we must continue to work together in order to achieve key outcomes for the Stolen Generations and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

February 14               Valentine’s Day, or as we call it 'Pal-entine's Day' (yes, we know it's cheesy!) is a great opportunity to connect and show you care! Why not invite a pal or a neighbour over for a cuppa and a chat, or a simple meal? Or from a distance, drop them a note or give them a call to let them know that you appreciate them.
 
February 20               World Day of Social Justice -  Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.
 
February 21               International Mother Language Day is a day of multilingualism and multiculturalism. It is an opportunity to promote the preservation and protection of all languages.
 
February 22               World Thinking Day is a day of friendship, advocacy and fundraising for 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world.
 
February 25              Business Clean Up Day -  Businesses doing their part to promote a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. A fantastic way to be seen as a community leader and engage with your staff, customers and the local community. This date is to be confirmed.

February 27              Tell Us Your Story competition. Last day to share your story of connection by entering Neighbour Day's annual competition with great prizes to be won!

March  2                    Relationships Australia free Webinar – Neighbour Day Connecting Communities for 20 years - What we’ve learnt.
 
March 5-13             Parks Week  is about hundreds of organisations across Australia and New Zealand holding events to celebrate the vital role parks play in creating liveable cities and thriving communities. Parks Week 2022 will focus on the how spending time in our parks and open spaces positively influences our wellbeing.
 
March 14 - 25            A Taste of Harmony celebrates diversity in Australian workplaces by encouraging colleagues to share food and stories from different cultural backgrounds.
 
March 15 -22 April    Passover - A Jewish holiday where people recite special blessings or prayers, visit their synagogue, listen to readings from the Torah, and eat a ceremonial meal, which is centred around the Seder Plate and red wine or red grape juice.
 
March 17                    Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, "the Day of the Festival of Patrick"), is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. AD 385-461), the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
 
March 18                    Close the Gap Day - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are still dying 10 to 17 years younger than other Australians. For that reason, more than 40 national organisations came together in 2006 to form Close the Gap - Australia's largest ever campaign to improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
 
March 18                    Ride2SchoolDay day encourages children to become more active and healthy in and out of school. Children participate by walking, riding or scooting to school.
 
March 20                   International Day of Happiness - Do something, big or small, to take part on 20 March and bring happiness to others. Everyone wants to be happy - and life is happier when we're together. So let's celebrate our common humanity. Join the community and be part of this special day.
 
March 20-27             Multiple Birth Awareness Week – Multiple Birth Awareness Week is a celebration of families raising twins, triplets, and more. The day also aims to raise awareness of the challenges that go hand-in-hand with raising these children.
 
March 21                    International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - Celebrated on the anniversary of the 1960 shooting of 69 anti-apartheid protestors, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is a reminder to continue breaking down all forms of racism and racial discrimination.
 
March 21                    Naw-Ruz (New Year) Baha’I - is the Bahá'í and Iranian new year. It occurs on the date of the vernal equinox, and symbolises the new life of spring.
 
March 21                    World Poetry Day - The United Nations describes poetry as another facet of the dialogue among cultures. World Poetry Day is a celebration of the contribution made to society by poetry. Why not pen a neighbourly poem?
 
March 26                   Earth Hour – 830pm - Earth Hour is an international sustainability movement, where individuals and businesses are encouraged to turn off all lights for an hour. Earth Hour aims to increase awareness of the impact we have on our world through the use of fossil fuels and electricity.
 
March 21-27             National Playgroup Week - Playgroups perform an important role in providing parent and carer support and in promoting the value of play for young children. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the wonderful work undertaken all over Australia by dedicated parent and carer volunteers to keep playgroups running. A great way to connect!
 
March  21-27             Harmony Week -  Celebrate our cultural diversity by living the Harmony Week message everyone belongs in your workplace, community, school, sporting group, local councils and state governments. From the traditional owners of this land to those who have come from many countries around the world. By participating in Harmony Week activities, we can learn and understand how all Australians from diverse backgrounds equally belong to this nation and enrich it.
 
March 21-27              Neurodiversity Celebration Week - Neurodiversity Celebration Week currently has over 600 schools taking part across the UK, Australia, Canada and the US. The campaign aims to change negative perceptions about autism and learning differences. It also aims to encourage schools flip the narrative from focusing on the challenges and difficulties that neurodiverse students face, to also focusing on their talents and strengths.
 
March 27                   Neighbour Day - Neighbour Day is Relationships Australia’s social connection campaign. It aims to support and enable sustainable respectful relationships across communities, while also helping to address loneliness across the nation. Celebrations can occur at any time throughout the year however Neighbour Day is noted annually as the last Sunday in March. Why not do something neighbourly to celebrate Neighbour Day Connecting Communities for 20 years!
 
March 21-28              Cultural Diversity Week (VIC) –  Multiculturalism is a core part of the Victorian identity, character and way of life. As home to people from all corners of the world, Victoria is a place where anyone can contribute and belong. This year's Cultural Diversity Week theme pushes the boundaries and asks: What does multicultural Victoria look like in 2030? Through a hybrid offering of in-person and digital events, they invite participants to ask the big questions, spark constructive conversations and envision the future of Victorian multiculturalism.
 
March 25 – 3 April    NSW Seniors Festival is the largest festival for seniors in the Southern Hemisphere, reaching up to 500,000 seniors each year. If you are over 60, NSW Seniors Festival gives you the chance to make new friends or get together with old ones at an array of local community events, many which are free or heavily discounted.

Keeping you & your neighbours safe 

We recommend that people make themselves aware of the public health authorities’ advice and only do whatever neighbourly actions that are safe to do. 

Visit https://www.health.gov.au/ to stay up to date and informed, so that you can keep your neighbourhood healthy.