Interested in Compassionate Communities? Dying to do a community project? If so then Holly Smith is keen to hear from you.
Holly heads-up the recently announced National Compassionate Communities Forum initiative with The Groundswell Project.
Compassionate communities recognise that caring for one another at times of health crisis and personal loss is not solely a task for health and social services, but is everyone’s responsibility. Compassionate Communities is an international movement that aims to build community capacity to support people approaching the end of their lives [1].
The compassionate communities’ movement has been notably effective in the UK in developing local initiatives that unite and empower communities to support their own at end of life.
“Looking at the UK we can see the sorts of transformation that can take place in a community using this approach.”
Holly comes into the role with experience working in the community development and arts space, in projects that initiated change for communities.
“With the compassionate communities movement we are hoping to see widespread change through a grassroots and top-down approach coming together.”
“With so many successful examples internationally, the Forum will act to use those learnings to build on and amplify this work in Australia.”
The GroundSwell Project is inviting expressions of interest from individuals or partnering organisations who are ready to develop compassionate communities work in their local area. This includes local government, schools, hospitals, faith groups, community groups, health services, carers, art centres, PHN’s, palliative care organisations, charities, and aged care facilities.
The chosen community groups (who will be known as GroundBreakers) will receive support from The GroundSwell Project to implement the Compassionate City Charter and help their local community to work together to improve their response to people who are dying and those who have been bereaved [2].
The project aims to identify 8 communities across Australia.
How to apply?
Click here to go to the NCCP website and express interest via their online form. This will capture some basic details about you and your community. Expressions of Interest close at the end of March.
Click here to follow the project on Facebook.
Pic: Holly Smith
[1] http://www.compassionatecommunities.net.au/symposium/#ccs [2] https://www.comcomhub.com/nccf-eoi/