The Shaw and Partners Foundation has got behind some major causes in Australia, whether it be charities supporting the 2019 bushfires, brain cancer research or MS Queensland, to name a few. It is in these times of need and crisis that we all feel obligated to try and help make a difference to someone else’s life.
 
The current COVID-19 pandemic is no different to any other major catastrophe or cause, except the “damage” may not be as visible as a burnt house, a sick child in hospital or a flooded town. The past 18 months has seen a significant rise in people in our community seeking mental health support, financial stress assistance and suicide prevention services.
 
This Thursday 9 September is R U OK? Day - a day set aside to make a meaningful connection with someone you know who may be struggling. We all have people in our circle of friends, family, clients and colleagues who we know just may not be coping as well as they normally do. R U OK? focuses on building the motivation, confidence and skills to have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling with life. The impact COVID-19 is having on mental health is being felt deeply across Australia. Now more than ever it is so important to be alert to those around us, invest more time in our personal relationships and have real conversations to identify signs of distress or difficulty and connect someone to appropriate support, long before they're in crisis.
 
This week at Shaw and Partners, we are putting a focus on mental health. Whilst we only have minimal staff working in the office, this has not stopped us from going to the effort of brightening up the workplace for those who must be in the office and cannot work from home. Zoom meditation sessions, virtual messages and the R U OK? Day webinar are among a number of mental health based initiatives arranged for all staff across the next five days.
 
Most importantly, we look forward to announcing later this week a number of donations the Shaw and Partners Foundation will be making to mental health and suicide prevention charities across Australia.