March 2025

This Sunday marks Neighbour Day, the National Day of Action for the ‘Neighbours Every Day’ (NED) campaign, held on the last Sunday in March.
‘Neighbours Every Day’ is an evolution of Relationships Australia’s long-running Neighbour Day campaign, which has been encouraging social connections across Australia for over 20 years. The aim is to help people build respectful, healthy relationships in their communities, creating a sense of belonging while also reducing loneliness.

This year, Relationships Australia Tasmania and Healthy Tasmania, an initiative of the Tasmanian Government partnered to launch the ‘Neighbours Every Day’ community grants, where communities could apply for up to $1500 to support neighbourly activities that create social connections and reduce loneliness in their community. We received more than 130 applications across the state, with 39 applications being funded. Neighbourly activities ranged from community afternoon teas to seed libraries, coffee groups, and movie nights.

Doing what we can to tackle loneliness in our communities is important as we learn more about the impact of social isolation.
The 2024 Relationship Indicators Report, which measures the state of Australian Relationships, shows some concerning data about social isolation in Australia, with over one-fifth of the population reporting feelings of loneliness. But the good news is, the report also highlights that having healthy, respectful relationships, whether with family, friends, or partners, can play a big role in reducing loneliness and creating belonging.
Here at Relationships Australia Tasmania, our vision is to build a connected and respectful Tasmania. We do this by supporting Tasmanians to build resilience, respectful relationships and connection to community.

Connection doesn’t have to come from big gestures, sometimes the small, simple ones can make the most difference. Maybe you’ve noticed an older neighbour who doesn’t get out much, or the young family next door who’s been juggling life. A quick chat, a helping hand, or even just inviting them over for a coffee or a BBQ can help increase belonging and reduce loneliness.

If you’re looking for ways to connect with your community this weekend (or any day), here are a few simple ideas to get you started:

• Introduce yourself to your neighbour – a simple knock on the door and a friendly hello can brighten someone’s day and create a connection.
• Barbeque – Host a neighbourhood barbeque at your local park! Set a time for everyone to gather and encourage people to bring a plate. It’s a great way to connect over food and good company.
• Bring your neighbours bins in – Take it in turns to bring your neighbours bins in.
• Care Packages – Put together little care packages with baked goods or produce from your vegie patch and deliver them to neighbours, especially to those who may live alone.

Whatever you choose to do this Neighbour Day, the key is to start small and be genuine. Building connections doesn’t require grand plans or money spent. Sometimes, it’s the simplest actions that create the biggest impact. As we celebrate Neighbour Day this Sunday, let’s remember that every effort, no matter how small, has the power to reduce loneliness and create belonging.

Dr Michael Kelly is the Chief Executive Officer at Relationships Australia Tasmania

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Media Contact: A.Mark Thomas, M&M Communications, 0422 006 732

About Relationships Australia Tasmania

At Relationships Australia Tasmania we provide families, couples, individuals, older people, children and communities with tools and strategies, so that they have healthy, positive lives. We help more than 8000 Tasmanians every year to transform and change their lives through counselling, mediation, dispute resolution, support and training.

Our focus is on:

• healthy relationships, conflict resolution, parenting, cultural issues and mental health
• We offer people the services and support they need, when they need it to assist them when life presents challenges.
• Services are available to all people regardless of cultural background, family structure, economic situation, religious beliefs, gender or sexual orientation.

More information about the services and support we offer can be found on our website www.tas.relationships.com.au