Australian musician Julia Stone has joined the initiative of NRMA Insurance and Lifeline, focusing on providing mental health support for people impacted by the Black Summer bushfires.
As part of the “Invisible Fires” campaign, Stone composed the poem “Next to Me” to shed light on the Black Summer bushfires' ongoing mental health impact and offer reassurance to those still struggling a year after the devastating event. The poem is backed up by a video created in collaboration with NRMA and creative agency Thinkerbell.
As a trained mental health counsellor, Stone said the poem is personal to her as she continues to volunteer as a hotline support worker assisting people and families living with anxiety disorders.
“As I wrote in my poem, ‘You all saw it on the TV, but it still burns inside of me’, I want to highlight that it's important we don't forget about those who have been physically and mentally affected by the Black Summer bushfires, even though the world has moved on as we grapple with the effects of a global pandemic,” Stone said, as reported by The Music Network.
Lifeline Australia receives 400 calls a day to its Bushfire Recovery Hotline. The poem comes off the back of the $2 million donation from NRMA and RACV to the service, allowing the organisation to provide video counselling support and community resilience training in bushfire-affected areas.
Lifeline Australia chairman John Brogden commented: “Julia Stone's heartfelt poem will help people know that they do not need to suffer in silence. NRMA Insurance and RACV's generous donation will enable us to extend our essential services for those mentally struggling from the Black Summer bushfires and other natural disasters, including floods and COVID-19.”
